Do these look familiar...?

I was actually cleaning out my Army room the last couple of weeks, much to the delight and surprise of my wife who will tell you that I have not even scratched the surface.  In the process, I came across some of these old things.  Some of you will remember them.  They were coins used in Iraq and Afghanistan in the PX stores.  Made out of cardboard, they are light and easy to carry in your uniform pockets. 

Contrary to popular opinion that they were introduced into the system because they could easily be thrown away, lost or not taken seriously (a.k.a. Monopoly money), their actual value to the logistics guys was they didn't weigh much in bulk -- at least not as much as the equivalent value of real metal coins.  Remember how much a roll of pennies or quarters actually weighed?  Do you actually remember what a roll of coins was?  So imagine rolls and rolls of coins going back and forth to the theaters, stores and banks.  That cut down weight loads on planes that would be traveling to those countries, and would allow the more valuable cargo quantities like "bullets and butter" (remember that old saying?) to be increased.

Check these out:

 I suppose they are still good at the PX.  Might have to check that out some day.  Regardless, the idea must have worked -- I still have a few dollars wroth of them.  I gave some of these to my grand kids, and still have some left over.

Probably won't throw these out.  I can find a place to hide them that won't take up too much room.

Used to be that a penny saved was a penny earned.  Today, it's all about the Benjamins.
Hooah