Shiny Money, and Other Quirks

Not having done the books since I managed the Schwartz Mequon store in the mid-nineties. I didn't know that returning to this habit would reawaken old fascinations.

I really don't pay attention to my money on a day-to-day basis. I didn't collect state quarters, though I did restock the Whitman albums of such. Now that I'm looking at money so carefully (not as high a percentage as I saw the last time), I am fascinated by fresh bills and coins.

Last week the bank gave us some rolls of new Lincoln pennies. I checked and they are selling them on E Bay. They are so shiny, and so light, feather-weighted!

We also got some new singles from the bank in numerical order. That was also exciting.

Another strange quirk is folks who like to spend Kennedy half dollars, two dollar bills, or dollar coins. I think that several in the last category are just trying to get rid of the dollar coins they got as change at the post office. Canada is right on this one; folks won't start using dollar coins until they take away the bills. And note to my staff--please don't leave them in the drawer at the end of the day; please include with your deposit! (This has only happened once in three months).

I actually do know someone who spends two dollar bills; he orders them from his bank.

I put folks who try to spend large bills in this category as well. Most stores won't take 'em. You don't have to have them. What's the point?

But the biggest change is how little cash we really do. Just about everything is credit card. Higher fees, but having very little cash on hand is comforting (note to robbers--very little cash, big open windows, and a foot patrol police officer named Rob who LOVES books).