Found Fund Floundering
My plan to collect enough stray change on the ground to finance my upcoming retirement is not going so well of late.
I put up a picture of my collections to date, mostly found while cycling about the neighborhood and beyond on my Schwinn. Lots of pennies, about two dollars worth. A little over four dollars in quarters and five dollars in dimes. (I think lots of people lose dimes because they're small and make little noise when they hit the ground.) Not even a dollar's worth of nickels.
Altogether I count about twelve dollars. That wouldn't seem so bad but last year I collected about $35 total for the year. With 2010 more than half over, I can't see breaking that record. And note that I haven't found any currency. Last year's scavenging produced a couple dollars and a five-spot in currency.
In fact, if I were in this as a business I'd probably be losing money since I've walked my bike home on more than one occasion with a flat tire. I figure I've bought four new inner tubes and one new tire so far this year, easily costing me more than the money I've collected.
Maybe getting the exercise counts for something. But even that doesn't count enough to show up on my scale.
*Sigh*
About my only solace is a few unusual finds. Check out the picture. A colored Michigan quarter? Many people do not even know they exist. That dime was produced in 1952, older than I am. That means it's s-i-l-v-e-r. Not many of those in circulation. Then there's an "Absolute Fun" arcade token.
I collect arcade tokens if I know where they came form. My collection has over 100. I Googled "Absolute Fun" and found out it's the name of a new arcade that just opened up in nearby Dexter. So that's a keeper.
Finally, just this past weekend I picked up that pipe band medal you see. It's "hand forged." Not sure what I could do with that though. Maybe if this band takes accordion players I'll join. I already have the bling!
Altogether I count about twelve dollars. That wouldn't seem so bad but last year I collected about $35 total for the year. With 2010 more than half over, I can't see breaking that record. And note that I haven't found any currency. Last year's scavenging produced a couple dollars and a five-spot in currency.
In fact, if I were in this as a business I'd probably be losing money since I've walked my bike home on more than one occasion with a flat tire. I figure I've bought four new inner tubes and one new tire so far this year, easily costing me more than the money I've collected.
Maybe getting the exercise counts for something. But even that doesn't count enough to show up on my scale.
*Sigh*
About my only solace is a few unusual finds. Check out the picture. A colored Michigan quarter? Many people do not even know they exist. That dime was produced in 1952, older than I am. That means it's s-i-l-v-e-r. Not many of those in circulation. Then there's an "Absolute Fun" arcade token.
I collect arcade tokens if I know where they came form. My collection has over 100. I Googled "Absolute Fun" and found out it's the name of a new arcade that just opened up in nearby Dexter. So that's a keeper.
Finally, just this past weekend I picked up that pipe band medal you see. It's "hand forged." Not sure what I could do with that though. Maybe if this band takes accordion players I'll join. I already have the bling!
posted by Big Dave T @ 3:31 PM
11 Comments:
When I was a kid a man who collected coins told me that before I died i would have had a million dollars in rare coins pass through my hands and not know it.
Coin collecting isn't as popular as it was when I was young. All the kids had little coin collections as well as baseball card collections. I didn't know a single state had its own quarter. I have found $20 bills on the ground walking around a few years ago. Not all at the same time though. If I see dollars on the ground in a public place I ask people who walked out in front of me if they lost their money. But finding quarters and other change is a lot of fun while on a walk. At least you are riding your bike and getting your heart pumping good.
JAN--If somebody had told me that when I was a kid, I'd be checking every coin from then on. Well, for the next week or so anyway.
TECHNOBABE--There's a colored quarter for every state, I believe. When they minted quarters celebrating each state, they also minted colored versions at the same time. "I have found $20 bills on the ground walking around a few years ago . . . " The English major in me wants to make a comment here, but I won't be a smart aleck today. I did have a baseball card collection at one time but I think my brother has it now.
amazing how times have changed-you aren't having much luck w/ change on the street-when my parents owned their upholstering business, my dad would find a LOT of change in the furniture.
Today-everyone is so aware of the bad economy, there's no coin too small to pick up or sniff out b/f continuing on to the next block or the next piece of furniture.
you would have a lot more if you would have kept that wallet you found in Traverse City
CARINE--Reminds me that I have to check my own Lazy Boy. I'm always losing coins out of my pockets.
ANONYMOUS--There wasn't any money in that wallet I found in Traverse City. Just credit cards.
Cash advance on those cards!!!...enough to purchase many a baby stroller or a "worlds best fantasy football playing grandpa"
Hi Dave ~~ What a nice little pile of freebies. The Michigan one is very pretty and the Pipe Band one is
big and attractive. The bike riding is good for you, so these are bonuses. Thanks for your comments and I am so glad the JointFlex is helping your wife some and may get better after continual use. She would do better than me in a race, I can barely walk, but with less pain, I am
glad to say. Glad you liked the Poem and I am glad Peter is over
the worst after his pteryguiem ?
Op. Take care my friend, and Best wishes to your wife. Regards, Merle.
YEP our neighbor took it one step farther.. when he is out on his daily or nightly walks he takes one of those metal detector things with him. I mean the guy has CLEANED UP.. yes he has.. now that aint gonna work on a bike, you might just have to switch your plan! :D
ANONYMOUS--No, no, not a grandpa yet. Some day maybe.
MERLE--Wendy starts her physical therapy this week. Maybe that will help some more.
CAROLDEE--I've thought about getting one of those metal detectors. Wouldn't that be great if they made shoes with metal detectors?
Good luck on your plan.
Our daily walk takes us past a school - and we walk where the busses park to pick up the kids. There's almost always a bit of money and a pencil or two.
Not enough to feed our cat though.
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