But the teller accepts every penny I find, and lately I've been looking under seat cushions. In case you haven't heard, there's a penny shortage. It's so severe that a bank in my neighborhood pays 55c for 50 pennies, and some restaurants offer free desserts to anyone hauling in enough coin. The whole thing is preposterous. It now costs about a penny to make and ship a penny.
Pennies are uneconomic and inconvenient.
We've got too many. No one knows for sure why pennies are disappearing. A big factor, though, clearly is people's low regard for the things. Few carry them to spend or are willing to lug heavy sacks to the bank. When I was laughed out of Citibank with my jar a few years ago, I was told to roll my pennies and write my name and 14-digit account number on every roll.