The E-Sylum:  Volume 11, Number 9, March 2, 2008, Article 32

VERMONT TOWN DROPS COIN DROPS

Dick Johnson writes: "What are 'coin drops' in Barre, Vermont?
Dropping coins apparently in this town is banned and the city
council made news this week by not lifting the ban.

"Gosh, in the numismatic field 'coin drops' are a good thing.
Someone, usually a coin dealer, drops a rare or scarce coin
back in circulation, he obtains a lot of publicity for doing
so. Usually he offers to buy back this coin for anyone who
finds it in their change. Or the person can keep it and become
a coin collector (that might be future business for the local
coin dealer).

"The resulting coin drop publicity -- often for a coin show
or such -- is worth the cost to the dealer for the local
interest and intense publicity it generates. Also it gets
the public to start looking at their change. "Did you check
yours today?" Budding numismatists!

"Maybe it means spilling the coins out of your pocket when
you pull your car keys out. I certainly won't do that in
Barre, drop any coin by chance. Better yet, I think I will
keep on driving, and not even stop in Barre. How active are
the coin drop police there?

"Or it could mean don't drop any coins in those containers
provided by charitable organizations. Gosh I thought that
was a good thing too.

"Are Barre city council members that up tight? Or perhaps
all the towns' charities are fully funded. No need for citizens
to deposit the loose coins they don't want to carry home and
entomb in glass jars or toss on the bureau dresser.

"If you think I made up this story, you can read the
honest-to-gosh truth right in their own Barre newspaper:

Full Story "

[I suspect "coin drops" are the roadside collections by
charity volunteers seeking donations from drivers stopped
at intersections.  They're a Good Thing, but do slow down
traffic, and I can understand why a town might want to place
limits on them.

As for coin show publicity "coin drops", I wouldn't ban them,
but would be happy to see a moratorium declared.  I've done
one of these myself with great success, but it's getting to
be overkill.  I'd be happy not to have to read the publicity
for yet another one. -Editor]

  Wayne Homren, Editor

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