Is a Penny Worthless?

If you were to be walking along the sidewalk and saw a penny, would you pick it up?

Is the value of the penny enough for you to stop in your tracks, reach down, and grab it? 

What if it was a heads-up? 

Maybe it would be worth it then. 

A single penny is virtually worthless and cost more to manufacture then it's face value. 

So what is this copper and zinc alloy truly worth?

 I will share with you a truly remarkable story to help answer this question.

The Tall Tale of Bipsy the Dog

 

Bipsy was brought into this world December 1st, 2012 by an abandoned and neglected pregnant mother roaming the streets of Louisiana. She is one of five puppies brought up to New England by the Great Dog Rescue. 

On January 25, 2013 Bipsy became part of Kate's and my life. A cute, cuddly, mix breed that we couldn't quite figure out. We started house breaking, food schedules, buying pee pads, walks, and all the other fun activities associated with raising a puppy (more like a human baby). What most people know is that puppies, like babies, become extremely curious. 

Bipsy was finishing up a weekend adventure at Kate's parents house, where she was able to run around and enjoy the outdoors (not that easy in Boston). 

When Kate went to pick up Bipsy her parent's said, 

"Bipsy may or may not of swallowed a penny, 

just keep an eye out".  

When Bipsy returned back to the North End in Boston, she resumed her normal routines of acting hyper, sleeping, going to the bathroom, sleeping, acting hyper, and more sleeping. Only this time she added in an additional piece, massive amounts scratching. This caught my eye and I decided the next day to bring her to the Vet. 

When we went in to see the Veterinarian, she wasn't too worried about the itching and prescribe some Benadryl. I wasn't going to mention the penny, but I did.

"Oh by the way, she may have swallowed a penny."

The Vet responded with, "Now that worries me, the thing about pennies are that they contain zinc and zinc is toxic. We need to do an xray."

 

 

As I return back to the Dr.'s office, the vet confirms that Bipsy indeed swallowed a penny.

The Vet lays out the next set of steps. 

1. Induced Vomiting to get the penny out

If that doesn't work,

2. Endoscopy

If that doesn't work,

3. Stomach Surgery

They induced vomiting...

No penny.

$37 for vomiting? Where do they come up with these prices?

They completed the Endoscopy...

No penny.

 

They completed surgery,

THEY GOT THE PENNY!

The aftermath...

 

Being a Life Coach, it was absolutely necessary for me to find the meaning and take home message from this. During a long drive to see a client, I tried to wrap my mind around the concepts of  

value, silver linings, luck, and beliefs.   

I realized the major lesson in this is,

(besides having puppy insurance)

Many individual's undervalue their abilities, skills, and strengths. You tend to designate these qualities as "useless" and never utilize some of the most powerful tools you have to offer. 

I challenge you to complete a skills and strengths inventory on yourself. Take the information you now have and explore what other settings or environments those skills would be most valuable in.

Explore your value, discover your value, maximize your value.

Bipsy the Wonderdog