The Boston Globe

Business

Boston.com

MIT physicist leads effort to scrap the penny

Finds himself at center of passionate debate about coin

By Todd Wallack

 |  Globe Staff  

  April 19, 2012

Ever since he was in college, Jeff Gore can recall being annoyed by the penny. Annoyed that it can’t buy anything. Annoyed that it gums up lines as customers fish for pennies in the pockets and cashiers slowly count out the coins. “It’s a big horrible waste of time,’’ says Gore, a physicist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Now Gore, who has became one of the nation’s leading advocates to eliminate the penny, is gaining fresh hope that the United States might finally be ready to consider dumping the coin.

Stay with the story. Get full access to BostonGlobe.com for just 99¢

Unlimited access to BostonGlobe.com for only 99¢ for the first 4 weeks. You can cancel at any time.

  • The FULL story all day: Enjoy all of the high-quality, in-depth journalism in the print edition of the Boston Globe — plus breaking news that's updated 24/7.
  • A truly reader-friendly format: It's online news that looks and reads just like the newspaper — uncluttered, uninterrupted.
  • Breakthrough technology: The responsive design automatically adapts content so it always reads perfectly on the digital device of your choice.
Get started today

Free access for home delivery subscribers.

Just need to link your home delivery account; one easy step.

Link my home delivery account

BostonGlobe.comSubscriber Log In

Contact us for help