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 Replies: 46 / Views: 6,757 |
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Valued Member
United States
449 Posts |
I will still bend over and pick up a penny off the ground. I probably lose my share per year too. Often when I pull my key ring out of my pocket there will be some change come out with it and I'll hear it hit the floor if inside, but if I'm out in the yard on the way to the car when it falls there's nothing for it to hit that makes a noise just the grass and it will go unnoticed. I've actually found several pieces of change in my driveway that probably ended up there by me pulling my keys out of my pocket. Usually it's not pennies but nickles, dimes or quarters. When I go into Walmart I'd guess that about 25% of the time I'll find a piece of change on the floor, it's often a penny but still a find and helps make up for what I lose. Some people say a penny isn't worth anything, but we had a missionary come to our church a couple months ago telling about his experiences in other countries. He said that in some of the countries he's visited a penny was enough to feed a starving child a bowl of beans and rice. I think here in the US most of us have got so used to having anything we want that we forget there are people in other parts of the world that would love to have most of what we throw away and in this case the money so they could buy themselves food. I've seen young people get pennies in change and either drop them on the floor of the store or when they get outside throw them on the ground. Edited by RCook
11/02/2016 12:50 pm
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Valued Member
 United States
403 Posts |
RCook, nice story about the value of a penny in other parts of the world. I'm sure I've lost my share of change too in the same ways you describe, searching for my keys or glasses. I've probably inadvertently seeded the ground under bleachers, at the beach, in picnic areas... all the hot spots well-known to the metal detecting folks!
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1358 Posts |
I figure it takes about 3 seconds to pick up a penny. Theoretically, that's 20 cents a minute, or $12.00 an hour. So you're earning more than minimum wage when you pick coins up off the ground.
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Pillar of the Community
Norway
1358 Posts |
Quote:
Some people say a penny isn't worth anything, but we had a missionary come to our church a couple months ago telling about his experiences in other countries. He said that in some of the countries he's visited a penny was enough to feed a starving child a bowl of beans and rice. This is exactly what I stated a few posts earlier. It's good to see that I'm not the only one with this experience, even though I'm as far away from being a missionary as can be. As said, I've seen townships, ghetto's and favela's with my own eyes, and not always without risk. I haven't given a single cent when there, as that's plain wrong to do for many reasons, but there are other ways to do something with your small and unwanted change. Helping professionals to educating some of the people there, for example. So, how about putting your miserable cents in a church bag or charity stand instead of throwing them on the street? The effect for you is the same, but it may have big consequences for someone else (and the environment, no less). |
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Valued Member
United States
449 Posts |
Quote:
So, how about putting your miserable cents in a church bag or charity stand instead of throwing them on the street? The effect for you is the same, but it may have big consequences for someone else (and the environment, no less). I understand what you're saying, but I believe if you put it to use for others God will bless you for your efforts to help others and the effects on you will be better than if you just throw the money away. |
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Moderator
 United States
188443 Posts |
The problem is not that people are making the effort to throw them away, it is that they are not making an effort to hold onto them.
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Pillar of the Community
Norway
1358 Posts |
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...but I believe if you put it to use for others God will bless you for your efforts... I'm sorry, I should have specified more clearly that I am from Scandinavia: http://satwcomic.com/god-hates-swedenSomehow, we're completely on the same page, I'd say.  Quote:
The problem is not that people are making the effort to throw them away, it is that they are not making an effort to hold onto them. I do believe I literally read, in this thread: Quote:
I toss pennies on the street. If numismatists, the people who are supposed to have a bit of extra affection for coins, already do this, then I think we have a serious issue. Maybe it is time to say farewell to the cent then, after all... |
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Valued Member
New Zealand
292 Posts |
 Hi Everyone I think America should get rid of their one cent coin and Canada has stopped making them they still use them too. |
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Moderator
United States
188443 Posts |
Quote:Quote:
The problem is not that people are making the effort to throw them away, it is that they are not making an effort to hold onto them. I do believe I literally read, in this thread: Quote:
I toss pennies on the street. If numismatists, the people who are supposed to have a bit of extra affection for coins, already do this, then I think we have a serious issue. Maybe it is time to say farewell to the cent then, after all... I think that comment was hyperbole at best, an outlier at least.  |
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Moderator
United States
188443 Posts |
Quote: Hi Everyone I think America should get rid of their one cent coin and Canada has stopped making them they still use them too.  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
833 Posts |
I think the penny should stay, because it helps keep prices low, helps you pay the exact change, they honor Abraham Lincoln, they are unique for their coin color, etc.
I think it would be better to cash or trade in pennies at the bank or to donate them to things like churches, charity, healthcare, salvation army, etc. rather than to throw them away.
Edited by orange26
12/04/2016 10:07 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4211 Posts |
When my son and his cousins were growing up I would go through
quite a few coins for fountains and wishing wells.
I have thrown away more than my fair share for sure.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1119 Posts |
Quote:
When my son and his cousins were growing up I would go through
quite a few coins for fountains and wishing wells.
I have thrown away more than my fair share for sure. I feel like that is different than just throwing coins away.  |
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Bedrock of the Community
 United States
12477 Posts |
I won't get into specific sides, but, yes, a U.S. penny is actually worth 1/100th of a dollar so there is no argument for them being "worthless". Cumbersome, perhaps.
At worst, they're worth melt no matter what they're made of unless it's paper.
In Memory of Crazyb0 12-26-1951 to 7-27-2020
In Memory of Tootallious 3-31-1964 to 4-15-2020
In Memory of T-BOP 10-12-1949 to 1-19-2024
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Moderator
United States
188443 Posts |
Ah, yes, but consider this... If time is money, then how much time is the typical non-numismatist type* willing to spend to pick up one cent off the ground?  (* I had to qualify that since we are more likely to make an effort because it is possible that a person dropped a Wheat cent or something!) |
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Replies: 46 / Views: 6,757 |
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Posted 11/03/2016 3:39 pm
