Advice Needed For Kids Burying Coins

So, my little nephews (ages 5-11) decided they wanted to bury some of their coins that they believe are "old" (cents, nickels, dimes and quarters from the 1960's!). They are young and like pretending, so, one thinks he's a pirate, another thinks he can bury it for future generations, etc. They tried burying their "treasure" (coins) in a jar, but reported that the jar cracked and they thought that wasn't safe (they probably cut themselves on the glass, otherwise it wouldn't occur to them that it wasn't safe!). Then they tried burying the coins in a small cardboard box. But when they dug it up (what's the fun of being "pirates" if you can't dig up "Buried Treasure"!) the cardboard box had disintegrated (no, they didn't ask me before they did this). Now they are asking me (the adult who supposedly has knowledge about coins ) what they should bury their coins in, since they can't seem to convince anyone to buy them a big, old pirate chest in which to bury their treasure. I told them I would consult with some experts for them. That's you guys.

What can they bury their coins in for 6 months to a few years which won't disintegrate in the ground in their back yard, won't crack (like a glass jelly jar), and won't rust and ruin their coins in an extreme way (which I am guessing a tin can would do, but I really don't know). They coins they are burying are modern US cents, nickels, dimes and quarters. In terms of location and the ground environment, they are on the East Coast, about 15-20 miles from the shore. It's not a sandy location and there is nothing unusual about their little patch of earth in their back yard.

Thanks in advance for your advice!

 

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In my opinion, I'd go with hard plastic such as Tupperware or something similar. If they're interested in Lego, they could possibly build their own treasure chest.

 

Plastic, something like a peanut butter jar. Just make sure it's washed out good and they need to bury it deeper. You could have fun watching them and keep telling them to dig dipper. Cover the jar with something like a small tarp or Saran Wrap or a sealed plastic bag.

 

Go to the museum and buy a ceramic jug like used in ancient times. They seem to work well.

 

Don't do it......

“For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. 15 To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 16 He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. 17 So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. 18 But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money. 19 Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’ 21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 22 And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.’ 23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 24 He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ 26 But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. 29 For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

 

Thank you all!! Sorry, I forgot to mention that they some years they grow veggies in that patch of earth. So, I'm afraid to use plastic lest it leach into the veggies they grow and eat and my cute little nephews turn green! Seriously, my (limited) understanding is that plastic causes bad health stuff when it leaches into the ground and into our food. Maybe not all plastics are the same for this issue. Does anyone know more about this?

 

Just humble opine.......

 

No worries, they're not burying their talents.

 

Have you considered browsing Amazon? I'm sure you'd be able to find a cost-effective and worry-free solution.

 

No, I didn't think of that. What would I search for?

 

I'd start by typing "treasure chest" into the search bar.

 

I did. Anything made of thin, junky wood will disintegrate like the cardboard did. Anything plastic, I still have the same issue with plastic leaching into the ground since they grow vegetables in the ground.

 

I got the answer to this. Cheap and safe for young hands.... A short piece of PVC pipe with a PVC cap on either end. Probably cost fifty cents to make and those youngsters could bury it for years.

 

That sounds so creative! Thank you! Do you know if PVC leaches into the ground the way plastic does?

 

It doesn’t. That’s what all your water lines that are in the ground are made of.

 

Okay, great. Thank you so much!

 

One of these . . . .

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Too weird ?



Z

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I actually thought of a ceramic jug, but as they are children, and will probably bury, remove, and re-bury their "treasure" I'm concerned it will break into a thousand pieces. I would guess that in ancient times, those who were burying coins were not particularly concerned about the state of the ceramic jugs, or whether the kids would cut themselves while digging up broken shards.

 

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OMG. That's Awful!

 

"But Mom, I didn't think Granny would mind if we used her container for our buried treasure!"