?1p and 2p coins are legal tender only if you are paying for something costing 20p or less: once you have amassed 21 or more 1p pieces.. your coins contravene the Coinage Act 1971 if used in a single transaction... Even if you are buying penny sweets!! - didn't know that! And.. And.. AND according to The Guardian.. a man has been fined under said act for trying to pay an £800 tax bill in pennies... so I'm popping all thoughts of smashing the pig to pay for the council tax well and truly away...   Soooooooo.. am thinking.. what has everyone else said "eeeesh didn't know that!" too lately.. or words to that effect...                                                                                                                                                                              

eeeeeesh, didnt know that!!!!  there, I said it and I didnt know...honest                                                                                                                                                                              

It's to stop idiots paying £800 bills in small change. I believe there is a £10 limit for 20 and 50 pence coins and a £5 limit for 5 and 10 pence.

I didn't realise it was a criminal offence though I always though it just gave you the right to refuse to accept it.

  I first knew of this law many years ago, 20 to be exact, when I tried to pay for an ice cream, from an ice cream van, with 1p and 2p coins, the vendor wouldn't accept them and told me the coinage wasn't legal tender above 20p. FGS!! Whatever next?!   How the heck are we supposed to take our coppers in to the bank?   Thank gawd for CoinStar, the money machines in supermarkets, that take all coinage, as long as it's sterling.                                                                                                                                                                                 

when going to the bank you're not purchasing goods, you're exchanging and that's what the bank is there for.

I think lol                                                                                                                                                                             

Again banks will only take so much (not sure how much that is) and will only pay into your account (not swap)   Sandi I take my small coins to the amusement arcade and get pound for pound unlike the machine's in the supermakets                                                                                                                                                                               

But how much is in your pocket when you leave the amusement archade?                                                                                                                                                                              

Oh plenty, after working in a casino for a lot of years I don't gamble lol                                                                                                                                                                              

well would you beleive it.....did you know that the booby traps in my garage,to prevent little s**tes from  breaking in and stealing bike gear ,tools,bikes are probably punishable by law and would certainly result in them sh***ing themselves till i've got time to let the dog out on them!would you beleive it eh?do i care ohno.......

p.s.where can i cash in all the white fivers in me mattress??eh?if they dont take pennies well............                                                                                                                                                                             

Well there's good reason not to chuck it on the floor for starters, not that the people who chuck it on the floor would be bothered about birds, seeing as they are not bothered about the people who step in it. Thanks for raising that Anne. Repost on FB ?? 

what a waste of space large chunks of the human race are....no wonder i often prefer the company of animals....                                                                                                                                                                             

I knew about the small change law, I used to run a post office. I hate chewing gum and really hate to see people,especially good looking lasses,walking down the street chewing mindlessly. I'd ban the foul stuff. Yes jinx I whole heartedly agree, I'd rather be with my animals a lot of the time

  I chew gum a lot, I think I'm addicted to the sorbitol in it. Since I started chewing it I've not had any plaque on my teeth so chewing gum isn't all bad. I don't spit it out or bung it under tables either, I put it in tissue then bin it.   In Huddersfield town centre there are some sheets of paper attached to lamposts so that we can attach our gum to it, now I find that disgusting, just put it in the bin.                                                                                                                                                                               

Some supermarkets now have a coin checker on the quick queue aisles. They do not take a percentage from the amount entered and makes my life a lot easier!

                                                                                                                                                                             

sorbital in gum is toxic to dogs , should they try to steal chewing gum out of your bag / shopping or off the floor , can kill them 

and yes I am another who often prefers the company of  animals to humans