Penny facts: just how many are there?

My son Brayden loves to invent things and to know how things work. This got me thinking about the logistics of penny production and below are a few facts to provide some more insight.

Did you know that 30 million pennies are produced every day? That works out to be approximately 1,040 pennies every second. Do the math and that works out to be 300 million pennies in just 10 days, and just under 1 billion pennies every month. Now that is a lot of pennies.

The shelf life of each penny is approximately 25 years, so when you multiply the math above by how long each penny lasts, and that means there are plenty of pennies out in this world.

Between the length of time pennies are used and the large quantity produced every day, that means that millions of people cross paths with pennies every day.

Count your pennies

The rain has finally stopped (for now) and it finally feels like summer around here. With this summer heat, it makes me crave some cool summer treats.

My niece sent me her penny story, and her favorite thing to do is to save all of her spare change until she has enough to treat herself to a frozen drink. Her favorites are frozen chai tea and strawberry smoothies. In the winter she saves up to treat herself to some hot chocolate or apple cider.

This is the perfect penny tradition for keeping your cool this summer. You'd be surprised how quickly that change adds up, so count your pennies for a week or so and then treat yourself to a tasty treat!

Can you spot which is not real?

Here is a fun penny fact to start your weekend off right and it may even be a fun project to try with your kids!

Do you know how to tell if a penny is counterfeit? Use a magnet-if it sticks, then it is made of steel.

I know that when you count your pennies, they add up, but that seems like a really risky way to counterfeit money because of the sheer quantity you would have to produce and the high volume of steel you would need. Try it out (the experiment, not counterfeiting pennies), can you find any at home?

Penny redesign

In conjunction with the centennial of the Lincoln penny, the US mint has commissioned four re-designs of the penny. The new pennies will be released throughout the year and each depicts a different stage of Lincoln's life. 

The first two, which have already been released: The first is commemorating his birth and early childhood in Kentucky from 1809-1816. The second is his formative years in Indiana from 1816-1830. When released, people waited in lines to get them and they have been flying off the shelves of the treasury. 

The two remaining pennies include his professional life in Illinois from 1830-1861 and his presidency in Washington from 1861-1865.  

More information can be found at http://www.usmint.gov/mint_programs/lincolnredesign/index.cfm?flash=no. Keep your eyes peeled to see if you can get your hands on these hot commodities! 

Release day!

Today is my official release date for the book!  That means that you can find The Power of a Penny, the Priceless Journey of One Penny in bookstores near you today!  Go out and request it, and if they do not have it in stock, ask them to place an order for you online. Once you have read it, share your love of the book by going to Barnesandnoble.com and writing a review so others looking for a great read can find it too!

I can't believe this day is here!  Thank you to my family and friends for all of your support throughout this process!

Pennies around the world

As I mentioned in my last post, my son Alex is in Europe right now, and before he left, I sent  list of things he had to do while abroad, including throwing a penny into the Trevi Fountain for good luck. Yearly, thousands of American travelers throw pennies into this fountain, as if to say, "I was here and am leaving a little piece of me with you."

This got me thinking about all of the times I have traveled to foreign lands and ended up with a pocket full of coins that never managed to get exchanged back to american currency. If I have change from around the world, then chances are thousands of people that have visited the United States probably have left with some of our change, including pennies. Where pennies are potentially worth a fraction of a cent other places, my guess is that pennies can be found in change jars, scrapbooks, and souvenir boxes across the globe. It is my hope that when these guests stumble across their American change, that it brings a smile to their face to remind them of their time in our country. 

Life lately

Tuesday, I sent my sixteen year old off to Europe for 23 days hoping he would gain an appreciation for home and learn about history and life in a foreign land. So far I haven't heard a word from him, so I guess no news is good news! He wanted to go but was afraid he was going to miss out on something in Vernal with his friends. One day he will realize how insane that is - Vernal or Itally - they don't even come close when compared with each other. He went to the BMW factory in Austria on Friday, I checked his credit card balance and he didn't buy me one as I requested, so maybe he is mad at me, I don't know! I emailed him and told him it had rained everyday since he left and his good friend went to a family reunion so he wasn't missing out on any great motorcycling with his buddies.

We rushed home from Salt Lake that night and packed up to leave Wednesday morning to go to girls camp on Diamond mountain. Darren was assigned to come up as one of the priesthood holders and also to bring a few horses so the fourth year girls could do something out of their comfort zone. It was heaven for me because when we had free time, we got to go riding in some amazing country! It rained all day Thursday and the dirt roads became inpassable. One of my neighbors tried to drive up to get her daughter for a softball tornament and ended up walking eight miles with three little kids through the mud, rain and hail because she got stuck. Luckily it quit raining on Friday so we waited until about noon and it had dried up enough for us to barely get out. We had to leave the horses and that night I made Darren go back up to get them for fear they would discover the little white string penning them in could be broken through for greener pastures; miles and miles of greener pastures! It was amazing when we went back up there were only a few places that were still really muddy, for the most part we had a dust trail following us as we drove. Only in Utah can it go from being impassible and a muddy mess to a dry, dusty road within 24 hours! Anyway we made it home just in time because it started raining all over again yesterday and my neighbor said it was going to be impassable again.

Last night just as we finished eatting dinner with some friends, Darren got called out with his Search and Rescue squad to look for a lost ten year old boy near Spirit Lake. Brayden asked if he could join in on the fun and they didn't get home until eight this morning. They walked all night in the dark but didn't find him. Darren had to give a talk in Sacrament meeting and teach in Elders Quorum so he had to get back. I was sweating bullets before he got home that he wouldn't make it and I would be the lucky one to give his talk, which I stayed up late writing, so I guess it wouldn't have mattered anyway! After church he got a call that they found the little boy. Thank goodness because it is pouring rain again right now. I keep wondering if summer is ever going to come.

Tuesday is the big day my book comes out. It will be nice if anyone decides to buy it. I haven't received any response back from the newspapers etc, so maybe it will just be a family and friend book instead of a national best seller. Either way, if it makes one person feel good inside, it has accomplished what I set out to do.

Penny facts: the basics

In case you are ever on Who Wants to be a Millionaire and they ask you for facts about the basics of a penny, now you know. 

The US penny was named after the British penny. Pennies are zinc plated in copper and have a smooth edge around the outside. The penny is 19.05 mm in diameter and is 1.55 mm thick. 

Find a penny...

The 1978 hit movie, Greece, was on last night and I happened to start watching right when the T-Birds are about to race for pink slips. Marty spots a penny and says, "find a penny, pick it up, all day long you'll have good luck." Well, if you've seen the movie, you know how the rest of the story goes: Marty drops the penny in front of Kenickie, Kenickie hits his head, Danny drives to victory, so maybe the saying is true.

Can pennies really bring good luck? I think that this tradition helps remind us that with positive thinking something as small as a penny can brighten any one's day. It might even bring some added luck.

I was just thinking that a fun social experiment might be to take some pennies and leave them places for others to pick up, that way they can have good luck too. Just take one or two pennies and drop them on the sidewalk in front of a cafe you are having breakfast at, or at the gas station while you are filling your tank. Wait a few minutes and see if anyone picks them up and document their reaction.

Share your story: family tradition

Today's penny story was submitted by Bekah Hazen. This is a great story that reminds us it is the simple things in life that create some of the best memories.

My grandma is the definition of frugal. She collects buttons, reuses plastic bags and cuts napkins in half for Sunday lunch (only guests get a full napkin). But for all her resourceful ways, she always keeps penny's separate - saving them up in a decorative jar on a glass shelf in her hallway. When I was 9, the jar was purple... I remember watching the level of pennies rise week by week until finally, not one more could fit. As I was leaving her house that Sunday, she tucked the jar in my bag and told me to "get myself something special" - I was elated! I remember how special it felt to have a present, just for me, that my grandma had worked on for so long. The next week and new jar was up no the shelf and the collecting started again, this time a blue jar... and I began to understand. The next youngest in our family is my cousin, Walter, and he would be the lucky recipient once the jar was full. It was a simple tradition my grandma started, but sticks with me today... and every time I look at the purple jar on my shelf I think of her skill in making even the smallest items, such as a penny, such treasures in life.

It is still rainy here, so if you are looking for another rainy day activity, take old jam jars, tins, or boxes and decorate them to hold your change. Add your change regularly and watch your pennies grow until it is full. Use the money for a special treat, donate it to your favorite charity, or put it towards a family vacation.

Release count down: 5 days

Have you ever had a penny turn green over time? All of this rain got me thinking about the effects rain and water has on copper. If you are looking for a fun project to do on a rainy afternoon, go to www.chemistry.about.com and learn how to get dull or green pennies clean!

Share your penny story: pennies from heaven

It has been so fun to receive and read people's stories about pennies. Here is one submitted by Caroline Redmond for you to enjoy:

"I once heard that angels drop pennies from heaven, so whenever I see one on the sidewalk I know an angel is looking over me."

This is a great little memory. My mom actually has a similar story and knows that every time she sees a penny, her sister Jo is just checking in on her to say hello. Keep those stories coming!

Release count down-7 days

I can't believe that my book will be available in stores next week! With that, this week will prove to be busy, so here is a penny fact to start the week off right. 

Penny fact #5: In 1987, Disneyland introduced souvenir penny stretching machines. This started a rage of souvenir pressed pennies in thousands of tourist spots and helped pennies become collector's items. 

Do you have any fun stretched pennies? Let us know where and you will see it in an upcoming entry. powerofapenny@gmail.com 

Share your penny story: penny loafers

I am so excited to share the first of many more penny stories to come. Tory Freese wrote in:

"When I think of a penny I always think of my mom's penny loafers. When I was younger they were in style and she would wear them on special occasions. If I found a particularly shiny, good looking penny we would replace the old one in her shoe with the new."

It has been a rainy week here in Utah, but all is well. Do you have a story you'd like to share? E-mail me at powerofapenny@gmail.com.

Koins for Kenya

A big part of my book is the contribution of a portion of my sales to Koins for Kenya, a non profit organization that helps communities in Kenya. What does Koins for Kenya do, you may ask? Well, with little to no modern amenities, Koins for Kenya sends a team of volunteers to help build the community and all efforts are centered around education. After building a school in the community, the volunteers focus on teaching life skills in the areas of farming and education that will benefit the individuals long after the Koins for Kenya volunteers have left. Where many relief organization just supply food, Koins for Kenya follows the motto, "Give a man a fish, and he eats for a day. Teach a man to fish, and he eats for a lifetime." Started by Bret Van Leeuwen, this Utah-based organization is making a life-changing impact on many people's lives. 

Many people say pennies are worthless. However, this organization is the epitome of taking people's pocket change to make positive change in the world. This organization is a real-life example of the message of my book: never underestimate the power of a penny. 

To learn more about this organization, being a part of a project team, or how you can help, visit: www.koinsforkenya.com. You can also join the group, "Koins for Kenya" on Facebook and  you will be able to support the cause on Facebook soon. 

Penny fact #4

Fun fact #4: Prior to being made of ammunition shells in 1944, in 1943 at the Peak of WWII, pennies were made of zinc coated steel due to the high demand of copper for making bullet shells. 

Have a great weekend, and look for my post on Koins for Kenya on Monday that explains a little about the organization a portion of my proceeds will go to benefit. 

Learning as I go

I cannot believe another month has flown by and that my book will be available in just 22 days!  I have been mastering the art of Facebooking, a testament that you are never too old to learn new tricks, and trying to keep up with my boys and the horses. My books will be available on amazon.com as well and I am learning so much as I go throughout this process. 

There is so much to do and I am continuing to learn as I go, but now that the weather is warm, it has been great to spend lots of time outdoors with my family. We are headed to Lake Powell for the rest of the week!

To start your week off right, here is penny fact #3: From 1944-1946, did you know that some pennies were made from salvaged ammunition shells? This may have been the original start of the green movement!