Victims of hyperinflation: beggars :: The Zimbabwean
No coins to jangle

Quote:

Zimbabwe, in its sixth year of a severe economic meltdown which has seen inflation shooting beyond 900 percent, has virtually phased out the use of coins as legal tender.But the disappearance of coins from public circulation has also presented new challenges to street beggars who are on the increase due to the economic crisis.“It used to be easier just to rattle the begging bowl containing a few coins. Now I have devised a way of attracting the sympathy and benevolence of the public - I sing as loud as I can,” Mhlope says.

"Economic meltdown" has a double meaning perhaps. The metal in the coins is worth more melted - even accounting for the melting costs - than as tender.

Brother can you spare a dime? I'd like to melt it down.

(Via our friends at fark.com)

TAGS: farkonomics, hyperinflation