How A 50-Cent Coin Sent Me Into An Emotional Spiral

This morning, I woke up, felt healthy, and vibrant. I ate my breakfast and headed into work. I thought that the only thing that could make the morning better would be a diet soda. I walked over to the soda machine in our break room, reached into my pocket, and pulled out all of my change. I had just enough to purchase the soda of my choice. I threw the coins into the machine, but the last one wouldn't fit. Wouldn't you know it, our machine doesn't take 50 cent coins.

I walked over to one of my co-workers, and I asked her if I could buy two quarters in exchange for my 50 cent piece. The look of confusion on her face was troubling. She actually believed that I was trying to con her out of fifty cents because she didn't know that a 50 cent coin existed!

I am a 43-years old and had never thought of myself as "old" until this moment. Sure, I can pull a muscle walking the greenbelt, and recovering from a night out downtown isn't the way it used to be, but I had never felt like I was an elder statesman.

My young co-worker, who thought that I was cheating her out of money, is in her early 20's. The 50 cent coin has been pretty much discontinued for most of her life. I did a quick Google search, and the rapper named 50 Cent came up before the currency! I found out that since 2002, the US Mint only prints them for collectors. The coin I can't get rid of has John F. Kennedy on it and was minted in 1977. My next question was if these are so rare, are they worth more now? If you have a bunch of fifty-cent pieces in your purse, you'll be happy to know that they haven't lost any value. They are still worth 50 cents. No more, no less. But no one wants them, so you're probably stuck with them until you go to the bank or can convince someone that they're real.

As you start your day, I hope that you feel great, healthy, and vibrant. Most of all, I hope that no one makes you feel old. However, if you do feel old, remember that Diane Keaton is 77. She has two movies coming out next year, Martha Stewart is 79 and hangs out with Snoop Dogg, and Betty White is 98, and she's still working.

Do you feel younger now?