Question 10

Q: The commercials say it is good for the environment and will save our government billions; is it okay to tip with dollar coins?

 

A:

Sigh…I have been hearing about this from a lot of dancers lately. The general consensus is that Portland strippers are less than excited about the rumored "switch" to dollar coins. To be honest, I have always presumed that if you are tipping with these, it means that you rode the MAX line and bus to the club instead of driving a personal vehicle or riding in a limo.  (MAX line ticket machines give dollar coins back as change) Now that more people are using them as currency I’ll have to stop presuming that you can only afford public transit. If strip club patrons start tipping primarily in dollar coins, it will be a hassle to dancers in many ways.

Here's a list:

• You know how some people ball up their dollar bills and aim/throw them at the dancers? Yeah… we really hate that. We don’t want coins hurled at us either. Ouch!

• Most bartenders ask us to turn in organized (properly faced, un-crumpled) stacks of twenty one dollar bills. Most dancers have become quick at facing and counting bills in this manner. Counting coins is much more tedious, and they are heavy! This will lead to us cashing in our ones far more often to avoid a heavy purse…time that would be better spent giving private dances and socializing.

• Have you ever been hit in the head with a sock full of coins, “Mallrats” style? If stripper’s purses are full of coins, a drunk or angry stripper might use it as a weapon. Stand back!

• Coins could be a safety hazard. It is hard to stay upright in high heels as it is, without having to be careful not trip on them while onstage. One clever fellow suggested to me that clubs should intall “coin troughs” at the edge of the stage to counteract this problem. That would be an interesting sight.

In the end though…MONEY IS MONEY. We all have to make a living, whether it come in the form of a paycheck, cash or coins. I think as long as we are paying our bills we should be happy!
I do think it is kind of silly for dancers to be worrying about these coins right now. Sacagawea dollar coins were first released in 2000 and the first presidential dollar coin was released in early 2007. I certainly have not seen many of either type of coin used for tipping in the clubs. It would also take quite some time for the limited-release coins to outnumber the number of dollar bills currently in circulation.

That said, my favorite is the Martin Van Buren dollar coin, because he has some radical chops. It is going to be released today, November 13th.  EEEKK! SO EXCITED! (sarcasm, people) Too bad if you are a Nixon fan…you’ll have to wait until 2016 for your favorite president to be minted on a coin. (hint; sarcasm again) Check out the United States Treasury website for more details and a release date schedule. I know… you are dying to know.