Silver Ticket to London Only 25-cents Away
--by Stephen Schleicher
Twentieth Century Fox and the Franklin Mint are joining forces in what I can only describe as one of the strangest marketing campaigns I’ve seen in a while. The Franklin Mint is turning a 2005 California statehood commemorative quarter into a Silver Surfer quarter.
The 40,000 coins will be distributed in cities across the United States just in time for the Memorial Day weekend. Anyone who finds the Silver Surfer coin will be directed to the Fantastic Four website where they can regisister for a chance to win a trip to London for the June 12th premiere of the movie.
For some reason I always thought defacing U.S. currency was against the law, but I guess I’m wrong - especially when the fate of millions of dollars in box office sales is at stake. It is probably just a sticker that peals off anyway, meaning those 40,000 coins could quickly turn into 10 coins after an hour of jingling around in people’s pockets.
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May 22nd, 2007 at 10:37 am
This KIND OF makes sense, even if quarters haven’t been silver since the Johnson administration… I know I’ll be looking for one. :)
May 22nd, 2007 at 3:00 pm
I think John Mellencamp said it best (though sophomorically and excruciatingly):
“This is OURRRRRRRR COUNTRYYYY…”
Yes, citizens, we can advertise bad comic book sequels on our MONEY.
I know this is the FRANKLIN mint, not the US mint, but is there a future with “The Five Dollar Bill, brought to you by Pepsi” ahead? Maybe Honest Abe wearing a logo-covered NASCAR helmet? If we purchase our FF2 movie ticket with a roll of Silver Surfer quarters, do we get a free box of chocolate gummi bears?
May 22nd, 2007 at 4:25 pm
It is not illegal to deface currency in and of itself. It is only illegal if the defaced currency is used for fraudulent purposes.
I read the actual law on one of those machines that mashes pennies and imprints the name of some tourist trap on them. . .
May 22nd, 2007 at 4:28 pm
Was it the one at Sternberg Museum?
May 22nd, 2007 at 4:55 pm
(cue music and graphics)
The More You Know…
May 22nd, 2007 at 4:56 pm
mmmm…chocolate gummi bears…