Do any of you find yourselves looking through these when you are paying for something at a convenience store, a gas station, or where ever one happens to be? If you see an old penny or nickel will you grab it? Am I the only one who does this? Should I be ashamed of myself? I'm talking about the "Take a penny, leave a Penny" trays, not the jars for Jerry's kids or for feeding the homeless. Anyone?
I have to admit that when I was in disney world this past spring..I took my 3 yr old son on a water ride and you should have seen the coins in the water!! I was reaching down to try a grab some but was told to keep my hands inside the ride car..hahah Caught Red handed I was!!!!
Oh Man, I didn't think this pop up. I often get funny looks when I pick up the cup and have a look-see. Even if I explain , they know something ain't right with me............. FB
Hey Bigswick....Ever since the post date if July 27, 2005 with this thread...you have me looking at those give a penny and take a penny trays! I cant help myself and sometimes when I see the cashiers catching me fingering through the pennies..cant help but to think that they are thinking wow!, what a desparate guy..needs every penny he can get..it's some what embarrasing, however, I did strike up a conversation with one clerk at a store near my home. Told them why I was doing it and passed along an old Red Book to them. Everytime I go in now I get a free cup of coffee and would'nt ya know it..there are not very many pennies in that tray any longer...hahah The moral of this story is be careful to whom you tell..your 1909 S VDB luck find may just no longer show up at that location. You Devil you, I feel like a transient going through trash cans every time I think of it!! Thanks for the fun..and embarrasment of it all!! RickieB
"take a penny, LEAVE a penny" just put one back in, then theres no reason to be embarrased . if they still want to judge thats thier problem. im sure thier hobby is worse that yours
RickieB, Hey man, I do it all the time, mostly at the general store near the entrance to my neighborhood. In my life I've known my share of people who've told me they "won't bend over to pick up copper." Fine by me. I'm not obnoxious about it, but if I see a copper penny in the tray I will take it. If I'm paying for something and get pennies back I'll swap them out. If I haven't put one in the tray in a while I will toss two or three zincs in just to make up for the ones I'd taken before. I really don't care what other people think, and maybe one day I'll be known as the LaVere Redfield of copper cents. Ha! One of the employees at the store, a real know-it-all type, saw me do it one time and began to crow, "I know what you are doing, I know what you are doing. You want those copper cents. They aren't worth as much as you think." OK smart guy, whatever, but it is still something I'll do to build up my collection of Lincolns, I'll sock away a little copper in the process and it gives that guy something to get all worked up over!
