A reader gets creative:
The $1 coin is a great idea – but it cannot succeed in isolation. We need to do three things together: get rid of the penny, put the $1 coin into wide circulation, and bring back the (long-neglected) $2 Jefferson note. This solution solves the problem of what to do with cash registers. The slot for the pennies is replaced with dollar coins. And the place for Washington dollars is replaced with $2 bills. When getting change for a $10 bill, wouldn't you prefer four $2 notes and a couple of coins?
But whatever we do, we should get rid of the penny, which is a ridiculously small unit of exchange. I've traveled extensively in Indonesia, for example, where the per capital income is the equivalent of about $4,000 per year. Even in the places where tourists rarely visit, the smallest unit of currency typically used is worth about 11 cents. Sometimes, you'll see coins that are worth about a nickel. But below that, the merchant will usually either round it to your benefit or hand you a little sweet to make up the difference.
If the powers that be want to use decimalization for pricing securities, commercial-sized orders of textiles, or even for card payments, fine. But for cash transactions, let's at least agree we can get rid of the penny.
The Dish 