Another reason to get rid of the penny

From CBS News:

Some dogs will eat just about anything, from chicken bones to plants to prescription pills.

Common household items pose health danger to pets

One poor pooch from Colo. lost her life after eating another item found commonly in households: a penny.

That's because pennies minted after 1982 contain zinc, which is a toxic substance to pets such as dogs and cats, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-204_162-57581037/dog-fatally-poisoned-by-one-penny

 

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"Goldstein said Sierra was always attracted to change."

Was she a canine numismatist?

I never realized modern pennies were toxic to animals before. I guess I'll have to be more careful from now on.

 

They are also toxic to small children. Just like the lead based paint when we were kids.

 

It is also a good reason to get rid of gasoline but you don't hear that one too often.

 

And a reason to get rid of grapes and chocolate but those are two of my favorite foods.

i'm not a big modern penny fan either though.

 

The cent should have been eliminated when it was no longer economical to mint them in the bronze composition that had worked since 1793-1982.

 

Bronze? I thought it was copper.

 

They are 95% copper and 5% zinc - bronze.

 

There's enough zinc in a single penny to kill any mammal less than about 18 pounds.

Those who can't say "mommy, I swallowed a penny" are equally vulnerable. Most doctors are not familiar with the effects of zinc poisoning so it might not show up except in a post-mortem.

 

I read up on Zinc poisoning, so I am not disagreeing, but something is just not adding up. When I was young, it was common for kids, me included, to swallow a penny now and then. Of course they we copper pennies so no harm, no foul, but did kids change so much they are no longer swallowing pennies? It just seems if they were as toxic as what I am reading, we would be hearing thousands of news reports of kids being sick and dying from ingesting pennies, but we are not.

 

I've never heard of a kid swallowing a penny prior to reading this thread. That said, given the zinc toxicity issue, why did they have those infomercials about taking zinc supplements to cure the common cold a few years back?

 

I know there are some people that probably should swallow more than a few cents, preferably the zinc variety. Just sayin'.

 

Kiave alwaywe coins. ( Thank you microsoft)


Kids have always swallowed coins.

While there's enough zinc in a penny to kill an 18 lb or lighter child it won't necessarily kill one. Some will get sick and recover. The lighter the animal the greater the damger. Also, don't forgewt that this presupposes the entire coin is absorbed. If the copper plating is 100% intact it won't be dissolved at all. Even if there is a gap in the plating the coin can require hours in the stomach to be broken down and can pass more quickly.

Zinc is good for you in tiny quantirties but not in the massive amount found in a penny.

 

Eliminating the cent will certainly save money for the US mint but it will also result in inflation. I think the latter will have more influence to the economy than the former.

 

What's the inflation rate in Canada since their elimination of the cent?

 

Brass, Bronze contains tin in the alloy.

Many metals are needed in trace amounts for good health, but all metals are poisonous in larger amounts.