In Seattle, every night before getting ready for bed I used to reach into my front right jean pocket and pull out all the coin change I had collected from purchases that day and put them in my "Got Milk" glass bottle. When the bottle was full after a few months I'd head over to the nearest QFC and make a massive spectacle as they loudly fell into the Coinstar. I didn't even feel too bad about them taking their 7-9% cut because I would end up with about $100 from a full bottle which I considered bonus money. I think our trip out here is going to cure me of my habit of not reaching in that pocket to find the 37 cents for that 7.37 purchase.
There are 8 coin values in the Euro monetary system: 2, 1, .50, .20, .10, .05, .02, and .01. Yes, they have a 2 cent coin. On top of that, I'm getting the sense that the 5 Euro bill can be as allusive as the American $2 bill. It seems I am generally handed a fistful of coins for any amount of change under 10 Euro. So it is very possible after couple purchases that you could have in the range of 7-10 Euro just sitting there in your pocket weighing you down. You've got to spend them. I figure that while I am digging through dealing with the 1 and 2 Euro coins I might as well find that .37. After all, I haven't seen a Coinstar yet.
Swiss Fancs are different still. Their smallest bill is the 10. They have a 5 CHF coin about the size of the American 50 cent piece. However, they actually have fewer coins than the Euro system. How can that be, you say? The crazy thing about Zurich was that every singe purchase we made came out to a nice round 10 cent increment. In American terms there are no nickels or pennies. So you just have the 5, 2, 1, .50, .20 and .10 coins (I did actually read there is a .05 piece but they don’t use them in Zurich I guess). It’s kind of like a dream come true. How many times have you looked at a stack of pennies and scowled with utter disgust at their insignificance? Is that just me?
I think we should just go "coin" in the US. A quarter. That's the only one you really need. Everything else is dolla bill ya'll and credit card.
John, January 23, 2005 01:06 AM:Yeah I had the same coin shock on my trips to Germany back before the Euro. They sure like them. Me I can't stand them. I don't even wait till I get home to dump them in the jar. I have a jar at work so I can get them out of my pocket as soon as I get back from lunch.
Burn-Christ, January 24, 2005 08:20 PM:yeah - the coins can pretty wavey - when I was there I was wearing Zubaz all the time so the weight of the coins in my giant pajama like pockets was even more awkward...
I would have also liked it if you titled this post "Jingle Jangle Jang" to pay homage to the classic...."My honey, my baby, don't put my love upon no shelf...she said don't hand me no lies and keep your hands to yourself..."
4 Sugar Walls, February 1, 2005 03:56 AM:Word to the wise. When you come back over here and try to change your Swiss Francs to Dollars, the exchange booth sniffed and told me that "We don't take the coins." And I'm all, this is $25 American in coins that you won't take? I call BS. Plus with the exchange rate a teeny-tiny 1 franc coin is like the size of a quarter, but it si worth like $1.33. BS I say.