Sunday, January 22, 2006

Yee HAW! We Done Struck Quarters!

A while ago, for reasons unknown (to myself included), I decided I was going to collect all fifty state quarters.

Every quarter I found myself in possession of was checked, and if it was a state quarter I didn’t own, it was checked off the list, and put into a special piggy bank I’d put to one side for just that purpose.

Anyway, yesterday, having nothing to do, Sunny and I decided we’d pay a visit to a couple of thrift shops and get some books. (I don’t care what the stigma is with buying stuff from charity shops…less than a dollar for a hardback book, you can’t argue with those prices.)

While I was looking around, I found a ‘State Quarter Collector’s Map of the USA’, basically a thick cardboard map with holes to fit each state quarter in it. The price was one big ‘ole dollar.

I bought it. Bargain!

My luck didn’t stop there, because apparently it was ‘half-price Saturday’, so I got it for 50c.

I got it home, opened up the box. I was a little disappointed because the card was a little warped. ‘Oh well.’ I thought. ‘What did I expect for 50c?’

However, I opened it, and found the map had a good few quarters in it. I counted them.

I bought the map for 50c, and it came with $3 in change. Oh, and a ‘Certificate of Authenticity’, that I can send off, and get another 6 quarters for free.

Basically, I got paid $4.50 to take the map off their hands.

Now, if I can only buy a second hand car with $999,995.50 in the trunk I’ll be all set.

5 comments:

MC Etcher said...

Cool! Have you noticed the new nickles? High time for new coinage, and I'm glad to see it.

Coins are cool, though I fear that paper money will soon be extinct. Say, another fifty years or so.

Paulius said...

The last thing I need is new coins. I've lived here for 2 years almost, and still have trouble with it.

Your 5c pieces are the same size as british 10p pieces. Your 10c pieces are the same size as our 5p pieces.

You 5 cent coin is bigger than your 10 cent coin, and they're all exactly the same shape. No hexagonal coins...even your paper money is all the same size and colour.

Bitish 5 pound notes are small and blue, 10's are bigger and brown, 20's are bigger still and slightly purplish...50's are bigger still, etc, etc.

I'm Konfyoozed!

Kato said...

Yea, the money doesn't make sense unless you've lived with it your whole life, and even then it doesn't really. Of course, I've gotten all confused going to Canada and getting Loonies and Twoonies which are about the size of a U.S. quarter, so I'm walking around with several dollars "in change" without realizing it.

Paulius said...

Worst thing about american money is dollar bills. We don't have one pound notes in England.

Basically, in England, if you've got 5 bills in your wallet, you have at least 25GBP.

I've looking in my wallet over here, thought I was loaded, due to the large wodge of bills...and found out I had 7 dollars.

Vicarious Living said...

Now that's a bargain - were any of the quarters ones you didn't have?

Half-price day was how we got our couch for $35. It's a damn fine one too, lasting over 6 years.