Pretty sure most vending machines don’t take half dollars - no need to, next to none in circlulation.
So now you're picking on me for my English, which is correct, btw.OK. Whatever you say. It is said that ignorance is bliss, and in that case, have a blissful 2012. It should be plural, not possessive.
Pretty sure most vending machines don't take half dollars - no need to, next to none in circlulation.Umm... those are still being produced... Not in great numbers, but, the argument could be made that a vending machine should accept any denomination being produced at the time of the production of the machine.
I have not seen a half dollar in circulation in 10 years.
You can read all about the limited circulation of the half dollar and the fact that few vending machines accept them:
half dollar article
“I have not seen a half dollar in circulation in 10 years.”
Is there such a thing as argument by ignorance?
I haven’t seen one in circulation (not that they don’t exist, just that they’re not used), either in at least a decade, probably longer.
If we all have “collective ignorance” doesn’t that mean we can say it’s so? 
You can read all about the limited circulation of the half dollar and the fact that few vending machines accept them: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Half_dollar_(United_States_coin)Wikipedia is such a great source to use as a reference! The entire article you linked to is:
“Half dollar may refer to a half-unit of several currencies that are named “dollar”. Normally, $1 is divided into 100 cents, so a half dollar is equal to 50 cents. Coins and/or banknotes of that amount are as such denominated at a value of 50 cents.”
That was real enlightening. Thanks.
Excellent burn!
jt, littlemouse -
You failed to follow the full link (I don’t know why it pastes incorrectly, I’ve since fixed it). If you did, you’d see that it said:
"Half dollar coins saw heavy use, particularly in the first half of the twentieth century. For many years, they were commonly used in casinos. Rolls of half dollars may still be kept on hand in cardrooms for games requiring 50-cent antes or bring-in bets, for dealers to pay winning naturals in blackjack, or where the house collects a rake in increments of 50 cents (usually in low-limit seven-card stud and its variants). Some slot machines also took in, and paid out in, 50-cent pieces; however, casinos in recent years have phased in “coinless” slots for all denominations, taking in paper dollars, and paying winners through vouchers.
By the early 1960s the rising price of silver was nearing the point where the bullion value of United States silver coins would exceed face value. In 1965, the U.S. introduced layered composition coins made of a copper core laminated between two cupro-nickel outer faces. The silver content of dimes and quarters was totally eliminated, but the Kennedy half dollar composition still contained silver (reduced from 90 to 40 percent) from 1965 to 1970.
The 1964 Kennedy halves were massively saved out of circulation for sentimental reasons. Those issued through the end of the 1960s were hoarded as the only precious metal U.S. coins remaining in production, and as the price of silver continued to rise, pre-1964 halves disappeared from circulation as well. By the time that the coin’s composition was changed to match that of the clad dimes and quarters in 1971, both businesses and the public had adapted to a country in which the half dollar did not generally circulate. The quarter took over the half’s role as the highest-value component of change.
Most coins enter circulation through the change drawers of businesses. Few businesses stock their change drawers with half-dollars, and many banks do not stock these coins or hand them out as normal business practice, so the coins do not see much circulation.
Most U.S. vending machines do not accept half dollars, nor do payphones, which further curtails its circulation; however, American sleight of hand magicians specializing in coin magic prefer the half dollar for its size and weight, and it is the most common denomination used for U.S. commemorative coins.
In recent years half dollars have been minted only for collectors, due to large Federal Reserve and government inventories on hand of pre-2001 pieces, this mostly due to lack of demand and large quantity returns from casino slot machines that now operate “coinless”. If and when the reserve supply runs low, the mint will again fill orders for circulation half dollars. It took about 18 years (1981–1999) for the large inventory stockpile of a similar low demand circulation coin, the $1 coin, to reach reserve levels low enough to again produce circulation pieces. Modern-date half dollars can be purchased in proof sets, mint sets, rolls, and bags from the U.S. Mint, and existing inventory circulation pieces can be ordered through most US banks. All collector issues since 2001 have had much lower mintages than in previous years. Although intended only for collectors, these post-2001 half dollars sometimes find their way into circulation."
Folks here may be surprised to know that Wikipedia, while it has errors, was found to be as accurate overall as Encyclopedia Britannica:
And my observations do not constitute ‘ignorance’. Your comments, on the other hand…
jt, littlemouse - You failed to follow the full link (I don't know why it pastes incorrectly, I've since fixed it). If you did, you'd see that it said:No, I followed the link. You failed to post it correctly. (maybe the full link required me to click harder on the mouse).
“And my observations do not constitute ‘ignorance’.”
You’re apparently ignorant of the fact that there most certainly are half dollars in circulation, due to not having seen one in 10 years:
“I have not seen a half dollar in circulation in 10 years.”
“Although intended only for collectors, these post-2001 half dollars sometimes find their way into circulation.”
Seriously, dude? The Wikipedia article you posted disagrees with you.
As previously pointed out, you failed to fix the link.
My statement was a fact, the fact that I have not seen one in 10 years. Nothing in the wikipedia article disagrees with that fact. Nowhere have I said that they are not in circulation, I’m sure a (very) small number of them are.
For the sake of being disagreeable, you are ignoring the basic point: half dollars are not in wide circulation, which is the reason that the vast majority of vending machines don’t accept them. Therefore, C&C’s solution is correct.
Littlemouse, I now appreciate your well-earned reputation.
Of course their solution is correct. Was that ever a point of contention? BTW, fix that link yet?
And the last word is yours.
On a recent episode of “The Simpsons”, Homer had a dream in which he was visited by the ghost of James Madison, who happened to mention that he was on the $5,000 bill. While it’s true that bills over $100 have been withdrawn from circulation by the US Treasury (as needed to make a recent Final Jeopardy answer correct), Madison was in fact speaking the truth; when there was a five-grand bill, the picture on it was his.
I just heard last night that it now costs about ten cents to make a nickel. Given that fact one might make the argument that a nickel could be substitued for a dime in this puzzle. 
I just heard last night that it now costs about ten cents to make a nickel. Given that fact one might make the argument that a nickel could be substitued for a dime in this puzzle. ;)That would be a bad argument.