Found a Penny and a Bird of Paradise

I rode my bike this morning to mail a bill and rode around the neighborhood a while. I saw this beautiful bird of paradise in a yard. I have seen a few of them here in Phoenix this year but had only seen them in California before. They are a gorgeous flower!

Then when I got home, I rode up and down the parking lot and spotted this penny in an empty parking spot. Score!

Click this link if you want to see what other plants I saw blooming on my bike ride. It's supposed to get up to 97 here tomorrow, ugh, so I have a feeling the beautiful blooming plants won't last much longer. So sad.

This Found Money FACTS:
Denomination:  1 penny
Year:  2006
U.S. Mint:  Denver
Condition:  brown around the edges, shiny in the middle
How much found money to date:  $.78 in 2011

Found a Penny at Fresh and Easy

Today I went to volunteer then to Fresh and Easy. And as a nod to my favorite little book, I Have a Turtle, a fine book that shows off how to use prepositions so well...

I found this penny


on the floor
under the cooler case
at Fresh and Easy
in Arizona

as shown on the map.

This Found Money FACTS:
Denomination:  1 penny
Year:  2001
U.S. Mint:  Denver
Condition:  shiny
How much found money to date:  $.77 in 2011

11 Cents and a Sunk Shopping Cart

I was sitting here working on a book I'm editing and was about to fall asleep. I have no idea why; it's so exciting! So, I rode my bike up to the Everything's 99 Cent store. On the way I found a dime at an intersection then  a little farther up the street, I found a penny!

I stopped on an overpass looking down into a canal. It's so rare to see water in Phoenix other than in my drinking glass that I decided to stop. I took this picture of today's found money. I set the money on the ledge. That's the green water in the background.

Upon closer inspection, I spotted this sunk shopping cart. Yeah, it's a great part of town. The 99 Cent store was crowded and I didn't want to leave my bike locked out front too long so I rushed in and got a few things and was back on the ride home within 10 minutes.

Have you found any money lately? Share your found money with us.

 This Found Money FACTS:
Denomination:  1 dime, 1 penny
Year:  2002, 1981
U.S. Mint:  both Denver
Condition:  the dime is fine, the penny is gnarly
How much found money to date:  $.76 in 2011

Found a Penny and Smelled the Air

I rode my bike to run some errands again this morning. The weather in Phoenix is PERFECT! In the 70s and cool at night. I sure wish it stayed closer to this more of the year. Any way, I found this penny at Big Lots! when I was standing in line to check out. I didn't take a picture then because it was my turn and I would have had to dig my camera out of my backpack, so I didn't.

I did a reenactment of the penny lying on the floor outside by my bike. Then on the way home I enjoyed smelling the air. This has to be the best smelling city I've ever been too, at least when all of the fruit trees are blooming. Riding my bike by them and getting a big whiff of that fruity fragrance is heavenly.

Speaking of fruit, I'm on my third bag of grapefruit this year. People put grapefruit out on the curb in bags and sell them for $1. I am addicted to this last batch. I ate three grapefruit yesterday. They are delicious!

Have you found any money lately? Any fruit?

This Found Money FACTS:
Denomination:  1 penny
Year:  2005
U.S. Mint:  Denver
Condition:  A little dirty
How much found money to date:  $.65 in 2011

Found a Penny and an Irish Lady Liberty

I rode my bike up to mail some letters and return some movies and books this morning. At the post office, I parked my bike on the sidewalk and dug the letters out of my backpack then dropped them in the mailbox. Right there on the sidewalk with some trash was this penny! Yay!

I got back on my bike and rode to the library. I returned my stuff, found more to bring home, and got back on my bike to ride home. I was stopped at an intersection on Thomas Street when what did my wandering eyes see?

Yes, Lady Liberty (actually it's a dude) all dolled up for St. Patrick's day! He was holding this Liberty Tax sign and had dressed for St. Patrick's Day. Boy, had he. I asked him if I could take his picture and told him I didn't see that every day.

He said, "Of course."

Check him out! He has green shamrock glasses on and his beard is dyed green. I tried not to stare. (Click on the picture for a larger version.)

While I was waiting for the signal to change, there was that awkward silence that always comes after taking a picture such as this and wanting to just rush home to post it online.

I broke the ice and asked him, "So, do you get your taxes done for free?"

"Gosh, yes," was his reply.

Then my light changed and we wished each other a good day and off I went.

This Found Money FACTS:
Denomination:  1 penny
Year:  1996
U.S. Mint:  Denver
Condition:  Dull, dirty
How much found money to date:  $.64 in 2011

Coffee Grinder + Walmart = Found Money

I had to run into Walmart this morning to buy my son-in-law a coffee grinder for his birthday. No, I didn't have to go to Walmart but I did. It was either that or Target and I'm not a Target fan. So, I saw a penny on the floor. Yay!

This exact coffee grinder, in fact. Same price even. Hmm. Guess I got a good deal, since I didn't have to pay for shipping AND I found the penny to boot.

This Found Money FACTS:
Denomination:  1 penny
Year:  2008
U.S. Mint:  Denver
Condition:  Dull, tarnished
How much found money to date:  $.63 in 2011

Found a Penny at Safeway

Last night at Safeway I spied a penny on the floor beside the coin change machine. I grabbed it, brought it home, and added it to my found money jar.

This Found Money FACTS:
Denomination:  1 penny
Year:  2008
U.S. Mint:  Denver
Condition:  Shiny
How much found money to date:  $.62 in 2011

Money on My Doorstep

This morning I woke up, opened the drapes in the living room, moved to the front door and opened it to look out. What did I see? This shiny penny in the sidewalk crack! Woo hoo! Now if only someone would drop a twenty or at least a quarter!

This Found Money FACTS:
Denomination:  1 penny
Year:  2008
U.S. Mint:  Denver
Condition:  Shiny
How much found money to date:  $.61 in 2011