Nations that don't use pennies?

Question

I think its a good idea to get rid of pennies in countries like Canada and the States

What nations have stopped producing/making pennies or 1 cent equivalent cons?

i know australia, new zealand have stopped using them. what others?

Answer 1

In the euro zone, I know for sure in The Netherlands but also where we went in France and Spain, the supermarkets will all round off your check to 5 cents. But if I am correct only a scandinavian country (Finland?) has officially stopped it, because with their high prices the below five becomes useless (no products below that line). But again, in daily practise the rounding off works fine, it means no official procedures, but no doubt a silent exit after a number of years.

Answer 2

Your question is somewhat vague, because very few countries use coins specifically referred to as "pennies" and/or even have a 1 cent value!

The smart thing to do would be to issue everyone on the planet a "universal bank credit/debit card", which would be guaranteed by the FDIC, just as is the current case, especially since the majority of retail transactions occur with credit cards. Of course, countries that have little or no standard electricity to power the machines that would read the cards would still have to deal with "specie" (physical monetary bills, coins, etc), but the modern/technical world could rid itself of unnecessary (and easy to forge) coinage and bills (e.g., do you think it helped or hurt that the US has so many different quarter faces, not to mention bills, that nobody knows what's real and what isn't?). The result would be the elimination of all coins and bills (eliminating much waste of our precious natural resources; do you know how many coins and bills are trashed or destroyed each day???), and improved safety for millions of people worldwide, thanks to instantaneous monetary conversions. Such cards would offer the same protections as current debit or credit cards, and could even include options to prevent multiple or large sums from being withdrawn in a given time period.

Yeah, I know . . . but I can dream, can't I? ;)