The last time I went to the bank with a jar of pennies, the teller laughed so hard you'd have thought I was asking for a loan, not trying to make a deposit. Times have changed. The loan officer isn't friendlier. But the teller accepts every penny I find, and lately I've been looking under seat cushions. In case you haven't heard, there's a penny shortage. It's so severe that a bank in my neighborhood pays 55[cents] for 50 pennies, and some restaurants offer free desserts to anyone hauling in enough coin.
The whole thing is preposterous. Rather than paying a...