Have any of you thought about getting a job in at a bank, currency exchange, tpg co, or even a mint to aid your collection? Or can you think of any other jobs that help, besides the standard cashier?
I think you've covered the gamut of possibilities. The special one that every coin collector who wants an edge up should keep an eye out for is a Coinstar worker. The absolute top of the line would be to work in a pawn shop or coin shop.
Vending machine owner? Servicer? Don't know the correct title for this job. Toll taker on a toll road? Lots of coin and currency hurriedly handed over without the payee looking to see if they are giving away something special.
I'm not sure if working for a TPG or in a coin shop is really the best thing. After seeing all those nice coins, it really changes your taste. If you go in collecting wheat cents, you'll soon be bored of that and longing for bust halves or large cents. It'll kill your budget, even allowing for the extra cash from working there.
The vending machine owner is really great. Lots of work though and an large investment. A friend of mine started such a buisness some time ago with about 5 machines. Now grew to about 25. Since they are in factories, he gets many older coins all the time. He is not a big coin collector but anything that looks valuable he puts in jars for tomorrow. I've asked to look at them but he says, maybe tomorrow. Toll roads are a dying place for coins you know. Now most places are going with what is called BYPASS. You prepay for a device that you place on your cars window and as you go by a toll place, it automatically deducts the price from your account.
Yep, used such toll systems for years. When I drive around the NY/NJ/CT area and up and down I-95 or crossing bridges and tunnels here in NYC, I use EZ-Pass to speed through the tolls. However there will likely remain cash lanes where ever there are tolls for quite some time since travelers and those just passing through not using those systems can pay the tolls since they wouldn't have those devices. EZ-Pass, while an expense to endure, really is a snap up and down the mid-Atlantic states and throughout New England. Most rental car companies also allow renters to use the optional EZ-Pass device in the rental car or if you have your own you can use it in another car (with a little advanced planning.)