Re: Weigh the coins
Oh dear. According to the US Treasury, which is responsible for US currency, all notes and coins are legal tender, but individual organisations can develop policies for payment in legal tender. From their website:
'The pertinent portion of law that applies to your question is the Coinage Act of 1965, specifically Section 31 U.S.C. 5103, entitled "Legal tender," which states: "United States coins and currency (including Federal reserve notes and circulating notes of Federal reserve banks and national banks) are legal tender for all debts, public charges, taxes, and dues."
'This statute means that all United States money as identified above are a valid and legal offer of payment for debts when tendered to a creditor. There is, however, no Federal statute mandating that a private business, a person or an organization must accept currency or coins as for payment for goods and/or services. Private businesses are free to develop their own policies on whether or not to accept cash unless there is a State law which says otherwise. For example, a bus line may prohibit payment of fares in pennies or dollar bills. In addition, movie theaters, convenience stores and gas stations may refuse to accept large denomination currency (usually notes above $20) as a matter of policy.'
State and local governments and agencies are "organisations" under the meaning of the statute. So, while the DMV may, if it wishes, accept pennies for the settlement of a debt, it is within its rights to make a rule that coins under a certain denomination are not accepted at its offices, unless its State has passed a law mandating that it must accept coins of all denominations.
I'll get my hat and coat,