Happy Birthday Penny (The Coin, Not The Person)

August 2nd was the 100th anniversary of the Lincoln penny. Click the image to read about the "top 10 things you didn't know about the penny".

I did learn this interesting tidbit...

While federal law states that coins are legal tender, it does not compel anyone to accept them. If a business doesn't want to take pennies — or a $100 bill, for that matter — it has a legal right to refuse them.

Thanks To Keith at BagOfNothing

How Well Do You Know Your Coins & Currency?

I got 10 of 12 right on this Mental_Floss quiz. Click on the image above to find out how well you can do.

Although they are still technically legal tender, high-denomination bills like the $1000 and $5000 were last printed in 1945. Do you know whose faces grace these rare bills? And how familiar are you with the faces on your pocket change? Let's find out.

Who knew that I was contributing to scientific knowledge?

In December of 2006 I found myself on a business trip in Southern California. We stayed at the Marriott on Coronado Island. When I paid for my breakfast I was given a one-dollar bill that had "Track This Bill at www.wheresgeorge.com" stamped in red ink on the edge. I went to the site and learned that Where's George "is a website that tracks the natural geographic circulation of American paper money." (wiki). Shortly after this encounter I began entering bills and so far have recorded 1,628 bills of varying denominations ($1 vs. $5, not Baptist vs. Presbyterian).

As I have pursued this hobby I have found myself questioned continuously. It is obvious that some think I am a little nuts to spend time stamping and entering bills into this website (as opposed to the other reasons they think I am nuts). Well, after a little over two years I can now tell those scoffers that I am in fact contributing to scientific research.

Channel 7 News in Chicago just did a story on how a physicist at Northwestern University is using the data from the "Where's George currency tracking project" to predict the movement of people, and therefore the Swine Flu, throughout the US. Basically, he is predicting that when currency moves between two cities you assume that people moved as well.

You can read the article and watch the video by following the link below.

How the great and selfless David is helping to track a disease and make the world safe for mankind