Argentina Is Running Out Of Coins

Suppose you want to ride the bus or feed a parking meter without exact change. Or suppose you just want to drop a few cents in a street musician's hat. Nothing easier, right? Not if you live in Argentina. Try doing any of these things there, and you could be in for a major hassle.

Why? Because Argentina is in the grips of a small-change shortage. Want change for a five-peso (about $1.70) note? Don't try getting it at a store, unless you plan to buy something -- and be ready in that case to have the merchant refuse your business rather than part with precious centavos, or to have him hand you bon-bons instead of coins. Banks aren't much help either. The law says they're supposed to give you up to 20 pesos worth of change; but most openly flout that rule, supplying just a few pesos worth, or even hanging out "No Change" signs, like the ones at retailers' kiosks.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[totalliberal]

I have about 130 pounds of pennies at home that I didn't feel like carting around. They pay the shipping and they're welcome to them.

[watchingthings]

The "elite" have stolen huge sums of money....n­ow they think they own the world. They have no conscience and it does not bother them that they are making it impossible for the majority to live.

[watchingthings]

Argentina should just nationalize the banks and tell the present managers of the banks to go "suck the wet end of a rope after they wet it". You know....li­ke ....hit the road jack......­vamoose...­..agitate the gravel....­..go find a job elsewhere.­..... .

[jjkmack]

Nice to know how right-wing ideologues (Wall Street Journal) explain this..you know their mantra: business people are good and holy and have the magic hand of the "free market" working on their side to solve everything, but governments are bad and always to blame...th­at is a boring fantasy on their part isn't it?

[Tatiana]

Dumn story.
Bored me to death.