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How about giving away coins in cereal boxes and at fast food restaurants to increase interest in the

I remember as a kid being given baseball cards at a fast food restaurant every time I bought French fries. I wonder if the baseball card company made a deal with the fast food chain to do this, as this would get children interested in collecting baseball cards.

What if someone with a vested interest in the coin collecting hobby were to do something similar? Perhaps they could convince a fast food restaurant to give out a state quarter each time you purchased something? Maybe cereal companies could give coins away in the cereal boxes?

What do you think? Would gimmicks like this be effective in bringing in new collectors?

Dan

Comments

  • DD Posts: 1,997 ✭✭✭
    It would probably help some, but why would we want more collectors, the prices are too high as is!!!

    Kidding.

    -Daniel
    "It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it."

    -Aristotle

    Dum loquimur fugerit invida aetas. Carpe diem quam minimum credula postero.

    -Horace
  • carlcarl Posts: 2,054
    Probably not a good idea money wise for the company doing it. Most people would take it and spend it as normal coinage even if it was a rare coin. Of course this would put rare coins in circulation for me.
    If you want to inspire coin collecting, do as I do and give the red book, proof sets or uncirc sets away to friends and relatives for Christmas. I give my old duplicate red books to neighbors. It has really worked for me.
    Carl
  • flaminioflaminio Posts: 5,664 ✭✭✭


    << <i>Maybe cereal companies could give coins away in the cereal boxes? >>

    Like Cheerios, perhaps?
  • cladkingcladking Posts: 28,649 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Yes, such things do help and it's already being done. Many people pay with cash and
    will usually recieve coins in change. It would be more effective for recruitment to pass
    out folders and albums for coins and maybe a pamphlet with tips for how to collect and
    organize collections.

    The ANA has been doing such things to a limited extent but the mint has barely touched
    this area. It's still not possible to even buy cents and nickels from the mint except in the
    mint sets.
    Tempus fugit.
  • relayerrelayer Posts: 10,570

    Cheerios did that for the new millenieum, mostly with cents but also some Sac's back in 2000.

    You should contact a publisist at General Mills and ask how it went from their point of view.

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  • BAJJERFANBAJJERFAN Posts: 31,082 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Well considering the cost and quantity that would have to be given away it pretty much limits the coins to the state quarters or less. No big deal to get a new 2005 cent in a box of cereal; you can get them by the roll from your bank for 50 cents which is about 1/8 the cost of a box of wheaties. If there was gonna be an SQ promo it shudda been started in 1999 not now.
    theknowitalltroll;
  • dimplesdimples Posts: 1,286 ✭✭✭
    I tried that once, but the store owner wasn't happy with me opening boxes to put a coin in it.
  • Steve27Steve27 Posts: 13,274 ✭✭✭
    I think each state should be given the opportuinty to put a design on the reverse of the quarter; they could call it the state quarter program. I bet that would interest a lot of new collectors.
    "It's far easier to fight for principles, than to live up to them." Adlai Stevenson
  • Lots of questions, dan1ecu. You bored or somethin?
    Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?

    Apropos of the coin posse/aka caca: "The longer he spoke of his honor, the tighter I held to my purse."

    image
  • CardsFanCardsFan Posts: 1,093 ✭✭✭
    I remember when I was little one of the cereal companies gave away world coins as a prize, a different one every month. They came with a little insert telling you about the nation and what was depicted on the coin. Although it didn't really get me into the hobby, I did put them away and still have them. They are completely corroded and worthless but I just can't get myself to throw them away.
  • dimplesdimples Posts: 1,286 ✭✭✭
    I have a folder from Wheaties probably from the thiries or forties filled with a world map and several foreign coins 10 I think. I guess you mailed away box tops for each coin or they might have had the coins in the cereal box. I'm not that old to know image

    Does anyone know about this promotion.
  • It's been done several times in the past. I know it's been done by the cereal companies at least three times and McDonalds dd it back in the 80's.

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