| Author |
 Replies: 24 / Views: 2,120 |
|
Valued Member
United States
439 Posts |
Alright, I went to McDonalds for lunch yesterday with the only other coin collector at work and we're hanging around waiting for our order. I see the little box for the Ronald McD house charity and ask the other guy what he'd do if he saw a desirable coin in there, say, a 1924 D wheatie for example. Would he go about his business and not give it another thought? Fish it out and drop a same denomination replacement in? Throw in a handful of change to ease your conscience? Maybe a couple bucks? He, being a diehard silver dollar lover and never failing to bait the heck out of me for my fondness for the lesser denominations, replied that it wouldn't matter what date or mintmark it was if it was a wheatie, he wouldn't know any better, but if it was a Mercury dime or something silver he wouldn't worry about taking it out. He did mention that he'd put back more coins than he took out but when pressed about how much he said he didn't think he'd leave more than a dollar. I though this might make an interesting question for the forum. How bout the rest of you out there? Would a decent looking semi key date wheatie get you to rooting around a charity box? Would it take more than that? Would you replace it? With how much? I know it's easy to sound appalled by such a thing but think about it for a bit. You're standing there, you start checking out the coins, like you always do when you see coins, you notice whatever it is that trips your trigger, a nice one. Your palms get a little sweaty and you start thinking. They aren't even gonna know what they've got. They'll roll that change up and somebody else will find it while they're roll searching somewhere down the line or maybe another person will notice it in their change sometime. The charity will be better off if I replace that with a couple of quarters and I'll have a nice little prize. So, just for kicks, what would you do in this situation? Hmmmmmmmmmm? |
|
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
1454 Posts |
If it were an enclosed charity box you would have to ask permission I suppose. Then, when you say, "Hey, counter person, I collect coins, I see one in that charity box I would like. If I put in a dollar for that penny would you let me have it?" I think then it would be up to the nature of that counter person as to whether you will pocket that wheatie. If they say, "Yeh, sure, no problem.", then it is yours. If they say, "No, sorry, can't do that.", then more than likely they are going to fish it for themselves later when the manager isn't looking thinking they have something valuable they can buy all kinds of things with. I guess, all in all, you ask the question and take your chances.
Edited by Irishraider
09/24/2006 12:54 am
|
|
Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
I don't look in those boxes, containers, store cash registers or any place where there is a large quantity of change for just a reaon like that. Once not to many years ago I was at a store and used a large bill to buy something. I apologized to the casheir because my purchase was rather small. She said no problem as long as I didn't mind a lot of small change back. I accepted and when I got home I saw that I now had a pocket full of Merc Dimes, Buffalo nickels and an additonal assortment of other coins. I knew it came from that store but I felt to embarrased to go back and ask for more of the same change. Then also, how would I know if there was more? How would I know I'd get the same person? I just gave up. |
|
Valued Member
New Zealand
227 Posts |
This is a very good question and I am the same as just carl I dont look. If I did I would be stuck there all day!!! Plus I would be too embarrassed to ask to get into the boxes  |
|
Moderator
 Australia
16829 Posts |
Two issues to think about, here: - If they didn't want folks looking at their coins, they shouldn't make the moneyboxes out of clear perspex! - TSOTL said "They aren't even gonna know what they've got.". That's not necessarily true, either. For instance, I know one fellow (used to come to my coin club, till he moved interstate) whose role as a volunteer for Lions involved going around collecting the donations from moneyboxes placed in local businesses. You can be sure those coins would have been searched through for interesting items before they were banked. Knowing him, he'd have put in "fair value" out of his own pocket if he found something valuable, too. I suppose it couldn't hurt to check with the charity and see if they need any help counting the money.   Don't say "infinitely" when you mean "very"; otherwise, you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite. - C. S. Lewis
|
|
Pillar of the Community
Australia
1360 Posts |
If I saw a Victoria Cross dollar coin in one of those boxes, I would beg on bended knee if necessary in order to be allowed to swap some of my money for it. I would throw in extra coins to make up for it, but I would have to get that coin! |
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
1541 Posts |
As far as I know McD house charity box can't be opened by regular workers. Only the regional store manager can remove money from there and you won't find him/her at the store all the time.
|
|
Valued Member
 United States
439 Posts |
Hmmmm, five responses out of 72 hits. Do ethics questions scare y'all? C'mon people, lets hear from those of you who don't normally post too. The same few people are always carrying this place posting but there are a LOT more lurking around. You want this place to thrive then throw yer Two Cent Piece in once in a while. Let's hear from some of those that are just hanging around reading. A good case could be made that you owe it to the rest of the regulars to put something out here from time to time to keep the place a bit more interesting with YOUR perspective. They're sharing knowledge it took them who knows how long to acquire the least you can do is give them something to read once in a while, a different tangent on an issue, like this one maybe. Those thingies in front of you, the ones with the alphabet that's all scrambled up, you paid good money for that part of the computer you just as well put it to use. I wanna hear from you, yeah, you, post somewhere. Today. |
|
Member
United States
1154 Posts |
Being as you cant get one of the things open and really no one can open them besides the head honcho, I guess your not going to get the coin, Unless you try some gum on the end of a string!!
|
|
Valued Member
United States
439 Posts |
It's a hypothetical question just to get some interesting, possibly, discussion going.
It doesn't necessarily have to be a Ronald McD house box. That was just the example I gave since looking at one of them sparked the idea. Note that in the question I mentioned "charity box" and specifically avoided asking if you'd dig into a Roald McD house box cause I noticed it was locked.
|
|
Valued Member
United States
458 Posts |
I see these boxes on occasions, Many are sealed and not clear plastic so impossible to know whats inside. If clear, I usually don't bother looking to see what is it there. Usually they are pennies, nickels ,dimes & quarters anyways so I won't waste my time looking (no offense to penny collector)-Remember most of the change in there probably came from their registers anyways. But pennies don't turn me on to much--Now if I saw a $20 Gold saint in one of them boxes, no telling what I would do to try, perhaps offer & pay $20 dollars for a direct exchange--Now that would be a catch, hehe--  |
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
1840 Posts |
I don't do pennies either, but a '32-D Washington would get my attention (if I could see that well). I don't think I would do anything though.....I'd feel guilty just replacing it with another quarter. I think it would be in good taste to give the charity fair market value for the coin, but I know I can get most coins that I want on ebay for less than retail. I'd pass. Now if it were just in the take-a-penny dish, I'd probably trade it for the same denomination coin. |
|
New Member
Netherlands
8 Posts |
Most collectors will look for good deal so they will try to exchange it for some money.
The problem is always that if you ask for something then each other person would expect that you know the value of it also, making it harder to get it for a fair price.
The question in this case it not what would you do but what the person with the key to open it does.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
1203 Posts |
quote:
Originally posted by Sap
I suppose it couldn't hurt to check with the charity and see if they need any help counting the money.
Sap has the right idea, and you could also provide additional service other than just counting and going through their coins. They all need help with the little jobs. |
|
Rest in Peace
United States
3730 Posts |
I would fish out the rare coin and then to sooth my conscience I would donate back into the box as much as I could afford.
Why let someone else have the coin that I would appreciate? Or, maybe it would be lost and never end up in the hands of someone who would appreciate, value, and enjoy it.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
2365 Posts |
I don't look that closely in the first place. If I did I would cry and walk away if something caught my eye. Yes, I really am that honest.
|
| |
Replies: 24 / Views: 2,120 |
Posted 09/23/2006 9:52 pm
