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 Replies: 16 / Views: 2,346 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
814 Posts |
So a little background first. I'm head manager at a restaurant. The owner, after finding out I was a coin and currency collector, told me that I should feel free to did through the registers at work for anything interesting that I may like and buy it at face value. A generous offer which I took him up on. 4k to 6k of fresh currency each day? Heck yeah! I count the money most mornings anyway so it wasn't hard to do. The only stipulation was that if I founds anything worth more than 4 digits, that I split the value with him, which was fine by me. Been doing this about a year now, found some foreign, silvers, fancy serials, and some nice notes for my type set. Nothing major tho. Most valuable thing was a web note valued at $45. And I also would exchange rolls from the safe with rolls I had already searched, same with straps. I checked them all with the $1000 currency counter we use. This is not an issue of possible theft. And of course I did 90% of my searching off the clock. Now. Last week my boss and his wife and daughter, who also work there, pulled me, into the office to have a serious, closed door, talk. Long story short. They told me they were worried, that my coin collecting was becoming a " dangerous obsession ". That it was ruining my life and harming my future. They even offered to show me how to be normal and even to help fimd professional help if need be. They werent going to stop me from searching the drawers at work, for fear of withdrawls . Just would like to see me cut back on it. i was polite about the whole thing and explained my reasons for it and how I liked collecting coins and thrill of the hunt, much like he liked reading about big boats and driving his 40ft yacth around. Ended peacefully. Afterwork. I  for an hour. I couldn't belive it, that they were that concerned about my "addiction", like it was a drug problem.Don't get me wrong, I love my bosses, they are great people to work for. Just found the whole thing hilarious. Anyone else had an intervention for an obession with coins. Edited by GoldenChest
03/05/2013 05:40 am
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21788 Posts |
The owner may have had a hidden (perhaps unfounded even in his own mind), worry which he didn't want to tell you about.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
814 Posts |
Interesting. Care to elborate? No worries I won't be offended.
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Pillar of the Community
2087 Posts |
Teach them what you know and then may be they will become obsessed....they must like you to care enough to say something
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Valued Member
United States
492 Posts |
If you had quit your job to take a lesser paying job just to be closer to money, then it might be an addiction. But you're just looking through money already available at your present job. Not an addiction, just a great opportunity!
BUUTTTTTT, everyone on this site may be a little bit biased toward the obsessive and may not realize it. I get strange looks looking through the coffee club coin cup at work every day.
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21788 Posts |
GoldenChest: Little thing called employer / employee relations, and is probably trying his best to avoid to upsetting you too much. Good employees are hard to come by, but so are good employers.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1211 Posts |
I have actually asked a fellow forum member to help me stop buying coins!
I agree that it is a very funny story, but its pretty cool that your boss(es) care enough to actually confront you like that.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3486 Posts |
GolderChest,
You might share with your employer our responses.
Tell him/her you appreciate the concern.
Bring up the fact that enthusiasm is different from obsession.
Ask to have your, uh, hobby monitored and to bring up further concerns.
Killing the goose that lays the golden egg is not in your best interest.
Give him/her few of your finds to give to the youngsters in his circle.
You can work this out to your mutual advantage.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5855 Posts |
Quote:
And of course I did 90% of my searching off the clock. How much time are we actually talking about here? If you were spending 3-4 hours every night after work searching instead of, oh, seeing your family, getting sleep, having a social life, etc., well, your boss might possibly have a bit of a point. He may worry because he never actually sees you leave the restaurant... |
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Moderator
 United States
188560 Posts |
I suppose there are much, much worse things they could have accused you of doing.  I am glad it ended peacefully. In the end, I hope the realize how good this "addiction" is for you.  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
814 Posts |
Let it be known, I'm not going to quit my job over this. My bosses are great and its a privilege to be allowed to search the money. Hes quite protective of his money(aren't we all) and they only reason I'm allowed to search it is because I caught the last manager messing with registers and stealing money. I guess that gave them great faith in me. As to how much time I spend doing this, I'm talking 30-45 min a day, maybe an hr on super busy days. Every day I worked so 6 days a week. Since the convo with him I've cut back to 3 days a week, just to keep him happy. The 10% I do on the clock is just when I'm counting drawers which is part of the job anyway. Weve talked about coins and my finds mamy times. They save me stuff whenever they find it counting, star notes, halves, small potrait bills, wheats and such. I have great relationship with them gotta love em. And I totally agree! Its awesome they care enough to have such a talk. Edit- thought I would include this. I've tried getting them into collecting but they have no such desire to. An example is in this thread. Who has coins from the 1800s just lying around in a drawer. (I know a totally biased statement) https://goccf.com/t/135520 Edited by GoldenChest
03/05/2013 12:37 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2543 Posts |
There is a huge difference between an enthusiast, an obsessive and an addict. I think many non-collectors view collectors, especially coin roll hunters, as obsessives looking to " get rich quick " from one find.
Like the unfortunate people you see in every convenience store hunched over the lottery counter, furiously scratching away , hoping to fund their nonexistent retirement account with one swipe of a scratch ticket. Some pouring half their paychecks and hopes for the future every week into a pile of tickets.
I am sure they see you examining coins with a loupe , pouring over bills and rolls of change for hours on end and think that your throwing your sanity away hoping for that one " big score " , that one find that will set you up for life.
Just casually relate to them how relaxing it is as the end of a hard working day to sit and look at coins. How satisfying it is to find a nickel that is worth $5 or a star note that is worth $20. Play up the relaxing diversion for a stressful day that coin collecting is and down play the finding the right coin or bill could be worth thousands aspect. They will see that it is a great hobby and not a life altering obsession/addiction they were trying to help you with.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
In situations like this there may well be something underlying to create such an emotion. There well could be a relative or close friend with an addiction to Alcohol or drugs. This type of past could effect their ideas of anything that is a frequent type of occurance. I suggest letting it all just go as if it never happened. It may well be they need some professional help as to what is an addiction and what is just FUN.
There are many people that have no hobbies. Nor releases on their daily frustrations and end up taking it out on those that do and are happy doing whatever they do. They just don't understand and most attempts to help them are best left to professionals.
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
2830 Posts |
"Rehab is for Quitters !"
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1261 Posts |
Here's what I'd do, in a few weeks, plant something in the register (worth less that $1000 obviously) and then start to brag about your score. That will quiet them down for a little while. Do that as often as needed until they leave you alone.
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21788 Posts |
chesterb: That tactic may a little too deceptive for an otherwise highly trusted employee.
Successful businesses depend on trust.
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Replies: 16 / Views: 2,346 |
Posted 03/05/2013 06:13 am
