DR. WALLACE: I want to thank you for telling the young bride from Oregon to leave her husband who was beating her, even though she loved him very much.

I, too, married at a young age (16), but I did manage to graduate from high school, even though my husband was on drugs and had a girlfriend on the side. After many years, I left him. It was hard at first because I loved him, but I survived. I am now dating a very special man, whom I love far more than I ever loved my former husband.

A girl should never put up with a husband who beats her or physically abuses her in any way at all. Life is much too short for all that. Leaving a husband will hurt, but soon the terrible experience will only seem like a bad dream. I know because I've been there. Feel free to print my letter, as I have been there and I agree fully with your stance on this issue. — Older and Wiser, via email

OLDER AND WISER: Marriage is a most sacred commitment, but there are times when separate maintenance is best for both parties. Wife-beating is horrific, unacceptable and fully justifies a separation — and, often, legal action as well.

Thank you very much for sharing with our readers such valuable words of wisdom from your unfortunate personal experience.

WE DO HAVE $1 COINS IN AMERICA!

DR. WALLACE: Our family had a wonderful vacation this past summer in Canada. We discovered on our trip that Canadians no longer use $1 bills. Instead, they had $1 coins called loonies because they had the loon stamped on them. When we inquired why they didn't have $1 bills, we were told that having a $1 coin saves money for the Canadian government because a paper bill wears out faster. They have to keep printing new bills, while the coins last a lot longer.

This has brought about an interesting discussion in our family. How long does a dollar bill last in the United States before it is replaced with a newer dollar bill? Why don't we use $1 coins here? — Curious, Minneapolis, Minnesota

CURIOUS: Our U.S. currency is actually made from 75% cotton and 25% linen; it contains no paper. The average life of an American $1 bill is about 18 months. During this time, the bill is folded and unfolded more than 4,000 times.

Some time ago, Great Britain abandoned its 1-pound sterling note and substituted a 1-pound coin to save the government money. There are some U.S. government officials who would also like to eliminate the $1 bill for cost-cutting measures, but, so far, that idea is just in the talking stage. We have minted $1 coins here in America before, but they never seemed to catch on widely in circulation. In the 1970s, the Eisenhower dollar coin was distributed, followed by the Susan B. Anthony dollar coin, which was minted from 1979 to 1981 and again in 1999. There are currently two different dollar coins minted today that have been in existence for decades: The American Silver Eagle (which began in 1986) and the Sacagawea (which began in 2000). A special set of presidential dollar coins was minted from 2007 to 2016, but they are mainly held by collectors. The first of these coins featured George Washington.

Finally, there is a new set of $1 coins that has just started to be distributed. These are called American Innovation $1 coins, and they feature an innovation, innovator or group of innovators from a particular state or territory. The very first introductory coin, featuring the signature of George Washington and commemorating the first U.S. patent, was released in December 2018, and four per year are planned for release from 2019 through 2032! On Sept. 19, 2019, the very first of the state coins was released. It features Delaware. The next to be released (on Oct. 24, 2019) is Pennsylvania, followed by New Jersey on Nov. 21 and Georgia on Dec. 19. In 2020, the four states will be Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland and South Carolina. If you are interested in collecting these coins, ask your local bank. These could make for interesting holiday gifts for those so inclined to seek them out.

Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. Email him at [email protected]. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.