Happy Lucky Penny Day!

May 23rd is Lucky Penny Day!

I love collecting coins. I’ve been doing it since I can remember, and it is mainly thanks to my grandpap, who collected coins of all kinds and always enthusiastically showed his best finds to me as a child. He even helped me start my collection, which I treasure. There’s just something so exciting about having little pieces of currency from days past. But even newer, less “valuable” coins are exciting to me. Yes, I’m the type that still gets excited when I find a penny on the ground. Though there is very little monetary value in the penny today, it is interesting to think about the journey of this little piece of zinc and copper. Who held this penny before me? Where has this little penny traveled? If this penny could talk, what would it say?

Now, I’m not a very superstitious person. But I do think it is fun to find a lucky penny. Some say that if you find a penny heads up on the ground, it is considered a “lucky” penny. Tails up, and don’t even bother snatching it from the ground. Not lucky. Don’t waste your time.

If nothing else, a lucky penny will cheer you up. And even if you don’t believe in “luck“, your day will only get better if you have a positive mindset. Being cheered up by that little lucky penny could have an effect on the outcome of your day! So there ya go.

Celebrate Lucky Penny Day by collecting all your loose change, including your pennies, and take them to the bank! You’ll probably need to roll them first, which can actually be really fun. As you roll your pennies (and other miscellaneous pieces of change), take a look at each one and see if you have any wheat-backs or other old pennies. From 1909 to 1956, pennies were printed with a “wheat back,” and some years are pretty rare and valuable! No matter if you find a rare coin or not, at the end of your coin rolling party you are going to feel lucky because what was once just change taking up space in your wallet or junk drawer will soon be money in the bank! Cha-ching!

“See a penny pick it up 
All day long you’ll have good luck 
Pass it on to a friend 
Then your luck will never end!”

– Old Irish Saying

Featured image via ShutterStock