One day, I was cleaning my office and I swept a small mountain – well maybe a molehill, but you know how we make them grow – of pennies off my desk, into my hand, and into my pocket.

What surprised me was my level of annoyance at the bother of it all.

That surprises me. I reflected at length once, in a blog, on "Lessons from a Penny." That was ten years ago, the same year I first reflected these reflections.

Have you ever wondered this? I did:

HOW MANY PENNIES THERE ARE IN AMERICAN LANDFILLS.

I was amazed to discover that this subject is no stranger to the world of Google nor to Snopes  where one observer noted "I suspect that this is one of the 16% of stats that is made up on the spot. "

From there, I was referred to a discussion of investing in copper pennies as bullion. 

Some years ago, Time Magazine revisited Ben Franklin's adage, "A penny saved is a penny earned."

It is food for thought and you can keep the change – not to mix metaphors – at least not a primary purpose.

Here is a ten year old quote:

"James Benfield of the Coin Coalition, a lobby group for eliminating the penny, figures that 25% of annual penny production ends up in landfills." 

Not mine, James! When I was first reflecting on this, I noted: Mine ends up in my two year old granddaughter's mouth or my three and a half year old grandson's collection if I can't get to them first and secure them safely in a can or other container.

Then, when I am really, really broke, I scrounge for enough of them to buy a cup of coffee.

I still scrounge, but again, returning to 2009, I observed:

"It will take fewer of them on January 3 when I turn 55 and celebrate by going to McDonalds for a senior coffee and spend the entire morning getting refills and reading a book."

I do not think there is an additional discount for 65, which is next. In fact, the price of a senior coffee has more than doubled since 2009.

Back in the day, cleaning my desk and floors could buy me coffee for two days.

These days, I seldom use coins or cash or, at fast food places, even hand my card to a human being.

Maybe I'll join one of those old guy clubs that meets at 6:00 A.M. every morning for tall-tale-telling and post-achievement bragging.

"Back in the day, we had something called a penny and we could earn them by saving them."

"Yep, my old daddy told me that if I kept mine, I'd never be broke."

Not broke maybe, but not able to buy anything either.

Just how many pennies are there in the U.S.?

Those decade old estimates ranged from 115 billion to 200 billion. 

The growth may have leveled off by now.

I know. I know. You just do not see the value in them. They are a nuisance, an annoyance, a blight on your existence.

So, send them to me and I will take care of them. I think for 2 billion dollars I can afford a warehouse and a staff to count and catalog them. Pennies for Tom – 12638 Cumorah Dr. Clovis, CA. 93619.

No need to thank me. I just want to do my part to save the landfills of our great nation.

Do you ever check page 10 of a Google search? I did and found that we had started to degenerate into discussions of metaphorical pennies, like this excellent article of saving them and saving the environment. I will call it The Article. It is worth a look.

Finally, as I jiggle the pennies in my pocket, I want to congratulate this blogger who is saving them and giving the earth a shot in the arm. Here is a shout out to Amy Dunbar and her quote, "Not only am I saving pennies, but I am keeping a few things out of the local landfills. Go me!"

Of course, this all inspired me to a song and dance: