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PennyProspector
Penny Pincher Member
USA
212 Posts |
 Posted - 02/07/2008 : 08:55:42
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What do you think the reason is that regional percentages are so differant?
I am in northern Indiana and am almost always around 30% (I understand michigan also about the same)
but others are running 25% then others in another part of the country reports 20% or under.... hmmmm?
It seems as though we would all be closer to equal (minus the fotunate lucky hits now and then) it is a national currency and has been floating around for almost 100 years, it has had time to spread out evenly and the zinks have had 26 to make its way around?
GH
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Happy Prospecting! |
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El Dee
Penny Hoarding Member
USA
547 Posts |
Posted - 02/07/2008 : 09:15:09
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I've thought about that too.
Here's my take:
Pennies stay put. They don't move much beyond the area where the change was received.
So, areas of the country with greater relative population growth since 1982 will see a higher percentage of zincs, since those are the places demanding coin, and the demand is met with new coin.
If I'm right, the Sunbelt sees more zinc. |
Trust the government? Ask an Indian. |
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Cerulean
Penny Hoarding Member
USA
993 Posts |
Posted - 02/07/2008 : 13:27:15
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More people means more turnover.
More turnover means more chances for coins to get lost or damaged/destroyed.
More lost/destroyed coins means more new ones needed.
Other factors that influence the above trends, but probably don't override them:
---> frequency of natural disasters (usually stir up caches so old coins can't hide, may also destroy coins)
---> proximity to major banking areas where the Fed injects new coins
---> relative age of populace. Younger people use more electronic money and credit cards. Younger people also care less for coin collecting, so there's less competition for the older coins in service. (Same goes for areas with many immigrants, as they don't know what to look for.)
---> relative wealth of region. Poor areas usually cannot afford to collect coins, and need them for spending instead. |
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Edited by - Cerulean on 02/07/2008 13:35:46 |
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Metalophile
Penny Collector Member
USA
320 Posts |
 Posted - 02/08/2008 : 08:33:04
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My theory is . . . Road salt.
Down here in Arkansas, road salt is rarely needed. We might get 2-3 weather events per year where they put down salt and sand, and often times that's just on bridges. I know they use more salt up north when it snows. Zincolns that get thrown out in the street are often corroded, and I suspect they corrode more readily with a little road salt thrown in. This leads to steady attrition of zincolns. This may also explain why majority of 1982's are now copper. I remember back in 1982 they said they were going to make approximately equal numbers of coppers and zincolns to discourage collector hoarding of either one. |
Metalophile |
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Tourney64
1000+ Penny Miser Member
USA
1035 Posts |
Posted - 02/08/2008 : 09:44:26
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Economics of the population makes a big difference. I've seen that in stores where there is a more affluent areas the percentages are lower and the opposite for other areas.
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PennyProspector
Penny Pincher Member
USA
212 Posts |
Posted - 02/08/2008 : 23:20:51
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quote:
Originally posted by Metalophile
My theory is . . . Road salt.
LOL...
Hmmmmm, after long consideration and reading the other possible economic reasons, I have decided that the road salt theory is plausible.
I guess as I plow out my drive from 12" of snow and am blessed with 7 degree days... I should be thankfull for the 30% average the road salt has brought me!
PP |
Happy Prospecting! |
Edited by - PennyProspector on 02/08/2008 23:21:52 |
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fiatboy
Administrator
912 Posts |
Posted - 02/08/2008 : 23:34:39
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| The road salt theory is plausible. Barbados recently changed their coinage from zinc to steel, because steel, they note, better resists the salty air and sea environment. |
"Bart, it's not about how many stocks you have, it's about how much copper wire you can get out of the building." --- Homer Simpson |
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Regional differences in copper percentages?
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