Autumn

Autumn

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

My Penny Girl

With her young fresh eyesight she can spot a penny anywhere from ten to twenty feet away. Doesn't matter the shade or texture of the tarmac, she'll spot the pennies.

I suppose I should blame myself for this fun habit of hers. I'm the kind of guy that will bend to gather a lost coin no matter the location or circumstances; it's free money. It's United States currency. That lost penny, as soon as it's in your fingers, has just increased in value from one cent to four cents. I explained this to Little Bit when she was about four years old and she hasn't forgotten it.



This penny habit of hers is strong. I love to watch her penny search tactics. When we eat out, doesn't matter which eatery, I'm always accompanied by Little Bit to the cashier's stand where she'll slowly circle the area, to bend and probe under the tables or chairs or behind the magazine racks for her precious little pieces of copper.

At one local seafood market the nice lady cashier, when she sees Little Bit, will wait until she is distracted and then take a couple of pennies from the tip jar and gently toss them on the floor for her to find. For each discovery the entire establishment is rewarded with a squeal of happiness. She'll come to me holding her prize, extended. Then she'll carefully look at the date and say, "Papa, it's a nineteen eight two, (not 'eighty' two) is this a good one?" I'll reply yes or no, depending upon the date.

She's asked if it's copper or copper washed. You do know the difference, don't you?  If not, click here.

Sometimes on our rounds we'll stop at a local convenience store. After we've selected our items and just before we make our purchase, Little Bit will inevitably get down and crawl, if possible, on her tummy and reach under the shelves for lost pennies. Many times she'll get back up with five or six pennies, her clothing dirty and dusty. I've caught so much hell over this practice from her Nana and parents.

I always take the pennies she finds and place them in the left pocket of my trousers and when we get home we'll walk into my closet and I hand the pennies to her for one last look. We'll then separate the coins by date, those prior to 1982 will go into a little glass jar, Little Bit will then say, "Okay, Papa, put them in my box." I'll take the remaining pennies back and reach and drop them into an old cigar box I keep on a high shelf. We call it Little Bit's education fund. It's almost filled. One day soon we'll take it and drop all the coins into one of those sorting machines. I'll give Little Bit the receipt and she'll cash it in.


After she's, of course, searched the area for more pennies.

Stephen

16 comments:

  1. dude.....that is so cool.
    Yeah, I confess, i almost squeal with joy when I find coins in parking lots too.

    As Ben Franklin once said, "A penny saved is a penny earned". I practice that.

    She is a great kid and I know we all love watching her grow up. I still have a nine year daughter at home....the rest have grown and flown the coop. (only see them when they want some of my pennies.)

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  2. Warlock, thank you very much for the kind words. Seems you and I are much alike. This little girl makes my world whole.

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  3. You've given me ideas for new places to look...

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  4. ProudHillbilly, your local car wash is a gold mine...check around the vacuum area. Parking lots produce dimes and nickles and the odd quarter. Any dime, quarter with a date prior to 1965 is 90% silver. Good hunting...

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  5. That's adorable. And the lady at the seafood market is getting more than her money's worth from the reaction, I'm sure.

    “There's more magic in a baby's first giggle than in any firestorm a wizard can conjure up, and don't let anyone tell you any different.”
    ― Jim Butcher, Fool Moon

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  6. teeheehee - she is just too cute. and i am always on the look out for pennies and coins. Lil Bit is sure gonna have a nice stash! and such wonderful memories with Papa!

    your friend,
    kymber

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  7. Phillip, the lady just giggles her head off when Little Bit finds her pennies, so you're right, and thanks.

    kymber, thank you, isn't she though, and not because she's mine either...I do hope these memories last.

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  8. I hate to tell you this but there is lots of money to be found in the center of busy intersections. It falls out cars (door jams, holes in floor boards etc)in the turns and stays there, look at all the debris in an intersection sometime. Having worked on survey crews in the early days I have searched a lot of intersections. Usually nobody else gets a chance to be there.

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  9. Our 2 are the same way...They constantly look under the furniture, in the car, on sidewalks..anywhere they think someone would drop money. Once they get a few coins they think its enough to go shopping with...

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  10. Duke, 'ole buddy, I know. I tried to tie a leash to Little Bit one day so she could dash out of my truck into the traffic and grab a few coins. After the first attempt she jumped back into my truck and told me, in no uncertain words, to shove it. I just don't understand children now a days...

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  11. bahahahahaha! oh Stephen - too much! but funny as heck!

    and we all know that you would never do something like that! but it's funny!

    your friend,
    kymber

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  12. JUGM, not sure what it is about lost coins and children but it's fun to watch. Thanks.

    kymber, you never know....thank you.

    mmasse, not a bad idea. Thank you, my friend.

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  13. Collecting coins is a wonderful habit to teach. The current generation is so wasteful.

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  14. Mudbug, it is a great hobby, and you're right, our current generation are very wasteful people. Give 'em a chance, they'll learn.

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  15. How about getting her a metal detector sometime for B-day or Christmas. Take her to the park or beach she can go "mining".

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  16. Rob, guess what...we have one...see, great minds think alike...thanks.

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