Pennies From Heaven!

Pennies from Heaven!

There were 6322 pennies all totaled that went into the machine. Yes, I finally made it to Coinstar to exchange them for cash. For 15 years I have saved these little copper beauties thinking I will sort them by date and start this penny collection. Nope, I never did and at about 100 pounds in weight I decided I had grunted out loud (GOL) moving them for the last time. I heaved them from my car to the shopping cart and into the waiting hungry coin gobbler in Wal-Mart’s lobby! I never expected to receive a life lesson and a fun illustration of life from them.

6322 pennies went into the machine…and six came out in the scupper below. Yes, six rejected little copper coins lying naked and unwanted in a lonely dark pile. They were a curious lot. I picked them up and cradled them tenderly and curiously. Why? I can’t say but there was a simple charm about them and their lonely state of isolation and rejection.  I turned each one over to see just what they might teach me.

The first one was bent a little. I had to look hard but sure enough it was subtly off so that the sensor in the machine said, nope you are not straight enough to make the cut. It’s boink and out you go! This little guy had seen some pressure. It had to be way too much for his strength to stand. It must have hurt and he didn’t spring back to flat. Bent and free and different in separation from the flatties.

Next, was one that was only 2/3 thirds left of his original penny-ness. He is kind of an “nny” with the “pe” gone. A part of him is just MIA. Abraham Lincoln’s hair was part missing! It was either burnt off, corroded or ground down; I can’t say which. It just made me think, that’s wrong bro! You saw some serious warfare to take a shot like that. Like a warhorse ready for a green pasture with a quiet stream, it’s coming soon my little fragmented friend. Soon.

Another penny, really two pennies were powerfully glued, boned, welded or stuck together with something strong. Too thick, too close for the machine was their sin…and bounced to the scupper was their fate. I tried to pry them apart with no success. I decided they were supposed to be together? Continued curious prying was no match for their adhesion. They are joined together for all time. Kind of like the Romeo and Juliet of coppers…a numismatic tragedy in one act shoved out of the window down to the waiting scupper. Here for art thou!

This one that I named greenie must have been at the bottom of some pond or buried in earth somewhere for a really long time. Poor little buddy just wasn’t shiny any more. His entire copper gleam faded so very long ago, forever. Ever had a day like that…or a week or year? Fate had dealt him a discoloring blow, forever green and funky, a colorful curiosity to admire and ponder. Somehow the machine could detect green. How it did is unknown but greenie was bounced and just slid on down to the company of the marginalized bent and completely unique.

Interestingly there was an Amusement Park token in my penny bucket. Different size, color, thickness and material from the others, it might be brass. There was no way the machine was going to let this rowdy rascal in. No face value and from out of town! A citizen of another fiduciary culture and economic reality. No cash value is stamped right on his face. Imagine going through life stamped, NO FACE VALUE! Not cool, oh no. Somehow this round shiny friend seemed to be at home in the scupper. He fit right in and cozied up to bent and greenie just fine. They looked good together. Go figure. Circumstance puts interesting personalities together.

Last was the brightest, most lustrous, lovely penny ever. What were you doing in the scupper? You are the poster child for pennies that are accepted I thought. There is nothing wrong with you in fact you are a 2015 mint condition smarty! You are…too good? The machine doesn’t want too good to believe beauty? What is happening here? I understand all the others with their non-typical peculiarities, bends, stuck-ness and peccadillos…but not you. You are a victim of your goodness. You are the genuine article but the machine must see so few of your kind that well it just can’t accept you. Dang! The pure in heart really are blessed and in a funny way. Hmmm!

So, there you have it. An hour in Wal-Mart pushing coins into the gobbler and an interesting phenomenon, (at least to me) a little story of life, perhaps yours, for sure feels like mine sometimes.  A story of six pennies and their special recognition for being different and for service above and beyond the call of duty!

The six are in my pocket right now all together having fun I think. I get them out and look again at their unique nature and special talents. No, there are no two alike in this group.

They don’t know it yet but they have a treat coming. I just happen to have one ounce of the purest gold shaped into a flat rectangle just sitting alone, lonely. It is truly lustrous! I’m guessing that it would like some company. I’m going to join these six in fellowship with the gold bar together kind of like a little street of gold to dance on and accent their unique personalities, characteristics and charm. I think they will find and affinity for each other.

They are kind of like a sacred seven. Isn’t that a good number seven?  They say it is God’s number.  Seven days in a week and one coin for each day as a reminder of how there are special and unique people we will meet along the way…never by chance but by design. I promise to appreciate them. If I don’t get along with them, I will still love them. They have been through more than I have. Their shape and shine are a clue to their story.

Every day I will remember to celebrate the very unique nature of the non-typical special ones that will populate heaven and call it home with me.

Hey, the gold bar would never pass through the machine anyway, eh?