Hahah that sounds like a french roommate I once had. The newer pennies were rather soft (when we had pennies) and he used to cut the edge off them using heavy scissors and use them as subway tokens.
I said that defacing currency and ripping off a municipal corporation might land him in a little trouble. "Ah" he said, "Fuck zem!"
Way to stick it to the man!
I guess it's true. Everything does sound more elegant in French!