The times, they are a’ change-ing (ugh, sorry)

SA Government spokesperson, Jimmy Manyi (aka The Mouth Of Sauron) dropped some sad tidings of our tight financial times at a Cabinet press briefing today: From April next year, the SA Treasury will cease production of the current five cent coin and will issue a new look 10 cent coin that is more cost effective to produce.

You’ll recall that back in 2002, the Treasury ceased production of the one cent and two cent coins, and transactions started being rounded up to the nearest five cents. From April next year, transactions will thus be rounded up to the nearest 10 cents, although, as with the one cent and two cent coins, the five cent coin will remain legal tender in our fair, yet troubled land – it’s just unlikely you’ll see one in circulation after a while.

Jimmy Manyi gets his two cents in. (Please stop! -Ed)

The new 10 cent coin will move from a bronze coated steel design to a copper coated steel disc. This will apparently bring costs of production down. The last major coin re-issue was in 2004, when the Treasury began producing the bi-metallic five rand coins, which included additional safety measures in the design.

[Source: Times LIVE]