Is It Illegal To Throw Away Pennies in Louisiana?

(KMDL-FM) There has been a lot of talk about the lowest denomination of American currency in recent weeks. You've probably heard the reports concerning the demise of the penny. The one-cent coin that some of us, of a certain age, used to be compensated with for good behavior at church or as part of our allowance is apparently going to be discontinued.

That has left quite a few of us here in Louisiana with quite a quandary. What do we do with all those pennies that have been collecting in change jars, piggy banks, and beneath the seats of our not-so-detailed automobiles? I bet you can find a few pennies next to those French fries you dropped.

READ MORE: Turn .50 Cents in Pennies into $50 - Here's How

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If you have a lot of pennies in your possession, you could do one of two things. You could take them to a bank or coin counting machine and have them turned into more usable currency. Or you could just hang on to them until they are discontinued, and then see if you can collect some cash for the copper that is contained in the coins.

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Is It Against the Law to Throw Pennies in the Trash Can?

Some people have suggested they would just "throw their pennies away". To quote Lee Corso of ESPN's College Game Day show, "Not so fast, my friend". Throwing a penny in the trash is against the law in Louisiana. As a matter of fact, literally throwing money of any kind away is against the law in Louisiana.

Now, if you spent money on a Blaine Roy concert or decided to buy one of those Dr. Seuss Cat in the Hat hats on the parade route at Mardi Gras, that might seem like throwing money away, but in the eyes of the law, you are not a crook, you're just irresponsible.

Federal Law says there is no explicit law against throwing money in the trash. However, there are laws against damaging or destroying currency. So, tossing coins in the trash could be covered under that caveat of the law, and if someone wanted to pursue charges, technically, you could face fines or imprisonment.

Is It Against the Law to Draw on American Money?

Despite the fact that it might seem like "damage," adding artwork to American paper money is not against the law. As long as you don't change the denomination or make the bill invalid by covering up key aspects of the monetary unit, you can be as creative as you want with George, Thomas, Abe, Alexander, Andrew, Ulysses, and Ben. Y'all made that connection, right?

Personally, I'd like to see the penny stay and have the government get rid of people who write checks or use coupons at the grocery store checkout line. And here are a few other things that cause consternation for me as well.