Change update.

I have some competition. Whenever I am out it is usually with my girlfriend, and she has a voracious appetite for finding change. She has probably knocked me out of at least $.30. Incidentally she has promised a 5 spot and is on the list of predictions. She could manipulate the game in such a way to where she could win the pot herself by either tipping me off that there's a coin on the ground, or picking it up without letting me know if I were to find enough change for her to be in her prediction bracket. Luckily, there's little to worry about, because she is a genuinely honest person. That or a really really good liar.

Aside from the threat of sabotage, it has been sort of a dry period for finding change. Maybe she is trying to sabotage the game? Anyway, with the dry times, comes less things to mention on the topic. I had sort of decided to wait until I found at least three different mangled coins before I would post them, but sabotage is interesting enough to supplement with one photo of a mangled coin.



I found this one at a Hardee's drive-thru window. Mind you, I did say that drive-thru windows were off limits if I were to intentionally scour them, or open the door when I'm pulled up to one. But this situation is a little bit different in that we parked on the side that the drive-thru was on, and just past the window is the door to walk in to place an order. Because of this, it's pretty easy to see and grab any change that people had dropped.

The other side of the coin was relatively unharmed. Apparently asphault is a bit rougher on a coin than a rubber tire is. Go figure!

Yes. I did pick these up.

OMGEEZ! I've had a fun time trying to keep up with all the change I've found so far. I know it is such a mundane thing really, but I find it to be quite an interesting experiment. I'm pretty sure I've missed out on about 33 cents because of various social situations however.

The first miss was on an escalator between the set of stairs, I wasn't fast enough, and people were horny to get on the moving stairs, that was at least 6 cents. The second occasion was in San Francisco. I had more of an opportunity to get it, but there was a change hungry zombie across from it who was asking for change. I had the notion soon after the opportunity had passed to go pick up the 2 cents and give it to him. But, if you get in a situation like that you have to be ready for anything, and I didn't feel like dealing with him.

For the third I saw a quarter lying on the ground in front of a Hardees drive-thru. Now this situation is rare, because a person just doesn't happen by a drive thru. I've had to fight the urge to scour them for change because people drop a lot there, but it is an awkward social situation to just open your door and pick it all up while you're waiting on your food. But in this instance, we parked on the side with the drive thru and it was very near the entrance to the restaurant, but when I had the chance to snatch up the 1/4 dollar a car pulled up to get their food.

I've picked up some pretty dirty money. Certain coins were dirty enough to photograph.

This particular penny conflicts with the rules. As previously stated, change can only count if found out in public. This penny was found outside on the ground at my house.



I know I never dropped this penny because I would remember such a screwed up penny and I generally don't maim money for fun and neither does my Dad. I want to count this coin. But I need the OK of the people that have thrown in the pot in order to count it. They approve, it has been counted.










Yes. I did pick these up.

Change, updated.

Well, so far this little experiment has been fun. The biggest concentration of change I've found is in Walmart at the registers; four dimes and several pennies. The main reason for this entry is because of a small happening came about that is note worthy.

I was standing and waiting for my food to be brought out and there was this guy in front of me ordering. When he paid for his order and got his change he looked at it and immediately threw it in the trash and walked away. There are several reason why this bothers me.

He obviously didn't want the change. But mostly it bothers me because he was so inconsiderate to have thrown it in the trash. People like me would have loved to find that change. But more importantly a homeless person or the salvation army or some organization like that could've put that change to use. But now it is on its way to a land fill.

From what I heard when he threw it, it sounded like it was probably about 3 cents but still, how mind blowingly prickish of him. And no, I didn't go digging in the trash for it. I did find a penny on the ground while I was waiting for my food though.

Stay updated on the total, because I'm going to announce the total at the end of the year in a special way. It's not much, but I'm excited about it.

Tallying.

I visited a friend last night to celebrate the New Year and I found a $.10 on the floor. I thought, Awesome! But alas, the rule is that I have to find it in public. So I left it at his house. I'm having a hard time finding takers for the $5 pool, but I have a whole year to convince them I guess. In regards to that, another rule I'll set is that I can't tell them the amount I've already found before they've given their prediction. If they know how much I've found six months into this little experiment, they could take an average and perhaps gain an advantage to predict by.

I did already state my prediction, which was: $2.26. Two days before this experiment began I did find a dime in Walmart! W00t! I love finding change! I heard a little story on the radio how this man who only used cash and saved all his change ended up using the change over time to buy a new car with. That's a whole lot of ca-ching.

Happy New Year everyone!