Bad Pennies

One of the sidelights of today’s federal budget that’s capturing everyone’s interest is the coming elimination of the penny. Starting later this year, the coin will be phased out; merchants will be rounding prices up or down (usually up, we think) to the nearest five-cent increment. But don’t go running to your copper-filled mason jar in a panic – the government says you’ll still be able to trade pennies in at the bank for their full value.