Small Change, Big Annoyance in Europe

Two nations have already scrapped 1- and 2-cent coins introduced with the euro, and others may follow suit

Provide news feedback or report an error

Confidential tip?

Send a tip to our reporters

Site feedback:

Take our Survey

September 23, 2004 at 4:00 AM UTC

This article is for subscribers only.

By Rachel Tiplady

It's lunchtime in Paris and the natives are getting restless. As a queue stretches through the sandwich shop Aux Pains Perdus, just off the Champs Elysées, manager Guillaume D'Arc waits patiently for a customer to fish out the exact change. "If France didn't have the tiny 1- and 2-euro coins this would be much shorter," he sighs, waving toward the growing crowd. "As well as fewer queues, I'd be able to tally my cash register quicker at the end of the day. I spend so much time counting the small coins, it ends up costing me money."