Doing it the hard way!

As a salesman, 'breaking the ice' with a buyer can mean an easy profitable outcome. I have used jokes many times, but on my recent sales trips, I used a numismatic riddle which stumped every buyer.

I asked, "If I have 3 coins in my pocket, and together they total 25 cents, but I DON'T have a nickel or dime among them, what do I have?

I had brought a 2 cent, 3 cent, and a 20 cent coin with me. When no one came up with a solution, I would toss the 2 cent piece up as a hint. Most people had never seen or known the US Mint had ever released one. The second hint further baffled them when I would add the 3 cent piece making 5 cents, throwing in the stories behind both coins.

Now, the buyers were really perplexed, as they said surely there wasn't a 20 cent piece. As I flipped the double dime to them, bulging eyes tried to take in the strange coins in front of them.

Later, while going through my sales pitches, they would go back to the "I can't believe they made coins like that" comments I got used to hearing.

As I would leave the dealerships, I would wink to my partner as she stuffed nice orders in the brief case, and say "That's how it's done."

It turned out to be a great round of visits...!!!

To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.