Louis Studer
THV's Lauren Clark with Louis Studer
HOT SPRINGS VILLAGE, Ark. (KTHV) -- Louis Studer is a World War II Veteran who's encouraging Americans to cash in their pennies...as a small way to eventually stop national debt.
Studer says, "The U.S. Mint has indicated that in 2012 it costs 2.41 cents to mint one penny!"
"Oh I've saved pennies yes! I went around the house and collected pennies. I had pennies in a box, pennies in drawer pennies in rolls. So I took down three or four hundred pennies on July 10th and cashed 'em in. And I had nearly $100 worth of coins!"
A 91-year-old man with a mission...he says just makes "cents."
And it begins with that little copper coin we find in our piggy banks and "hidey holes"
"If the people of this nation really consider the national debt and want to do something about it as individuals, let us all cash our pennies in and save the mint from minting more pennies!"
That's right, Studer has researched and come up with an idea he wants to spread to fellow Americans.
His goal includes an organized National Penny Wise Day and with the help of his granddaughter, he's created a Facebook page.
"This is one little way that every citizen in the country could lower our debt a little bit. Even if a little bit--it would be something!"
Studer's patriotism dates back decades. He served in World War II...stationed in the South Pacific for 10 months.
"44 combat missions over Japanese territory," he says proudly as he shows off his uniform framed on the wall in his office.
On his desk is a book. He says, "I used to write letters to all my girlfriends and other friends and mother and family. And she saved every one of 'em."
Saved indeed! Studer's family compiled those momentos into a book which now sits in the Library of Congress. He wants to make another ripple in our nation's capital with this movement.
"We could flood the U.S. Treasury with enough U.S. Pennies that they wouldn't need to be wasting money minting new ones! That's what I was hoping for!"
We couldn't find any pennies during our visit ... Why?
He says "I've cashed 'em all in. So...I practice what I preach!"