Found a Castle and 12 Cents Today

This morning I met a friend for coffee and while there, I found a penny. 

Then later we took a little drive to see Phoenix from the side of a mountain. Pretty cool! This castle is nestled against the mountain, and it blends in so well that when down on Camelback Road I had never noticed it before.

Then we went to the grocery store. I found a dime in a change tray and a penny on the floor of the store. 

One of the pennies is a brand new 2015 penny. I hadn't seen any of them yet. 

Facts About This Found Money
Denomination:  2 pennies, 1 dime
Year:  pennies:  1987, 2015; dime:  2007
U.S. Mint:  all D
Condition:  range from tarnished to shiny
Total Found Money in 2015 to Date:  $17.65

Found 13 Cents, a Giant Nail, and a Light Lighter

Today I went to two grocery stores and at one, I found a dime under a water vending machine. At the second one, I found two pennies, one on the floor and one in a change tray at the self-checkout line. This penny was wedged in sideways but I was able to realign it and get it to fall down the chute.

Then this evening I took a short walk, and I first found a light lighter (it looks like an optometrist's light) that actually still works! Then I found a penny in a parking lot, and finally I found the giant nail shown in the photo.

I saw this optometrists' eye chart lighter on Amazon. Cool, huh?

I just love finding good junk and money!

Facts About This Found Money

Denomination:  3 pennies, 1 dime
Year:   pennies:  1987, 2007, 2012; dime:  1997
U.S. Mint:  D, D, D, D
Condition:  tarnished and shiny
Total Found Money in 2014 to Date:  $31.38

Found Money Blog -- Found 2 Cents on the 4th of July

This morning I took a walk because it cooled down overnight, I guess from the haboob (dust storm) that blew through the Phoenix area last night. 

On the walk I found a penny in a drive through lane and earlier I found a penny in our parking lot. And here they are posed on top of a wooden handkerchief box. Isn't it pretty?

I hope every one has a great 4th of July!

Facts About This Found Money
Denomination:  2 pennies
Year:  2001, 2014
U.S. Mint:  D, D
Condition:  one shiny, one tarnished
Total Found Money in 2014 to Date:  $26.39

Found 7 Cents Today

Today I ran a few errands and found 7 cents. Here's where:

• a penny and a nickel on the floor of the grocery store
• a penny in the street

I just love finding money!

Yesterday I toured the Rosson House in Phoenix. Isn't it a beauty? I wrote about it at Bubblews (click the link above). 

I found this 1895 Victorian house to be so interesting. After touring the house, we were treated to a Victorian underwear display. Fascinating!

This Found Money Facts:
Denomination: 2 pennies, 1 nickel
Year:   pennies:  unreadable, 2006; nickel:  1997
U.S. Mint:  unreadable, D, D
Condition:  one penny is scratched, other penny tarnished, nickel is a tad dirty
Total Found Money to Date in 2014:  $3.15

Found Two Dimes and Two Pennies, Well, Three Pennies

Today I drove to Tucson to pick up my grandson from school then we came back here. It was a long day that started with me going to a screening for drug study at 9 a.m. As I was leaving, I spotted a dime in the parking lot. 

Then I ran some errands before leaving Phoenix. I was walking in a parking lot and spotted another dime! I was thrilled, but that wasn't all. I saw a penny embedded in the parking lot, so I had to leave that one.

I finally got on the road and decided, since I had time, to stop at a thrift store I'd seen at Marana. I found a few things but I was more thrilled to find a penny in the parking lot!

I drove on into Tucson and picked up my grandson and we drove to Phoenix. And he only asked me about 20 or 30 times if we were close to Phoenix yet. On the way home, we stopped at Fresh and Easy. He wanted to  get a fruit and cheese platter but I told him I had apples and berries and cheese at home so we'd make our own. On the way out of the store, I spotted a penny! Yay! 

We had a great time once we got home. We played Guess Who, took a little walk, ate dinner, played with his popper (a lot), and read some of a Ninjago book. He's snoozing now and I can relax.  


This Found Money FACTS:  
Denomination: 2 pennies, 2 dimes
Year: pennies:  1988, 1999; dimes:  2004, 2011
U.S. Mint:  none, D, D, D
Condition:  range from shiny to tarnished
Total found money to date in 2013:  $2.48

Found a Penny at the Desert Botanical Garden

Today I went to the Desert Botanical Garden with my daughter-in-law and two grandkids. We rode the hay wagon and the kids got to pick out a pumpkin. There were lots of games and crafts and a petting zoo with a miniature horse, three goats, chickens, and  a pig! Plus we visited the butterfly exhibit. Lots of fun! 

And while we were walking back to the parking lot, I spotted a penny!

Here's a photo of a sculpture on display at the garden. Interesting, huh? I'm not sure what it is. Most of the others were cactus. The sign said it was a sculpture by Carolina Escobar. The name? Untitled. That helps a lot!

This Found Money Facts:
Denomination: 1 penny
Year:  Series 2004

U.S. Mint:  D

Condition:   tarnished, dirty

Total Found Money to Date for 2012:  $14.10

Brand Spanking New 2011 Penny

I am loving the weather we're having this week. Highs in the 70s and 80s. Yes! Yesterday the high was 77, which on the news they said is 17 degrees below the normal average for May in Phoenix. And it rained! It so seldom rains here that I really miss it and enjoy when it does.

I took advantage of the perfect weather--cool air, a light breeze--and rode my bike to run some errands this morning. First I went to the post office, then the bank, where I did find some money but I had to give them a withdrawal slip to get it, then to the library. I didn't find any money at any of these places, but I took my time riding home.

I rode up a driveway that leads to some office buildings with a bridge over the road. There was a pond with some of those monster goldfish (koi maybe?). The whole area was like a park, very pretty and quiet, but my camera battery died before I could get close up photos of the fish and the pond.

So, I rode around some more, in no hurry to get home. It felt that good to be outside, and I know that soon (maybe next week), it'll heat up to 100+ here and I won't want to be outside at all let alone riding my bike. So I rode through the office building's parking spaces, up and down the aisles, looking for money. Hey, why not? And look what I found!

Yes, this shiny, brand new 2011 Lincoln penny. And how fitting that on a nice day, I would find a new pretty penny; this makes $1.00 that I've found this year!

Have you found any money lately? This year?

This Found Money FACTS:
Denomination:  1 penny
Year:  2011
U.S. Mint:  D
Condition:  shiny and new
How much found money to date:  $1.00 in 2011

Phoenix Tarpits or How I Found 7 Cents Stuck in the Pavement

Today when I went to volunteer, I saw three pennies stuck (but not TOO stuck) in the hot tar in the parking lot. I used my car key since it's the longest and sturdiest and pried them up. I had a tissue in my purse luckily because they were literally a hot mess. The sides facing down are mostly black and sticky, but I don't care. Found money is found money.

When I was done recording a fascinating book on travel marketing, on the way out to my car, I spotted four more pennies! None of these were stuck; they were just lying on the pavement waiting for me to pick them up. Someone was hemorrhaging pennies this morning!

I went about my errands, to the post office and then the grocery store, thinking "hot dog, I found seven cents!" But when I got home, I spotted two more pennies in the parking lot. Hot diggity! Nine cents!

This Found Money FACTS:
Denomination:  9 pennies
Condition:  dirty, tarry, sticky, worn, tarnished
How much found money to date:  $.93 in 2011

True Found Money in the Street

Today I rode my bike since the TV news said the temperature was 74. That's cool for this place. It was windy and pleasant enough but boy is it hot now. I will turn on the air conditioner in an hour or so till about 7 p.m. Ugh. A sign of what's to come.

   

First on my bike ride,  I found this half an egg in the road. The color is not so hot here, but in person, it was a lovely blue. So, I guess it might be a robin's egg.

Then, a few blocks later, I found this penny, literally (as Rob Lowe says on Parks and Recreation, pronouncing it "litrally") in the street. It must have been there for awhile because it's one beat up coin, but that's okay. Every penny adds up. I'm at 84 cents so far this year and it's almost the end of April. This time last year, I had found just 41 cents. Yes, the economy is improving!

Have you found any money lately?

This Found Money FACTS:
Denomination:  1 penny
Year:  no clue
U.S. Mint:  Denver
Condition:  beat up bad
How much found money to date:  $.84 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

Things I Saw on My Walk

The weather in Phoenix has been cooperating. That means the 100-degree days are gone (for a few months any way) and I'm able to get outside without fear of fainting or sweating to death. I took a walk this afternoon and guess what?

YEP! I found this penny in the street. As you can see, it's filthy dirty, but that never stopped me before (and won't again). I also took some pictures of things I saw on my walk. I need to break out my bike. Any day now...

This Found Money FACTS:
Denomination: 1 penny
Year: 199something (too dirty to read!)
U.S. Mint:  Who knows?
Condition:  old, dirty, beat to heck
How many coins/bills found to date: a lot, lost count with the jackpot
How much found money to date:  $9.92