Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, July 16, 2022

10 Mountain View News Saturday, June 25 , 2022 

SCHOOL DIRECTORY 


CHRISTOPHER Nyerges 



ENJOYMENT OF COINS 

[Nyerges is the author of “How 
to Survive Anywhere,” “Extreme 
Simplicity,” and other books. He 
has led outdoor classes since 1974. 
He can be reached at www.SchoolofSelf-
Reliance.com.] 

Not everyone will get this, but I 

have always enjoyed coins. Not 
necessarily collecting, but learning about them, admiring 
them, learning their history, taking time with 
them, getting to know them, cleaning them, putting 
them into their right place in your collector’s book. 

Coins have rich intrinsic stories, and learning each 
clue excites real collectors. Yes, perhaps some people 
make money with coins, and that was part of my early 
interest in coin collecting as a hobby. You aren’t collecting 
buttons or bottle caps, but something that has 
a universally-acknowledged value. At the very least, 
coins are never worth nothing, and do not fall below 
their face value. 

Like most collectors, I started with pennies, because 
pennies were cheap and you could buy rolls for 50 
cents, and search through them for ones to fill the 
spaces in your book. You learned real quick which 
ones were hard to get and rare: 1909SVDB, 1914D, 
1931S, and perhaps a few others. Zinc pennies from 
the war were always interesting, and it reminded you 
that wars affect the availability of metals. Indian head 
pennies were somewhat uncommon, and not necessarily 
valuable, but I always saved each one I ever 
found. 

Some years ago, I operated a farmers market and 
would get change for the farmers each week at the 
bank. One farmer would consistently ask me to purchase 
rolls of half-dollar coins for him. More often 
than not, the bank didn’t have them, even though they 
are still produced. 

I asked the farmer why he wanted an “odd” size coin. 
He told me that the main reason is that people remember 
him from spending 50 cent pieces because 
they are not common. He told me that people would 
often smile seeing them, and somehow that exchange 
of a half-dollar cemented friendships. 

I found that amazing, so I began to try it. When receiving 
a half-dollar coin, people will feel it, hold it, 
look at it, and often smile, even laugh. “I haven’t seen 
one of those for awhile,” they’d laugh. 

I have had an occasion where, as a joke, I asked the 
person behind the counter if they would accept “Hawaiian 
money” as I placed the Kennedy half-dollars 
on the counter. “Oh, no, we can’t accept that,” said the 
worried clerk. I didn’t think I’d have to explain that 
Hawaii was part of the U.S., and that I’d just made a 
joke, but the clerk was a new immigrant to the U.S. 
who had never seen a half-dollar, and didn’t know 
that Hawaii was part of the U.S. To my amazement, I 
had to take back the half-dollars and pay with other 
money.
Coins (and paper currency too) tell the history of a 
country, its politics, its ebb and flow of culture. I once 
had a Nazi silver coin that I’d purchased at a coin show, 
but I found its “atmosphere” unpleasant and quickly 
got rid of it. I am still a bit amazed that Chinese currency 
retains the face of Mao, who was responsible 

for the deaths of perhaps 100 million Chinese. But he 
retains a mixed reputation among Chinese. 

Old Roman coins, ancient Greek coins, and others 
from the past are fascinating tangible objects that you 
can hold in your hand as you bring history alive. It’s 
no wonder they have continued to fascinate so many. 

Sure, you can say it’s only pieces of metal, but they 
are so much more. They are living pieces of history, 
bringing the past alive, and giving you great conversation 
pieces. 

SURVIVAL USES OF COINS 
Money makes our day-to-day life go forward, and 
most of us handle most of our transactions these days 
electronically, or with plastic. (Does anyone write 
checks anymore?)
With even a simple blackout, most businesses are unable 
to function. They couldn’t take your money if 
they wanted to, because their registers are all requiring 
electricity.
With a severe blackout, credit cards would be useless, 
though some merchant (and fellow traders) might accept 
paper currency. At least for awhile, regular coinage 
would be accepted, because somehow tangible 
coinage in the hand will be regarded as more “real” 
than a check or paper money. 
If we were to fall into some long term breakdown 
(caused by natural forces, or man-made causes, or 
some combination), life would still go on and people 
will need some medium of exchange. And they will 
find some medium. In the short term, coinage will 
work, even the “junk metal” modern coinage, so it’s a 
good idea to have rolls of halfs, quarters, even dollars 
on hand. 
Gold is always touted as the survival metal, and yes 
it has stood the test of time because of its true rarity, 
and its incorruptibility, and its intrinsic actual value. 
Nevertheless, look at the current price of gold. Even 
if gold is “only” nearly two thousand dollars an ounce 
when you read this, how many of your daily purchases 
even approach a thousand dollars? Not many. Even 
if you had 1/10 ounce coins, how many of your daily 
purchases are around a hundred dollars? Granted, 
some will be. But the 1/10 ounce gold coin is very 
small, and easy to lose. It is probably a good idea to 
have some, because you can pack a lot of value into 
a little piece, but it’s not likely to be a coin of daily 
exchange in a survival scenario. Gold does better in 
“normal” times when you can readily sell it on the 
open market for cash. 
But because so many of use these days more and more 
use plastic and electronics for paying bills, there is less 
and less hard currency in circulation. That means that 
if we were to experience some sort of currency collapse, 
coinage would disappear somewhat quickly. 
What then would people use for trade?
Again, we look to the past for clues. Anyone who 
lived through WWII, or any of the other “small wars” 
all over the world, knows that basic commodities 
that everyone uses go into short supply. Food, coffee, 
medicine, toilet paper, fuel, etc. The items of everyday 
use become the items that everyone wants and 
needs, and these become tradable when the dollar 
dies. Tradable items might also include sewing kits, 
first aid supplies, beer and alcohol, seeds, and non 
perishable foods. 

Use your imagination, and experience. 

Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 

Alverno Heights Academy200 N. Michillinda Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024

(626) 355-3463 Head of School: Julia V. Fanara
E-mail address: jfanara@alvernoheights.org 
Arcadia High School180 Campus Drive Arcadia, CA 91007Phone: (626) 821-8370, Principal: Brent Forseebforsee@ausd.net 

Arroyo Pacific Academy41 W. Santa Clara St. Arcadia, Ca,

(626) 294-0661 Principal: Phil Clarke
E-mail address: pclarke@arroyopacific.org 
Barnhart School 
240 W. Colorado Blvd Arcadia, Ca. 91007 
(626) 446-5588Head of School: Tonya BeilsteinKindergarten - 8th gradewebsite: www.barnhartschool.org 

Bethany Christian School93 N. Baldwin Ave. Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 
(626) 355-3527Preschool-TK-8th Grade 
Principal: Jonathon Haweswebsite: www. bcslions.org 

Clairbourn School 
8400 Huntington DriveSan Gabriel, CA 91775Phone: 626-286-3108 ext. 172 
FAX: 626-286-1528 
E-mail: jhawes@clairbourn.org 

Foothill Oaks Academy822 E. Bradbourne Ave., Duarte, CA 91010(626) 301-9809Principal: Nancy Lopezwww.foothilloaksacademy.orgoffice@foothilloaksacademy.org 

Frostig School971 N. Altadena Drive Pasadena, CA 91107 
(626) 791-1255Head of School: Jenny Janetzke 
Email: jenny@frostig.org 

The Gooden School 
192 N. Baldwin Ave. Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 
(626) 355-2410Head of School, Jo-Anne Woolner 
website: www.goodenschool.org 

High Point Academy1720 Kinneloa Canyon RoadPasadena, Ca. 91107 
Head of School: Gary Stern 626-798-8989 
website: www.highpointacademy.org 

La Salle College Preparatory3880 E. Sierra Madre Blvd. Pasadena, Ca. 

(626) 351-8951 website: www.lasallehs.org 
Principal Dr. Jamal Adams 
Monrovia High School325 East Huntington Drive, Monrovia, CA 91016

(626) 471-2800 Principal Darvin Jackson 
Email: schools@monrovia.k12.ca.us 

Odyssey Charter School725 W. Altadena Dr. Altadena, Ca. 91001

(626) 229-0993 Head of School: Lauren O’Neillwebsite: www.odysseycharterschool.org 
Pasadena High School2925 E. Sierra Madre Blvd. Pasadena, Ca. 

(626) 396-5880 Principal: Mathew Kodama 
website: http://phs.pusd.us 
St. Rita Catholic School 
322 N. Baldwin Ave. Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024Principal: Adela Solis (626) 355-6114solis@st-ritaschool.orgWebsite: www.st-ritaschool.org 

Sierra Madre Elementary School141 W. Highland Ave, Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024

(626) 355-1428 Principal: Lindsay LUISE-mail address: LUIS.lindsay@pusd.us 
Sierra Madre Middle School 
160 N. Canon Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024

(626) 836-2947 Principal: Garrett NewsomE-mail address: newsom.garrett@pusd.us 
Walden School 
74 S San Gabriel Blvd 
Pasadena, CA 91107 (626) 792-6166www.waldenschool.net 

Weizmann Day School1434 N. Altadena Dr. Pasadena, Ca. 91107(626) 797-0204Lisa Feldman: Head of School 

Wilson Middle School 
300 S. Madre St. Pasadena, Ca. 91107

(626) 449-7390 Principal: Ruth EsselnE-mail address: resseln@pusd.us 
Pasadena Unified School District 
351 S. Hudson Ave., Pasadena, Ca. 91109

(626) 396-3600 Website: www.pusd@pusd.us 
Arcadia Unified School District 
234 Campus Dr., Arcadia, Ca. 91007 

(626) 821-8300 Website: www.ausd.net 
Monrovia Unified School District 
325 E. Huntington Dr., Monrovia, Ca. 91016 
(626) 471-2000Website: www.monroviaschools.net 

Duarte Unified School District 
1620 Huntington Dr., Duarte, Ca. 91010 
(626)599-5000Website: www.duarte.k12.ca.us 

Arcadia Christian School 
1900 S. Santa Anita Avenue Arcadia, CA 91006Preschool - and TK - 8th Grade 
626-574-8229/626-574-0805Email: inquiry@acslions.comPrincipal: Cindy Harmonwebsite: www.acslions.com 


FORREST & VIOLET: 
TWO OF FOUR! 

Now meet VIOLET & FORREST, 
the other two siblings of 
Vivian & Henry (you met them 
last week). VIOLET has such a 
cute face. She loves climbing cat 
trees. Her favorite toy is a feather 
wand! She's the tuxedo! 

FORREST is a major cuddler!! 
He meows when he wants his head and face petted (and 
you'd better DO it RIGHT MEOW! He'll circle your feet 
until you give him his pettings, meowing away! Then, purring 
loudly (it's soooo cute!). He has the dark "tear marks" on 
each side of his nose, like a little cheetah! Both are being raised with 2 nurturing dogs. 


They are only 3 months old and will be delivered to their fur-ever home already spayed/
neutered, vetted, chipped, and more! Please submit your application found on our website. 
Can't adopt yet? Please share with any who can. Find the adoption application on 
our website where you'll also find more adorable pix on our Very Young Cats page. 
www.lifelineforpets.org. 

Pet of the Week 

Oracle is a beautiful kitty with a very unique appearancedue to corneal scarring in her eye. Oracle appears thatshe's still able to see through this eye and that it isn't 
causing her any discomfort - it just makes her look a littledifferent. This friendly one-year-old kitty loves gettingattention and will nudge you for more. She has a heartypurr and can often be seen making happy biscuits withher paws!

 The adoption fee for cats is $100. All cat adoptionsinclude spay or neuter, microchip, and age-appropriatevaccines.

 New adopters will receive a complimentary health-andwellness 
exam from VCA Animal Hospitals, as well as agoody bag filled with information about how to care for 
your pet. 
View photos of adoptable pets and schedule an adoption appointment at pasadenahumane.
org. Adoptions are by appointment only, and new adoption appointments are availableevery Sunday and Wednesday at 10:00 a.m.


Pets may not be available for adoption and cannot be held for potential adopters by 
phone calls or email. 

Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com