The competition

Picking up coins and objects is something I learned from my father. He would bring the car to a screeching halt for just about anything that he saw in the road, especially tools. Mom claims that he stopped the car on a Los Angeles freeway once to retrieve a screwdriver and nearly got both of them killed in the process.

Found objects are nothing new to me. About eight years ago I found a woman's wedding ring in a downtown gutter. It was a beautiful solitaire setting and the stone was nearly a carat. The local Lost and Found ads produced nothing for weeks. The ring was examined by numerous jewelers, all with differing opinions as to the authenticity of the stone. Some said real diamond, others said fine quality fake. But the setting was definitely gold. (In the end it was determined to be a CZ, at which time Zeus informed me that if the jewelers couldn't tell the difference by looking through a loupe then he had purchased his last diamond.)

Serious numismatising began five years ago. While I was out walking I would pick up curbside coins and bring them home to Zeus. We called them his Lucky Pennies. For Father's Day Eris made him a personalized jar to collect them for a rainy day. As my ralking became more frequent the skill of numismatising became more of an art. (That's right, an art!)

Just as my father taught me about street finds I'm finding that my children and grandchildren are also becoming quite adept at spotting round, shiny objects. When Little and Littlest were very small I would point out a coin to them and they would scamper to pick it up. They were easily convinced to put it in my left pocket (the "lucky penny pocket") or to proudly give it to Grandpa when they got back to the house.

Those days are past. No way will they give up a found coin. Worse than that, they are RUTHLESS when it comes to spotting and pocketing. Those who were once my trainees of numismatising have now become my competition.

(The photo above was taken last week after our Gateway trip. The empty hand belongs to Jubee, who has not fully embraced the concept of numismatising.)

Oh, it makes a grandmother smile! And to all the rest of you who proudly boast of your exciting finds, congratulations! It makes my heart sing!

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