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In this morning's online read of the Nashville City Paper, I see Steve Gill's guest commentary column with interest. Steve, a conservative radio talker (who is associated with WKRN News Channel 2, a decent-enough ABC affiliate; they run the local blog aggregators Nashville is Talking (a liberal failure) and Volunteer Voters (supposed to be 'Hard Right', but hosted by Kleinheider, who is anything but 'Hard Right'...so it's pretty much a failure too...) actually wants us to call for the elimination of the penny.

Steve opines

"The penny is not what is used to be. Congress 25 years ago eliminated most of the copper from the coin due to a big spike in the cost of the metal. Since then, zinc has been the main ingredient — over 97% — with copper being limited to a thin coating into which Abraham Lincoln’s face in engraved.

Now, with the price of zinc soaring, it costs taxpayers over 1.7 cents to make each 1-cent coin. In other words, it costs nearly twice as much to make a penny as the thing is worth."

And goes on for the elimination of the esteemed 1¢ coin.

He's jumped on a bandwagon, it seems. USA Today, last year, cried about the cost of manufacturing a penny. Nothing new here.

But I don't see it. There's the aesthetic principle of keeping our lowliest coin, from the value of teaching kids the worth of saving and accumulating coins (they do add up over time; the US Mint was 'penny short' in the late '90's, and begged for hoarders to turn in their stashes) and, damnit, I want every cent I earn!

I replied to Steve Gill on site at NCP, and wanted to add the links here....

By: serr8d on 8/23/07 [Delete]

OK, Steve Gill, you are attacking a couple of Tennessee companies, that are a source of many jobs for Tennesseans.

Tennessee is the #2 source for mined zinc in the nation; a mine in Clarksville accounts for 28% of the Zinc production in the state. Zinifax Inc., a smelting operation in Clarksville, employs 250 people, and supplies much of the zinc sent to Jardan Zinc Products (formerly Alltrista Zinc) of Greenville, a monster of a plant that produces all of the 'blanks' for pennies, that are then shipped around to the various US mints for striking.

Jardan (a spinoff of Ball, Inc; the Mason jar manufacturer) also produces zinc slugs for other nation's coins, and various zinc products, including strips for other manufacturers. Note this: they have a product, called Lifejacket, that will protect bridge structures (concrete and steel) from corrosion failure. I believe they will have more market for that product in the future.

So, Steve, please go easy on the penny. I want every one I'm entitled to, and can always take my full mason jar to Publix to redeem. And with many Tennesseans employed by zinc mining and zinc production, you could probably find a different target to address.

Some of these politicians who can't seem to pinch a penny, maybe? Or those that not only pinch them, but divert them to their pockets. There's your real challenge...leave it to the zinc miners to dig the zinc, and you can dig the dirt on crooked politicos.

One thing about Tennessee and questionable politicians: around here, they're a dime a dozen.

Steve, aren't we due for some more 'entertainment' down at the State Capitol? You know, crooks carted off in cuffs...I love to remember that famous "Tennessee Waltz". I tear up every time I hear that...:D



My 2¢ worth...
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