Friday 29 May 2020

Stuff Around My Home -- Spare Change

I fully and freely admit that I am an old fogey
who accumulates spare change, rolls it and then
takes it to the bank for deposit into my account.

And I have My Own System™ for doing so.

Many years ago in a junk shop,
I found this hard plastic 
container with a lid.


It is, in fact, a nesting container
with two other containers inside it.

Judging from their laughably small size
by today's junk food serving sizes,
I'd estimate this set dates from the 1950s or 1960s.


As change accumulates, I separate it
into quarters, dimes and nickels in
the appropriate container.


About once a year (or two years if I'm lazy),
I roll the change and take it to the bank.
Usually there's 2 or 3 hundred
bucks worth by that point.


And not to brag or anything,
but I can roll change as fast as the wind!

If Canada had an Olympic Team for
Coin Rolling, I'd be on it.

My hotelier Grandma taught me the secrets
of speedy coin rolling when I was a kid. 
I used to help her roll all the change from 
the restaurant and beverage room cash registers.


While my vast wealth in spare change
accumulates over the year(s), I do,
of course, maintain a security system for it.

It is guarded by The Mighty Thor himself!

Here he is doing his duty on my bookshelf.


Captain America and the Winter Soldier
are supposed to be providing backup security,
but they don't seem to be all that reliable.

Hey slackers!
Get back to work!

Canoodle on your OWN time!

64 comments:

Sixpence Notthewiser said...

Hahahaha
Captain America and Bucky! Yes!
And I also have a little piggy bank but I don't take it to the bank, I usually have to wait to go to WalMart (barf) or to Jewel to get a voucher for the change.
I think your method is quaint and very effective. Three hundred bucks? Yes, please.

XOXO

Parnassus said...

What about the pennies? --Jim

DEZMOND said...

The lady in the bank must be thrilled when you arrive with all them coins....

Bob said...

I love the containers, but seriously, the sizes? Those are gnome sizes!

Parnassus said...

Hi again, Never mind...I just looked up the answer to my question. Where have I been since 2012? Oh, yes!

I try to spend my change so it doesn't accumulate, but I keep the lucky money I have found in a special jar, and am at the point of having to find a bigger one!
--Jim


anne marie in philly said...

WHAT is that between thor's legs? and WHY does he look like he's ready to stroke it? perhaps the other 2 guys will watch...

man, my mind is off in naughtytown already, and it's not even 8a!

NEAT snack set! change can sure add up fast.

Travel said...

My grandmother told me that "if I saved my pennies I'd be able to go to England someday." That was about 55 years ago, yes I have that many pennies stacked up. Iceland is such an amazing place, they are reopening to tourists soon.

Bathwater said...

I have given up rolling coins. I have started refusing pennies when they are part of my change in protest. I think they should do away with the penny. I go to the coinstar machine when they have an amazon gift card available and exchange my coins for free.

Moving with Mitchell said...

Since moving to Spain, I use ALL my change. In the USA, I used to do what you do -- only not as charmingly. I did however sort the coins into separate bowls as I saved them. I love those nesting bowls... and their guardians. Your sorting made OCD me VERY happy.

coffeeontheporchwithme said...

I haven't rolled money in a dog's age. About 20 years ago, at the school, there was a nifty container that had various sized holes in the bottoms of different inserts and you dumped a handful of change in it and shook it around like you were panning for gold and it sorted the money. Kids would do this after collecting money for things like bake sales, and then they would roll it. Where do you even buy the rolling tubes anymore? -Jenn

jaz@octoberfarm said...

uh oh....Captain America and the Winter Soldier are making it behind thors back!

Hot guys said...

How adorable are those colorful containers?! ๐Ÿ’™๐Ÿ’š๐Ÿงก

And of course, your hero toys are super-cool. ๐Ÿ’ช๐Ÿป

Tundra Bunny said...

I always suspected that you were a chicken-obsessed cheep-skate, but now by your own admission, you are a chip-skate!

Mistress Maddie said...

That is a very smart thing to do. I love your sorting system. Collecting spare change has paiD for two vacations for me in the summer...so it adds up I may add!!!! But I have to houseboys roll it, I aint old yet!!!!

And I have a pair of underwear that says NUTS ON THEM.

Lady M said...

I see Thor is ready to repel any visitors who happen your way now that you've told us all you keep a fortune in spare change in an old chip container.

Oblio said...

BWAAAAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Great post and love the sexy-time superheroes. I too collect change, dumping all my pocket coinage into an ancient plastic 5 gallon bottled water jug. About every 2 years I dump the bottle and roll it all up, which usually adds up to around $250. Since my wife and I were married in and (typically) spend our anniversaries in Las Vegas, that coinage is traded for bills and we get to gamble for freeeeeeeeee! The largest haul I've ever rolled from the bottle was almost $500, a fluke of having a lot of quarters. I use plastic coin sorting tubes we bought years ago and learned the art of strategically folding the rolling tubes from my Dad.

brewella deville said...

A while ago, I went diving through the family pile of change looking for real copper pennies to use as pie weights. It'd been so long since I had to handle change that I'd forgotten about that weird, greasy feeling you pick up on your fingers when rolling coins.

Sooo-this-is-me said...

I love your Captain America and Winter Soldier fixation, you're making me desire Chris Evans.
I'm embarrassed to say that I have been accumulating change all my life. I feel too shy to start taking rolls of coins into my bank. People say donate it, well we are talking about a lifetime of change, that's no $17.65 worth of money.

Bob Johns said...

Oh man, the chip container is awesome!! We would be using that every day here. Also, we are kind of doing the same thing but its a coke bottle we are filling for a trip to a magical park if all plays out it should have 500 smackers when filled.

Debra She Who Seeks said...

@ anne marie in philly -- I was just WAITING for someone to make a comment like this and you've won the prize, anne marie!

Debra She Who Seeks said...

@ Sooo-this-is-me -- Good gawd, man, roll that change and take it in! You don't have to take it in all at once -- spread it out over a few months so as not to overwhelm the Canadian banking system!

Debra She Who Seeks said...

@ coffeeontheporchwithme -- No, no, no, never BUY rolling tubes from a store. That cuts into your profit margin. Banks will give you rolling papers for FREE in each of the coin denominations. Get them from the bank for gratis and roll, baby, roll.

Debra She Who Seeks said...

@ Parnassus (Jim) -- Yes, Canada has abolished the penny. Best decision EVER! If it were up to me, we'd get rid of nickels and dimes too and just retain quarters as the smallest coins.

Debra She Who Seeks said...

@ Tundra Bunny -- And YOU are fast turning into the QUEEN OF PUNS!

BootsandBraids said...

Okay, I have to ask about Captain America and Winter Soldier. Did they come that way or did you position separate pieces? Also, I think I posted once that the moving company would not transport my huge change container, a glass Sparklett's water bottle. I tried rolling, didn't like that method because too many coins to work with, so took to a cash for coin machine. Got back over $3,000 which funded my having professional movers. Now I use that jar just for pennies. Other coins go into a jar that counts how much, now a little over $200 and getting full. I may try rolling those, taking to bank. I actually wish they'd dispense with coins altogether. Make everything cost a solid dollar figure.

Debra She Who Seeks said...

@ BootsandBraids -- I must confess that I positioned Captain America and the Winter Soldier that way. But in my defence, they ARE "action" figures! And yes, I DO remember your story about the movers refusing to take your huge glass bottle of coins!

e said...

I am firmly in the old fogey set as well! The Ex and I took a very nice vacation to Hawaii and paid for quite a bit of it through our spare change collection.

My bank doesn't like rolled coins anymore. Maybe they think we are filling the rolls with base metals, who knows. But, they have a coin counting machine and you can stand and watch while they put your coins in and then they give a little slip of paper showing how many of each coin. I don't mind! I still go through the collection looking for old coins... just in case there's something special!

Love your coin guardian! And his associates... super heroes getting busy!

e said...

Also, meant to say that I love your Chip set! Retro cool!

Adam said...

I rarely use cash, never had much spare change.

Susan Kane said...

You canoodle very well! I love the 50s and 60s collections! I am keeping my eye out for jade coffee cups. I saw them in Reminisce monthly magazines. Great stuff.

Rosemary said...

Do you do something memorable or worthwhile with the money when it has accumulated? Put it towards a holiday or a special treat!

Debra She Who Seeks said...

@ e -- Unfortunately my bank does not have one of those auto-coin-counter machines yet. If it did, I'd use it! But so long as rolled change is still accepted, that's the method I'll have to use.

Debra She Who Seeks said...

@ Rosemary -- No, I'm afraid I just stick it in my chequing account and fritter it away on groceries and such, LOL!

Bea said...

Spot on regarding vintage of snack container(s)...nothing for snacks would be made in such a dainty size these days!!

In Switzerland one can take a sack of coins and deposit them into your bank's ATM machines, receive a receipt, bring said receipt into the bank branch and receive in exchange bills. It was a great system.

Mike said...

My dad was a coin collector. He worked at a small bank so even tho he was a VP he had to sub at the teller window. He would sit there and go through coins every spare moment. Then he would bring rolls home and of coins home and go through them. He showed me a quarter one time. he had 4 of them. He kept the best one for his collection. He took the other 3 to the coin shop and got $75 for them.

Are you checking for old coins?

Rawknrobyn.blogspot.com said...

Wait, Captain America and Winter Soldier? They're making out! That's hot!

You've a fun system for saving change.
I have the rolls for pennies, nickels...I'm not so good at it. They often spill out and I have to start all over. I'd ask to borrow your Captain America but I suspect Anne Marie's right. I don't want him touching anything of mine. Not without using a lot of Purell.

Happy weekend, Deb.

Debra She Who Seeks said...

@ Mike -- No, I'm afraid I don't check for old coins. I could be missing out on a fortune! I do keep my eyes peeled for U.S. change though and stockpile a little of it, because when you travel to the USA, they won't accept Canadian change so it's best to have some American coins on hand.

John M said...

I have some rolls I should bring to the bank. I want to wait until this covid-19 thing calms down a little more.

Guillaume said...

I like these.

Marie Smith said...

We do the same but don’t have much coin any more.

Joanne Noragon said...

Wow, no pennies.

Sue Bursztynski said...

I’m impressed, Debra! I do keep spare change, but no banking - I get it out to use when needed. No fancy jars like yours, though. Just plastic containers from takeaway food. ๐Ÿ™‚

Bill Lisleman said...

You Canadians have a "looney" coin - right? So if you collected those you would have a looney bin.
You saved the best picture for last.

yellowdoggranny said...

all canaderian money looks like dimes..I give money to the goddess and save it ..I used to get $10 worth and buy gift certificates for oldies..but started saving it about 2 weeks before christmas and added it up the other day and have almost 150.00..not counting the pennies..going to keep saving it and cashing it in till I start begging for money for christmas gifts..so will have a head start this year..should have close to or more than 200.00..and I roll change fast too..but our coins are larger than yours..I think.

G. B. Miller said...

Rolling change is lost art form these days, especially since nowadays, most banks and supermarkets have change machine counters, in which you dump your change in, it counts and spits out a receipt that you can exchange for money or a deposit in your account.

For theose who will take wrapped coin, you have to write your name, addy and account number on all of the wrappers.

Debra She Who Seeks said...

@ G.B. Miller -- Alas, such technological marvels are not yet widespread in Canada.

This N That said...

My parents always had a jar. My husband had a jar. I don’t have any extra change LOL. I have a neighbor across the street who has rolls and rolls of coins... Stacks of paper bills. She likes to count her money... Worthwhile hobby I guess. Have a great weekend.

Miss Val's Creations said...

Perfect piggie bank. That is hysterical how small those snack containers were!

SmitoniusAndSonata said...

There was a gigantic plant pot in the cupboard in my grandmother's sittingroom and the unwritten rule that anyone coming in had to throw in any "bun pennies" they'd got in their change that day. Bun pennies with Queen Victoria's head on were already uncommon in the '50s but the pot still filled quite fast and when the nuns came round every few weeks with their big leather shopping bag they usually got quite a few pounds worth for 'the missions'… it weighed a ton.
Does anyone collect 'for the missions' anymore?

Busy Bee Suz said...

I love your containers and I can't wait to see you take GOLD in the coin rolling olympics.
I used to roll mine and then I coaxed my girls into doing it for me; they would get 10% of the proceeds.
My bank has one of those machines that you just drop the coins in....and it's free. Sadly, they always give me back my buttons, tic tacs and occasional Canadian coins.

^.^ said...

I absolutely and positively hate nickels and dimes. I tolerate quarters, and I adore crisp bills. Love, c.

DVArtist said...

You are so funny. Banks in the US won't take rolled coin any more. Anyway my bank won't Love your security too.

Rain said...

LOL Debra, I'm glad to see Thor is taking his job seriously!! It's funny, I rarely have any "real" money these days. Either I pay by debit or credit. I'd even forgotten that we don't use pennies anymore!!

Magaly Guerrero said...

Thor isn't guarding change. He's just waiting for his turn.

Debra She Who Seeks said...

@ Magaly Guerrero -- OMG, I think you're RIGHT! Hahahahaha!

Polly said...

I had to look up coin rolling as I've never heard of it. Years ago when I saved loose change my bank provided little plastic bags for the coins and the teller would weigh it.

Kadie said...

Hahaha up until a few months ago I would have been "that lady in that bank" that would have taken your change. I got to say I don't miss it :) That was one thing I hated most was rolling change. Way to go though. I don't use cash enough to get change. I use my debit card almost exclusively.

Kadie ♥ The Great Canadian Housewife | A Story About A Girl

Martha said...

Those containers are awesome! I was a regular coin roller up until about 2 years ago or so. I hardly if ever pay in cash anymore and there aren't any coins left to roll!

Bohemian said...

Capt. America and Winter Soldier look like they're getting it on! LMAO They used to have a machine at the Grocery Store that counted Change for ya in seconds and issues a Voucher for the entire amount to use in their Store, or an amount with a Fee if you wanted the Cash to spend elsewhere. My Penny Stash ended up being a whopping amount, I probably had more Copper than they're presently taking out of any of the Copper Mines here in Arizona!

Ur-spo said...

Oh but I love these bowels !

baili said...

wow your container looks interesting and pretty :)

saving change like this sounds like one of the oldest idea ,i used to witness old ladies saving like this back in my village
i was never saving person and nothing changed :)

Miss Cellania said...

I rolled coins my whole life, until a few years ago when I took a bunch of meticulously-rolled change to the bank. The teller tore open every roll and dumped the coins to go into a sorting machine. Now I just take the whole jar.

Fundy Blue said...

I am an old fogey too, Debra. However I learned how to roll coins at the bank. When I became treasurer of the students council in grade 10, I showed up with a bag full of coins to deposit, all counted but not even sorted. I was so green LOL! A kind, male teller (That's how long ago it was ~ They were all male.) introduced me to rollers, showed me what to do, told me how many coins went in each roll, and watched me roll the first couple up to be sure I knew how to do it. Then he told me to NEVER come back to the bank with a bag of unrolled coins again and sent me home to finish rolling. I've been doing it ever since.

Magic Love Crow said...

LOL! That last photo! LOL! I love the containers you have your change in! I don't think I could roll change! Good for you Debra!!!