Thread: oh my goodness... a MILLION pennies?!?

http://www.kansas.com/mld/kansas/new...ws/9051453.htm

A penny saved - may be a million earned

Associated Press


LOS ANGELES - A man is trying to get rid of his pennies - all 1 million of them. Ron England bet his brother 30 years ago that he could save a million pennies in exchange for a dinner in Paris. And he did, eventually stacking up 20,000 rolls that fill 13 boxes in his garage.

Now that he's moving, England wants to cash in the $10,000 in coppers, which weigh 3.6 tons, but is having a tough time finding someone who will take them without a price.

"I've been working seriously for the past two weeks to get rid of these pennies," said England, 60, a Paramount Studios, Hollywood, projectionist who will soon retire with his wife to a home in Oregon. "It's kind of frustrating. Nobody will take them without charging me."

The Coinstar machine at his supermarket isn't exactly made to accept a million pennies.

A Santa Monica artist who welds couches out of pennies declined to call him back.

Coin collectors said to call a bank.

But his bank, Washington Mutual, is charging extra fees and won't take all the rolls at once. The best he's found is a branch that will take 200 rolls, or $100 per week. That's 20 months of deposits.

Tim McGarry, spokesman for Washington Mutual in Los Angeles, said that until recently, the bank charged 10 cents a roll for more than eight rolls. Now, each bank manager determines how many pennies it can accept and charges accordingly. Business rates differ.

"This is a very rare case," McGarry said. "Some of the practicalities are daunting - 3.6 tons is more than most vaults can handle."

Even the federal government isn't interested.

The U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency doesn't want them, nor does the U.S. Engraving and Printing Bureau.

"We don't buy back currency," said Mike White, a spokesman for the U.S. Mint. "We like to have it in circulation."

England refuses to pay extra.

"I'm stubborn," he said. "If I have to haul all these pennies to Oregon, I will, 'cause I'm not gonna pay."

The bet was made in March 1974, England said. He and his brother, Russ wagered that if Ron could collect and roll a million pennies, Russ would buy him a dinner of fried sweetbreads in Paris.

So England began to roll. Friends and relatives fed him pennies. At one point he was buying about $250 a week in pennies.

About five years later, he was done. But he never got his Parisian meal.

"I don't remember making the wager," said Russ England, 55. "Am I still good for it? I'm not going to answer that question."

Now Ron England says he hopes to buy a John Deere tractor with his money.

"I did enjoy proving my brother wrong," England said. "If he'd pay off, I'd quit [complaining]. I should have saved dimes. I'd have a lot more money, and it would weigh a lot less."

Thats so cool! I would "take" the pennies and not charge him a dime, but he wouldn't be getting any money in return either.

very interesting

I would be paying my electric and cable and what ever bills I could in person. Nobody can refuse to let you pay your bills. Money is money. I would take a box with me and go food shopping also. could you emeagine the scene I could make if they refuse to take my money for food. I bet they could be sued if they would not let him pay with pennies. I would love to go pay my taxes with the pennies.lol get back for high taxes.lol

Now, that is a job, he can't even cash in on.

Originally Posted by bell_peaches

I would be paying my electric and cable and what ever bills I could in person. Nobody can refuse to let you pay your bills. Money is money. I would take a box with me and go food shopping also. could you emeagine the scene I could make if they refuse to take my money for food. I bet they could be sued if they would not let him pay with pennies. I would love to go pay my taxes with the pennies.lol get back for high taxes.lol

I was thinking the same thing. LOL When I clerked in a grocery store, we had a customer who waited until everything was rung up and bagged - then dumped a shoe box FULL of loose change on my counter ! "Take what you need ..." he says. I had to close my register and count out $87.16 in nickels, dimes, and pennies. He didn't even help - I had to request a bagger to help me count while the customer leaned against the counter drinking 'complimentry' coffee.

Well.... get this.... Our children's school has had a "million penny box" since before my oldest started kindergarten and he is now a sophmore. Every year they have various petty fundraisers (like selling easter grams, etc) and the kids are charged like 10 pennies or 25 pennies depending on what they are doing, etc.... and all the pennies go into this huge locked box that sits in front of our schools office. The thing is darn near full. They add the pennies as they go and when they reach a million pennies our local town bank has agreed to take the pennies for them so they may buy new playground equipment, etc with them. A really neat idea but its been going on for years now...lol Sad thing is all the kids who participated by sending in the pennies will no longer be in that school by the time they reach their million to cash them in. But its a neat idea and the kids enjoy bringing their pennies into school to donate.

Originally Posted by bell_peaches

I would be paying my electric and cable and what ever bills I could in person. Nobody can refuse to let you pay your bills. Money is money. I would take a box with me and go food shopping also. could you emeagine the scene I could make if they refuse to take my money for food. I bet they could be sued if they would not let him pay with pennies. I would love to go pay my taxes with the pennies.lol get back for high taxes.lol

I would do the same thing! They would take em, they would have to. lol

If I were him I would be paying the moving company and the truck rental place in pennies hahah

WOW, 3.6 TONS I cannot imagine!!