Money
The Cheerios Dollar
In 2000, when the coin was introduced, 5500 of them were given away in boxes of Cheerios as a promotion. Turns out that these Cheerios Dollars were slightly different than all the other Sacagawea Dollars.
The tail feathers of the eagle on the reverse side of the coin had more details than the normal coin, and this made them more valuable. However, most of these Cheeries Dollars disappeared into circulation, and only around 70 of them have ever been found.
Detail of the tail feathers on a normal Sacagawea Dollar
The tail feathers on a Cheerios Dollar
Posted By: Alex - Mon Mar 12, 2018 -
Comments (11)
Category: Money
Truth Dollars
The mid-1950s fundraising campaign for Radio Free Europe:"Every dollar buys 100 words of truth..."
So if you don't give anything it's all gonna be lies!
Posted By: Alex - Sat Jan 27, 2018 -
Comments (3)
Category: Money, 1950s
Follies of the Madmen #345
Posted By: Paul - Sat Jan 06, 2018 -
Comments (1)
Category: Business, Advertising, Money, 1950s
83-Year Payment Plan
With the arrival of 2018, Henry Hepper can now finally stop making those monthly payments.
Detroit Free Press - Sep 29, 1935
Posted By: Alex - Mon Jan 01, 2018 -
Comments (2)
Category: Money, 1930s
LaVere Redfield, the Silver Dollar King
One of history's more-eccentric rich guys.
Brief essay here.
An outstanding incident from his life.
Source of article.
Posted By: Paul - Wed Aug 30, 2017 -
Comments (1)
Category: Eccentrics, Money, 1950s
The Life and Death of 9413
Posted By: Paul - Thu Jun 22, 2017 -
Comments (4)
Category: Body Modifications, Culture and Civilization, Money, Movies, Surrealism, 1920s
The Shabby Millionaire
1989: John Barrier of Spokane, Washington went into Old National Bank to cash a $100 check. Then he asked to have his 60-cent parking ticket validated. The cashier refused, saying that merely cashing a check didn't entitle him to free parking. Barrier had a manager called, who also refused to validate the ticket. Barrier suspected that they were refusing because he was dressed in shabby clothes like he had just gotten off a construction job. So he withdrew the entire $2 million he had deposited there and took his money to another bank, Seafirst Bank of Spokane.The tale of the shabby millionaire eventually ended up being told in Seafirst's company newsletter. From there it made its way to a local newspaper column, and then leapt to the front page of USA Today and national headlines.
Both banks confirmed the basic details of what happened, although a representative for Old National Bank later insisted that they had, eventually, validated Barrier's parking ticket.
Detroit Free Press - Feb 21, 1989
The Akron Beacon Journal - Mar 29, 1989
Posted By: Alex - Sat May 13, 2017 -
Comments (4)
Category: Money, Pranks and Revenge, 1980s
Ex-millionaire Lives With Pigs
Original story here.
Posted By: Paul - Mon Mar 20, 2017 -
Comments (1)
Category: Animals, Eccentrics, Money, 1960s
Well-known billionaire cashes 13-cent check
Back in 1990, Spy magazine conducted an experiment in "comparative chintziness." Its goal was to find out "Who is America's cheapest zillionaire?" Or, put another way, "how cheap are the rich?"To determine this they sent various rich people each a check for 13 cents, and then waited to see who would actually cash such a tiny check. Two people did: Donald Trump and the Saudi Arabian businessman Adnan Khashoggi.
And yes, they made sure to send the checks to the home addresses of the rich people, and not to their accountants. So that the recipient would have to do a little bit of work to cash the check.
Springfield News-Leader - June 6, 1990
Posted By: Alex - Wed Sep 28, 2016 -
Comments (12)
Category: Money, 1990s
Suddenly hated money
The recurring weird-news theme of people who destroy large amounts of money for various reasons (usually so that their heirs can't get their hands on it).
The Wilmington News Journal - Jan 8, 1963
LONDON — Mrs. Doris Lilian Hawtree, 46, told a magistrate's court yesterday she tore up $700 after a quarrel with her daughter's mother-in-law made her suddenly "hate money."
Posted By: Alex - Fri Aug 05, 2016 -
Comments (2)
Category: Money, 1960s
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| Alex Boese Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes. Paul Di Filippo Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over thirty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. He has recently begun blogging on many curious topics with three fellow writers at The Inferior 4+1. Contact Us |