SPENDING TIME

More and more coins are nothing but reminders that I'm getting old. 2010 was the first year of these new Shield Cents. I still remember getting my first one and where I lived and what I was doing at the time.

Now I'm like, "Shit! There's four of you already?!!"

Time marches on indeed...

ADDENDUM: On a side note, I've been a carrying a 2010 cent with me since I first got one three years ago letting it "circulate" with a bunch of other change as I walk and go about my day. Since cents haven't really circulated in over fifty years (Have you ever seen a worn-out Lincoln Memorial Cent? A coin which honestly circulates will only last about 40 years in circulation before getting worn nearly flat and unidentifiable), I knew I would never see a worn-out Shield Cent. I'm not even sure if a worn-out Shield Cent will be possible either since the copper plating is micro-thin and zinc corrodes rapidly when exposed to moist air. So far the copper layer has held but I've seen my share of corroded "Zincolns" (1982 to present) at work. It remains to be seen.

almost exactly three years worth of wear

I have other coins I'm carrying that I also feel I'll never see worn-down versions of but this is the only one I can remember definitely when I started. It's a long-term patience project. If I can figure out how to light a coin properly, I'll consider sharing the current conditions of this project in progress. All in all it reminds me of the rock tumbler my Brother and I had as kids. I remember Dad remarking how it was a great thing to have because we would only see him every other weekend at the time and since the rocks had to tumble for days on end, they could get smoothed and polished while we were away. He figured (and almost certainly correctly) that we as kids would be too impatient for this at home with Mom; that we'd stop it and check it too often. Now I "tumble" these coins in my change purse as I walk around to, fro, and at work for several miles each day.