New Bedford’s Jessica Tyler was in Fall River Thursday morning, when she stopped at the Cumberland Farms on Stevens Street beside Brayton Avenue. She took one look at a sign on the door, and her brain just about melted.
It stated that the U.S. Mint was no longer producing pennies, and because of that, cash change would now be rounded to the nearest nickel. It’s true; under the direction of President Donald Trump, the U.S. Mint stopped producing pennies back in May. There is even proposed legislation to round cash purchases to the nearest nickle.
“What a strange sign and time to be alive,” I told her.
The Math Ripple Effect
Her 10-year-old son, Levi DeAndrade – who attends Nativity Prep in New Bedford – immediately started trying to figure out the ripple effect. Levi asked if $10.99 would still exist online, since you don’t technically need a physical penny to process digital payments…