Bill Costs Man Pennies -- 52,662 Of Them

The Indy Channel ^ | March 8, 2007

[Abathar]

CARTERVILLE, Illinois -- A southern Illinois man who's fed up with higher electric rates has come up with a way to show his displeasure while paying his bill.

Robert Hancock said his monthly power bill jumped nearly 200 percent -- to $526.62.

So he's going to send Ameren 52,662 pennies.

Hancock said he's worked things out with a local bank to get the coins and with the post office to mail the money.

It will cost about $50 extra for postage. But Hancock said that if he can cause Ameren a little inconvenience, it's worth it to him.

[Keith in Iowa]

Businesses are not obligated to accept payment in the form of pennies.

[kevkrom]

Can they? Unless it's stated in the contract I don't think they can legally refuse currency because it happens to be in small denominations, the first time that is.

Yes, they can. Bills are "legal tender" and must be accepted in any denomination (if you accept cash at all), but coins, while they have value, are not "legal tender".

[JohnnyZ]

How exactly is being a jerk to some employees in an office, who have zero control over this matter, "good"?

As long as they're getting paid by the hour....

Besides, they can just take it to a change machine.

[RetSignman]

Let me get this right, this guy is going through all the trouble of getting all those pennies, packaging and sending all those those pennies to express his ourage about his bill of $526.62 and now his bill will be $576.62?

Yeah, that'll teach 'em.

[GeorgefromGeorgia]

Most states have statutes that allow a payee to refuse to accept a certain number of pennies as a cash payment.

[dfwgator]

Furthermore, he spent an additional $50 on postage, and wasted countless hours just to pull this "stunt." It will not put out the electric company nearly as much.

Not only is he a jerk, but a stupid one at that. Not a good combination.

[Keith in Iowa]

No, the guy will still owe what he rightfully owes, and, should the utility accept the payment, they can rightfully demand compensation for their costs in processing the payment.

See: http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1120208723965

[GoldCountryRedneck]

The value of copper has sky-rocketed. Witness the theft of electrical cables.

He might make a profit if he melted them down...

[Abathar]

*Snicker* I thought the same thing, he cut his nose off to spite his face.

[mysterio]

I'd have to know more about why his bill doubled.

I'm never rude to any workers. When they get my order wrong at McDonalds or something, I usually don't even take it back in.

What's really funny is that if they melted down the pennies, they'd actually have more value than what he owes on the bill. They should probably just take the money.

[Politicalmom]

If you don't like you high electric bills, try doing something constructive about it. Try insulation, new windows, upgrade old equipment, etc.

Stop whining.

[ridesthemiles]

The local McDonald's around the corner will not accept change for payment...i.e., you can't pay for your value meal with just change. The drunks that bring in their change for a meal always get po'd when the cashier won't take their money.""

Every so often, I have to clean out the change in my billfold or it will erput all over the car. I have never had a problem with doing so. The ladies at the post office love me. For some reason they are always low on change.
If someone at McDonald's gave me any trouble over it, I would leave the order on the counter and walk out.

[SIDENET]

He needs a hobby.

[Abathar]

$10k fine if you get caught doing it. I guess pennies and nickles both are getting to the point of making it profitable to do it again.

[ridesthemiles]

I think there is some kind of ruling that pennies are not legal tender."

Pennies are just as much legal tender as any other US Mint issued items, either paper or coin.

[Abathar]

Sounds like he just got one...

[kevkrom]

The value of copper has sky-rocketed. Witness the theft of electrical cables. He might make a profit if he melted them down...

If pennies were actually made of copper, you might have a point. ;)

[driftdiver]

"Fine. They can be out $526 then, as far as I'm concerned."

Then you'd be without electricity. Not an especially good idea in the winter time. Makes TV really boring too.

[eyedigress]

Pennies are 97.6% zinc after 1982.

[Keith in Iowa]

>>>Pennies are just as much legal tender as any other US Mint issued items, either paper or coin.

True, but businesses are not obligated to accept pennies as the sole form of payment.