Covet thy Coins

First, let me explain how shocking the exchange rate is over here. Every British pound is equivalent to two dollars. But that doesn't matter because a meal valued at 10 dollars in America would just cost 5 pounds, right? No, wrong, it costs 10 pounds and you're about to have 20 dollars dancing out of your bank account for the sake of a cheeseburger and fries. This is a harsh truth, and it tends to make one pinch pennies, but you've got to put the exchange rate out of your mind if you want to get the grimace off your face.

Now, moving on to loose change. In America, when I get home from an evening out where I've spent a bit of cash, I take the coins in my pocket and toss them on my desk. They accumulate there for a very long time until they take up enough space to annoy me, and then I might consider putting them in rolls and having them converted into some useful currency. In the interim period, that money is lost to me. A sandwich that costs 4.25 may as well be five dollars in the short term, because those quarters are going on the desk.

However, when you combine the exchange rate with the fact that there are some coins in regular circulation worth 2 pounds, that whole concept goes out the window. Look at that picture of the coins I've got scattered next to my laptop. What do you suppose the value is in USD? If you answered $134.24, you are way off, that's just absurd. If, however, you answered $21.10, you're right on the money, and your guesswork is commendable. Remind me to spend these, ok?