Pennies...Bait for Humans (or at Least the Ones that Pick Up Pennies!)

John's $12.74 Finds So Far in 2009

One of our best penny-picker-uppers sent this message after the last penny update. I love that his friends consider him to be so fearless for picking up a gunk-encrusted coin! If that's fearless, what would they think of my reaching into puddles or snagging pennies from the floor of the Metrobus?! Yikes!


Hey Leslie,

I've got another pile o' change for you. I've collected a bunch in my travels the last couple weeks. I even dug a penny, with a plastic knife mind you, out of the crack between boards on Fisherman's Wharf in San Fran last week! It was all covered in gook. I wrapped it in a napkin, so you can bask in the glory of the gook..now dried. :0) I was considered very "brave" going for that one.

_john

A Penny Preview...

Pennies are fun...and if you follow this link (http://theadventurousphotographer.com/) some of them are even getting famous!

Laura posted a teaser of the penny story on her blog along with some fantastic photos. The top photo includes some of 2008's worst pennies. I framed 2007's hundred worst pennies (like a business framing its first dollar!)...but 2008's worst pennies are still waiting patiently in my window sill to see where they might end up!

Street Cleaning...Makes No Cents!

Spring is in the air. The blossoms are blooming, the air is full of palpable excitement for the nice weather just around the corner, and...street cleaning is starting up again. Eh? Yes...the winter break for street sweepers is over and on my walk downtown yesterday I saw an entire army of men with brooms and dustpans.

During that same walk I realized I found a mere fraction of the pennies I normally find when I walk downtown. So what gives?

Well...I'm betting those cute clean little gutters had been filled with pennies before the army of street sweepers showed up. In fact, I had an incredible urge to grab those dustpans and dump them out in search of pennies!

The lesson here is that as happy as I am to see signs of spring and as ready as I am to put away my sweaters for the season...I do realize the season might impact my penny finding. Guess that means I'll have to get more crafty in my search. New ideas are always welcome!