Pay With Pennies Go to Jail!

When I traveled to VA I used to pay the toll booths in pennies. It seemed to embarrass everyone traveling with me for some strange reason while the toll booth attendant counted the pennies.

I also use pennies to pay for things at Wal-mart self checkouts. That gets kind of fun...

I really ticked off some middle class peeps the other day when I was getting some items and paid for them in pennies and nickels...around $68 worth. These middle class peeps shop at some of the Wal-marts around here, dressed up in nice clothes and treat others like they're so beneath them and they cannot stand to be inconvenienced. It's just this particular neighborhood. Other stores are nicer.

Originally posted by resistor

Banks are private they can do what they want. The US Government has to abide by their OWN rules. There's a difference.

AAC

Oh, you poor naive fool. Ever hear of the constitution? It's almost wholly ignored today.

Searching for your point... can't find it.

What are you even saying?

AAC

[edit on 16-12-2008 by AnAbsoluteCreation]

Originally posted by Vasilis Azoth

Originally posted by ben420
Its too bad no one seems to actually know about this, as last month I was stuck in a lineup for 15 minutes at a convenience store because some kids bought $15 worth of candy, and all they had were 1500 unrolled pennies....

[edit on 16-12-2008 by ben420]

Fifteen WHOLE minutes, wow, how did you survive.

I can see how 15 minutes out of your life must have just been the biggest inconvienience you have ever experienced.

If this was a thinly veiled trolling attempt, you have failed.

If this wasn't a thinly veiled trolling attempt, than yes, it was rather inconvenient.

[edit on 26-12-2008 by ben420]

hahah my name is Doug, and i had dealt with the same problem. I had a $250.00 fine, so i went to 14 banks and got $250 in pennies, spent a whole nite unwrapping the pennies. Only to take them to the court house and get rejected at the metal detectors. So i did what any smart person did. I got some strong UPS bags, filled them with the pennies, about 10 envelopes. Every court house must have an after hours drop box. (I think you know were i am going with this.) I tied a strong rope to each envelope and lowered the pennies into the drop box(so they would not break when i dropped them into the drop box. I did this on a Sat. night, wereing a black mask.(probably not the brightest idea, it just seemed fun lol) so i wrote the required information onto the envelopes,"keep in mind these were heavy duty UPS envelopes. They all had about $25.00 worth of pennies." Come Monday morning I recieved a call from the Chief Judge, "im on probation, so they have all that on file." He didn't really mind about the pennies, he actually had a little chuckle when he called me. What he actually called me for was to ask why i put, "EXPECT THIS FROM MORE AND MORE PEOPLE, AMERICA AND MICHIGANOUR BECOMING MORE AND MMORE OF A POLICE STATE, AND WE AS A MASS WILL CHANGE THIS. THIS IS NO THREAT, FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, THIS IS A PROMISE!"

HE ASKED ME ABOUT THAT STATEMENT AND AS I REPSONDED MY BELEIFS TO HIM, HE ACTUALLY SAID WOW, THAT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE. HE COMPLETELY CHANGED HIS TONE WITH ME, ASKING ME WHERE I HAD GOTTEN THE IDEA. I SAID, YOUR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIERS, WHOSE MAIN GOAL IS TO LEAD AMERICA INTO THIS POLICE STATE, STOPPED ME AT YOUR METAL DETECTORS, RUDELY TOLD ME THIS WILL NOT BE EXCEPTED, AND MADE ME EXIT THE BUILDING. NOW I AM ONLY 20 YEARS OLD, BUT WHEN I KNOW MY FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS ARE BEING TRAMPELED ON I WILL STAND UP FOR IT. I THAN MAY HAVE MADE A QUICK REVERSAL OF HIS OPINION OF ME. HE ASKED ME IF I WAS GOING TO STOP HERE. I BOLDY TOLD HIM, YOUR HONOR YOU KNOW IT, EVERY JUDGE IN THE COUNTRY KNOWS IT, THESE COURT HOUSES TAKE IN MORE MONEY IN A DAY, THAN ANY BANK IN AMERICA. I SAID THIS COUNTRY IS RAN BY THE FEDERAL RESERVE AND THE POLICE OFFICERS ATTEMPING TO HAVE LIMITELESS POWER. I TOLD THAT JUDGE THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING. I ALONG WILL RESORT TO VIOLANCE IF NEEDS BE. I TOLD HIM I AM NOT A VIOLENT PERSON, BUT IF IT IS A CIVIL WAR WE NEED, TO RESTORE AMERICAN'S RIGHTS, THAN MY FRIEND IT IS A CIVIL WAR WE WILL HAVE. I TOLD HIM I WOULD STAND UP FOR MY FELLOW AMERICANS RIGHTS, AND THAT I OR ANY OF US WILL NOT BE STOPPED. HE VERY CAREFULLY AND VERY SLOWY SAID, "I RESPECT YOU FOR BELEIVING IN YOUR RIGHTS. HE THAN SAID I AM A VERY BUSY MAN AND THAT HE HAD TO GO. CLICK!!! END OF CONVERSTATION. AMAZING CONVERSTION, I COULD NOT BELEIVE THE RESULTS OF MY SHOWING THE LEGAL SYSTEM THAT AMERICANS RIGHTS NEED TO BE RESTORED, AND IF NOT THEIR WILL BE HELL TO PAY. I BELEIVE I CHANGED THIS JUDGES VIEWS ON A LOT OF IDEAS. AGAIN MY NAME IS DOUG AND IF U HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS PLEASE FEEL FREE TO EMAIL ME AT [email protected], PLEASE NO SPAM. ASK ME ANY QUESTIONS FROM THIS LITTLE STUNT I PULLED OR MORE IMPORTANTLY ABOUT THE FEDREAL RESERVE, CAUSE THAT IS THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL AND WE MUST PUT A STOP THE THE FEDERAL RESERVE CREATED IN 1913 BEFORE WE WILL SEE ANY CHANGE TO THE AMERICAN ECONOMY. GOOD LUCK AND BE CAREFUL U NEVER KNOW HOW TRIGGER HAPPY COPS ARE. ESPECIALLY IF THEY APPEAR TO BE ON MUSCLE INHANCERS.

Originally posted by AnAbsoluteCreation

Pay With Pennies Go to Jail!

wcbstv.com

Gilberti showed 112 rolls of pennies to CBS 2 HD. He said he thought he could use the coins to pay a traffic fine at the Bloomfield Municipal Court.

"I went to the bank and got $56 worth of rolled pennies and went down to the court house and they refused to take it. They had told me to bring cash. I was under the assumption this was cash."

Non-cents? Not really. Pennies are legal tender. In fact, at the courthouse CBS 2 HD found a sign saying cash is accepted.

(visit the link for the full news article)

FAQs: Currency Legal Tender Status I thought that United States currency was legal tender for all debts. Some businesses or governmental agencies say that they will only accept checks, money orders or credit cards as payment, and others will only accept currency notes in denominations of $20 or smaller. Isn't this illegal? What are Federal Reserve notes and how are they different from United States notes? What are United States Notes and how are they different from Federal Reserve notes? Question I thought that United States currency was legal tender for all debts. Some businesses or governmental agencies say that they will only accept checks, money orders or credit cards as payment, and others will only accept currency notes in denominations of $20 or smaller. Isn't this illegal?

Answer The pertinent portion of law that applies to your question is the Coinage Act of 1965, specifically Section 31 U.S.C. 5103, entitled "Legal tender," which states: "United States coins and currency (including Federal reserve notes and circulating notes of Federal reserve banks and national banks) are legal tender for all debts, public charges, taxes, and dues." This statute means that all United States money as identified above are a valid and legal offer of payment for debts when tendered to a creditor. There is, however, no Federal statute mandating that a private business, a person or an organization must accept currency or coins as for payment for goods and/or services. Private businesses are free to develop their own policies on whether or not to accept cash unless there is a State law which says otherwise. For example, a bus line may prohibit payment of fares in pennies or dollar bills. In addition, movie theaters, convenience stores and gas stations may refuse to accept large denomination currency (usually notes above $20) as a matter of policy. US Department of Treasury

The Treasury is clear, government must honor pennies. They are legal tender.

[edit on 28-2-2009 by SkipShipman]

Although the court legally had to accept the payment, I'm curious if it was really worth the trouble.

Does the man now have an arrest on his record? In the professional world an arrest record is an immediate red flag. Doesn't even matter what the arrest was for. Employers might be inclined to skip right over you when they do a background check.

So while I appreciate his moxy, and the court must accept payment in U.S. legal tender, he may have bit off more than he can chew.

Then again I'm sure he didn't realize his attempt to pay in pennies would lead to a warrant for his arrest.

reply to post by AnAbsoluteCreation


This if true is unlawful and the debt is paid in full. Refusing legal tender or a payment by law renders the debt invalid and or considered paid under U.S. Law. I would own that county clerks home by now if they had refused my money and then had me arrested for non payment...

BOW DOWN TO YOUR MASTERS!!!

Or stand up like real Americans and Tar and Feather these traitors and seditious tyrants...

Originally posted by Phage
Why the assumption the warrant had anything to do with the pennies?

The station called a judge to file an arrest warrant for this? I seriously doubt a warrant would be issued for paying in pennies or even could be issued during the period of time he was at the station. Don't you think it's a bit more reasonable to believe he had an outstanding warrant and was fool enough to believe he could stick it to the man with his little game. His stunt gave them time to run a check.

I'd call this one stupid criminal tricks.

[edit on 12/16/2008 by Phage]

Either that or they put a warrant out for him for not paying his ticket even though he tried to. They didnt take his money so it was still unpaid!

I would not be surprised for the court to do that. All they have to do is see that the ticket is still un paid and they will put a warrant out for your arrest if it remains unpaind long enough.

This case will be thrown out (if it hasnt already, I havent looked through the whole thread yet) He tried to pay and they would not take his money.

The judge will either declare that they must take the pennies or that they take nothing and get over it.

This wont be in court for more than a day.

Originally posted by supertrot
though my new screen name makes me look like a rookie to this site; I have actually been around for about eight years. mysteriously when i moved my pass-word no longer worked--and i could no longer recieve emails on my old account to re-instate my membership.

that aside, i run into a similar situation about 10 years ago. I tried to pay for $10 of fuel with pennies (rolled with my name and phone number on them). I was told that I could not by the break-time clerk. I argued that they were legal us tender and she said her business did not recognise them as such. she called the police on me for failing to pay for fuel and they disregaurded the claim and made the attendant take the coins.

moral is: legal us tender is legal us tender.

Hah that clerk must have felt like a genius!

The man attempted to cause a public disturbance by making an unreasonable demand of the cashier.

Instead of going to the bank and withdrawing $56 worth of pennies, he could have just paid with dollar bills.


[edit on 28-2-2009 by vcwxvwligen]

Originally posted by supertrot
though my new screen name makes me look like a rookie to this site; I have actually been around for about eight years. mysteriously when i moved my pass-word no longer worked--and i could no longer recieve emails on my old account to re-instate my membership.

that aside, i run into a similar situation about 10 years ago. I tried to pay for $10 of fuel with pennies (rolled with my name and phone number on them). I was told that I could not by the break-time clerk. I argued that they were legal us tender and she said her business did not recognise them as such. she called the police on me for failing to pay for fuel and they disregaurded the claim and made the attendant take the coins.

moral is: legal us tender is legal us tender.

As soon as the attendant allowed you to take the gas, it became payment of a debt instead of payment of goods.

While driving truck through an UNNAMED Pennsylvania town in the middle of the night the cops though they would have some laughs at my expense.

Turns out they had a remote control to the traffic lights and held the light red, OK I sat there for about 30 minutes waiting. Finally I figured that it was
one of those lights that you stop at then look left then right then drive through just like a stop sign. BUT NNNNNOOOOO I get pulled over and get a ticket for $250 dollars for running the traffic light.

I get home and get $250 dollars worth of penny's and UPS them to the court clerk. I was not so nice as to leave the penny's in the rolls! Then a week later I get a court subpoena. I went to court, the Judge shows me the box of penny's and ask me what the heck is this, I told him that it was my $250 dollars cash payment for my traffic fine. He then proceed to tell me that penny's are not considered cash, I then told the Judge that if he did not believe me then he should call the US Treasury dept. and ask them.

Guess what folks the US Treasury dept. told the Judge that penny's are legal tender good for all debts. The Judge dismissed the court case and accepted the penny's for my fine. The court clerk has since amened the payment instruction information to say that coins in excess of $1 dollar will not be accepted for cash payments, this in bold 48 point print.

So unless the court has a clause against coin they have to take it.

One more thing I could have done which would have been more fun would be to super glue them together in to one large block of coin.

Have Fun

Wing-Nut

Don't pay in rolls. Bring in that big jar full of pennies and make the people there count it. Waste their time if they are going to waste ours.

reply to post by Wing-nut



That judge was an idiot

You could have asserted your common law right to run a red light as long as nobody is in danger


[edit on 28-2-2009 by vcwxvwligen]

reply to post by AnAbsoluteCreation


They didn't issue the warrant because he was paying in pennies.
They issued the warrant because it wasn't paid.
They do have to accept the pennies.
But if it was already unpaid before the date then a warrant would be issued anyway.

Originally posted by BorgHoffen
reply to post by AnAbsoluteCreation

 

They didn't issue the warrant because he was paying in pennies.
They issued the warrant because it wasn't paid.
They do have to accept the pennies.
But if it was already unpaid before the date then a warrant would be issued anyway.

It seems likely that either he had an outstanding warrant for an unrelated incident, or they lied just to find out how he got the pennies.

If he offered legal payment and they refused it, then the debt was absolved.

Well its the motive of why he is giving them penny's that piss's them off folk's.
He is intentionally being a smart arse.

there fore they have a right to do it back.

I read an article on this it was not turned down because they didnt want to accept the pennies it was his unwillingness to put his drivers license number on the rolls. Reason they were not going to take the time to count them but turn them into the bank. No difference if you take rolls to a bank you have to write your account number on them. Its so if there was lead in the center of the rolls it was easier to track where the rolls came from!

Originally posted by TheAmused
Well its the motive of why he is giving them penny's that piss's them off folk's.
He is intentionally being a smart arse.

there fore they have a right to do it back.

Not really.

I've did this for years until EFT was introduced.
If they can make me wait in line to pay, I can make them work a little harder to count my money. I was a lot younger then too.

reply to post by AnAbsoluteCreation


I think they should have accepted the pennies, however the warrant and subsequent arrest are not for trying to pay with pennies, from what I can tell, he does not say they are related, just that he was arrested for a warrant.