Silver as a tip

Weiss · February 18, 2011 1:24PM

It doesn't seem like it was too long ago when I was advising people against the practice of leaving a silver eagle as a tip because wait staff probably wouldn't have any idea what it was worth, where to sell it, if to keep it, etc.

My, my. How times change. I don't know about you, but I don't often eat a ~$150 meal. That's about where you'd need to be to leave an eagle as the full amount for a tip, never mind as the icing on a tip cake.

We're at $32 an ounce, people. Strange days indeed.

1jester · February 18, 2011 2:33PM

Time to break out those old silver dimes!

piecesofme · February 18, 2011 2:45PM

Awhile back I left a cull Morgan dollar on the table, about $16 at the time even at a pawn shop. The meal was about $45, so I figured it was more than enough plus the food and service were good.
I'm literally in the car driving out of the parking lot and the waitress comes running up to me in a full sprint. I stop, roll down the window, and she says, "sir, you forgot this on the table. I can tell it's worth something so I wanted to make sure I caught you before you left."
I said, "it's your tip and worth about $16 if you take it to a pawn shop." She said, "can I just have a $10?" I laughed and said ok.
That was the last time I left anything other than cash as a tip.

PerryHall · February 18, 2011 8:37PM

Most servers have no use for silver dollars. They need cash to pay the babysitter and the rent.

chumley · February 18, 2011 8:44PM

I,m avaliable to babtsit for morgans

fivecents · February 18, 2011 9:16PM

<< <i>Most servers have no use for silver dollars. They need cash to pay the babysitter and the rent. >>

piecesofme · February 18, 2011 10:02PM

I,m avaliable to babtsit for morgans

especially when all I gotta do is stop by the pawn shop which is most likely on the way in all incorporated areas.

mhammerman · February 18, 2011 10:53PM

"We're at $32 an ounce, people."

Hummmmmmmmmm...that number rings a bell from something...Oh, yeah, that was the price of one ounce of gold until about 1970.

dbcoin · February 19, 2011 12:00AM

<< <i>"We're at $32 an ounce, people."

Hummmmmmmmmm...that number rings a bell from something...Oh, yeah, that was the price of one ounce of gold until about 1970. >>

That was $35

57loaded · February 19, 2011 12:56AM

<< <i>It doesn't seem like it was too long ago when I was advising people against the practice of leaving a silver eagle as a tip because wait staff probably wouldn't have any idea what it was worth, where to sell it, if to keep it, etc.

My, my. How times change. I don't know about you, but I don't often eat a ~$150 meal. That's about where you'd need to be to leave an eagle as the full amount for a tip, never mind as the icing on a tip cake.

We're at $32 an ounce, people. Strange days indeed. >>

i'm glad you tip at least 20% they are some of the hardest working folks out there, especially the breakfast and lunch.

PerryHall...we all gotta start somewhere, and others do what they gotta do.

Buffalode · February 19, 2011 1:24AM

I wonder even now how many people would know the value. I was talking with 2 tellers at a local bank yesterday. Neither one of them knew what years US coins are silver, or had any real idea of the silver value. A couple months ago I ran into a pawn shop employee at another bank. I was turning in rolled Kennedy half dollars. He saw me and asked what years they were, and during the conversation he said the shop he works at routinely buys 90% silver halves for $8 per $1 face value. Apparently he was an employee, not the owner or manager, but he told me I was wrong when I told him what the melt value was at the time and that he buys them "all the time" for that. I should have asked him what he sold them for, but I didn't. I agree with tipping the servers well, but it might be a good idea to let them know what they are getting since it seems many people have no idea of the value.

Baley · February 19, 2011 2:19AM

the vast majority of servers do not want something to "put away", nor do they want to have to go to a pawn shop or other store to sell it.

they want cash they can spend.

my wife worked her way through school as a server, and she has many stories of nice old men tipping old coins, two dollar bills, silver certificates, etc...

and how annoying it was

Justacommeman · February 19, 2011 4:56AM

I think the OP's point was lost on most. He wasn't being literal.................MJ

Weiss · February 19, 2011 6:03AM

The funny thing is that I actually was being literal.

Here's a thread from '08 where I said it was a nice gesture but probably misguided.

So a very generous $10 or $12 tip is now an all but prohibitive $32 or $33.

Seems like it was just yesterday...

Justacommeman · February 19, 2011 8:49AM

Well shame on me. I thought you were speaking figuratively. My bad, it was lost on me. MJ

DuCrozat · February 19, 2011 10:33PM

Nothing lights up servers eyes like a good tip on the receipt or on the table.

I figure if you leave silver, they feel like you are trying to cheap out on them.

Overdate · February 20, 2011 12:54AM

I used to leave silver as a tip all the time, and the recipients never complained.

Of course, that was back in the 1960's . . .

PerryHall · February 20, 2011 1:39AM

Most servers have no idea what silver is worth. If you left a 1964 half dollar for a $10 tip, they would assume you left them a 50 cent tip.

Silver as a tip

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