$19.05
I have been collecting 5-cent coins for as long as I can remember, even when they are still acceptable when making payments. These coins belong to the second and third (current) generations since I was not yet born when the first one was in circulation.
Second generation (left), third generation (right).
5-cent coins are still legal tender and in circulation but are frowned upon when making transactions. Most shops during the pre-pandemic days accept a maximum of two 5-cent coins for commerce. This limitation was communicated clearly via simple notes on cash registers. It was a rule implemented by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) since there were cases where customers and cashiers had disputes over the matter.
Close-up shot of my 5-cent coins collection.
Nowadays, no shops would want to accept these brass-plated coins. I have gone cashless, but some places in Singapore still only take cash as a mode of payment and thus, receiving this smallest denomination on this tiny island is still a possibility.
A safe place for the most undesirable coins.
I store my collection in a small plastic container, and last counted, many years back, these coins were only worth about three dollars. Over time, whenever these coins find their way into my hands, they are tossed into the container. It did not cross my mind how much they have been growing since. My family, who came to know of my rather weird hobby, will always leave them on my table whenever they are in their possession. The coins are considered a nuisance to them, but in my eyes, they are still something of value. Not really on the monetary aspect but more on seeing what could be of them in the future. So in the household, I am the only one who adopts these unwanted metals and takes them into my shelter.
Fresh air!
In the late afternoon of July 2022, a sudden urge to check on them came over me. It has been a long time, and I want to know how big the family has grown. While I was guessing how much has been amassed thus far, I also pondered how to make the counting process fun. Then, it hit me. Why not take some photos of my babies? That was it - a great mix of fun and stress. Good stress.
You have reached my story this far, so I shall give you a little treat. The total value of my fantastic exhibition was NOT $19.05. It was slightly off. In other words, the title of this article is inaccurate, and so is my Instagram post's caption. I made a mistake in the calculation and only realised it much later after posting.
It is challenging to achieve a flushed, perfect stack. I even used two cards to align each pile, but even with that, they still fall easily.
You can simply ascertain the correct value and identify my mistake based on this photo.
I was disappointed that it was wrong, but I cannot say the same about the process. I was satisfied with turning a lacklustre task into an enjoyable one.
Fun Fact 2: I redid the shoot a second time because the results on the first day were, for lack of a better word, I found it to be meh.
Fun Fact 3: In the last image, old and new coins were in their groups. Of course, it cannot be perfect. The first stack of new coins has some old ones below - the transition pile.
