2020’s Feelgood Cash Stories Part 2
Jan 5, 2021
Welcome to Part 2 of our feelgood cash stories of 2020!
In July, Taiwanese artist Yosuke Hasegawa’s ‘money origami’ hit the headlines for its unusual approach to creating cash-based art. Celebrating the beauty of banknotes with a playful twist, the artist says he takes ‘an image of a rigid historical person and change them into something cute and funny.’
In August, an aquarium in North Carolina, U.S. decided to use its temporary closure as an opportunity to collect coins visitors had tossed into its nine-metre high waterfall. The result was a much-needed windfall of over $2,000. While not originally designed as a wishing well, staff explained, ‘the public decided it should be.’
Octopus resident at Pine Knoll Shores Aquarium, North Carolina
In September, millions of reminders to donate to charity were announced for Australia in the form of special one dollar coins. The ‘donation dollars’ have a green centre and were launched for the International Day of Charity on 5 September. 25 million will be minted—one for each person in Australia.
In October, cash rained down on Chongqing in south-west China, causing great excitement and resulting in a traffic jam as people rushed to gather the heavenly bounty. The man responsible for tossing the banknotes from a 30th floor window was later detained by the authorities, and is undergoing treatment for narcotic use.
A happy gentleman in a rain of banknotes
In November, an inspiring story of honesty came out of South Carolina in the U.S. where a couple discovered literal treasure trove hidden in their new home in the form of 50 gold and silver coins. They returned the collection—worth around $15,000—to the home’s previous owners, who observed ‘If there were more people like the Munfords, this world would be a much better place.’
In December, a David Bowie commemorative coin was launched into space by Britain’s Royal Mint. Celebrating the singer’s first hit single, Space Oddity, which was released in the UK five days before Apollo 11 launched in July 1969, the coin was carried by balloon to an altitude of 35,656 metres before descending back to Britain.