Gp, Sp, Cp

[Lonely Tylenol]

I live in Canada. A while back, to save money, the Canadian Mint decided to replace the dollar notes we had with dollar coins, which don't wear out as quickly. Our money otherwise resembles American cash, although they have not yet seen the light and joined us in producing money in $2 denominations (ours are nifty two-tone coins).

Recently it struck me that our coinage bears an uncanny pattern which is similar to one I'm quite familiar with. Like America, our lowest denomination is a 1-cent copper coin. We also mint mid-value coins of steel that could be mistaken for silver when new. And a new dollar coin looks pretty much like gold before life in a pocket turns it the colour of a kernel of maize corn left on the counter overnight.

So Canada has adopted the gp/sp/cp monetary system. If I wanted to, I could also go down to the post office and get myself some platinum coins...

 

[diaglo]

the US has legal tender in $2.

Jefferson is on the $2 bill

 

[Kemrain]

the US has legal tender in $2.

Jefferson is on the $2 bill

When there are people who're arrested for paying with them, I hesitate to refer to them as anything but an amusement. We have them, but they're certanly not even half as common as a $1.

- Kemrain the Poor.

 

[mojo1701]

Well, traditionally, Gold is still higher in value than silver, and silver higher than gold, so it has to work out somehow.

 

[Kemrain]

Well, traditionally, Gold is still higher in value than silver, and silver higher than gold, so it has to work out somehow.

This makes less sense than it aught to...

- Kemrain the Confused.

 

[the Jester]

Well, traditionally, Gold is still higher in value than silver, and silver higher than gold, so it has to work out somehow.

I, er... uh... you mean... er...

MY GOLD PIECE IS BIGGER THAN YOUR GOLD PIECE!!!

*head asplodes

 

[mojo1701]

I mean that it's always been that gold is more valuable than silver, and silver is more valuable than bronze (just look at the Olympics), so it stands to reason why it'd be so.

 

[HellHound]

While I like our Gold Piece here in Canada (and our Electrum Piece - the twonie - even though it is valued higher than our gold piece), when I was a teen, I received a few 1 pound coins from England. These were nice. About as big as a nickel, maybe a quarter, but about three times as thick if memory serves me. And VERY gold, not the almost gold of the loonie.

 

[Cthulhu's Librarian]

the US has legal tender in $2.

Jefferson is on the $2 bill

When there are people who're arrested for paying with them, I hesitate to refer to them as anything but an amusement. We have them, but they're certanly not even half as common as a $1.

You should come to Charlottesville, VA. They are everywhere here, seeing as they give them out for change at Monticello, Thomas Jefferson's home. All the banks have them on hand, and they are sometimes available for change in stores, if you want to ask for them.

 

[tarchon]

The US has dollar coins in circ too - they're rare, but I did get one in change just a few weeks ago. A big problem is that a lot of dumb bunnies out there think they're valuable for some reason and keep them whenever they turn up.