Hey GirdleyWorld!
Did you know I was once a radio star? By that, I mean I told this story for 10 minutes on Texas Public Radio.
So here we go: the Sacagawea opportunity I couldn’t pass up.
YCombinator asks their applicants:
“Tell us about the time you most successfully hacked some (non-computer) system to your advantage.”
I love that question. Here’s my answer.
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If you’re an American, how many dollar coins do you have in your pocket right now?
None? Thought so.
We hate them. It’s all about the paper bills here in the US. Coins suck. Period.
But here’s the thing: coins save the government money. They cost more to make than paper bills but last 10 times longer.
So, it makes more economic sense to use metal coins. (Yes, Canadians, I can hear you already.)
In 2000, the US government tried to make the switch. The mint produced more than 1 billion dollar coins. They wanted people to adopt it so bad they gave them away in cereal boxes.
Obviously, it never caught on. Because (a) America is awesome, and (b) dollar coins suck.
So, all these coins were sitting around in mint warehouses, and they didn’t know what to do with them.
They devised a scheme: Sell the dollars for a dollar each!
Pay the government a dollar on your credit card, and they’ll mail you a dollar.
That’s where I come in.
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I’m an entrepreneur. It’s in my blood. So, I’m constantly scanning for opportunities.
So when I see a loophole this big, I will make the most of it.
Here’s what I saw:
If the government sends you back every dollar you spend… And credit cards give you airline miles for spending money… And you can buy stuff with airline miles!?
Let’s go. And let’s go big, I think.
I end up with:
- 8 credit cards / $250k in monthly spending limits
- 1.7 million miles with American Airlines alone
- And a house with so many dollar coins it’s hurting my marriage
They come in boxes of a thousand, which makes a pretty hefty 20lb brick of metal.
(Chili’s for scale)
Take them to the bank, you say.
But I can’t. When you buy them, you have to sign a thing saying you’ll put them in circulation.
Because the bank will just send them back to the mint, and the mint gets its problem back.
Because I have morals/ethics/etc, I won’t break my word.
So, how do I get rid of these damn coins?
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Loophole Number 2
I wondered: where’s the place where cash is king?
Las Vegas, of course.
I called the guys, and we put together a trip. So we booked flights on Southwest. (We’re too classy to fly Spirit, and I won’t waste my new AA miles on flights!)
But I have to transport these dollars somehow. They weigh a ton, and it’ll cost a fortune to check.
So, I called the airline and asked, “What’s the maximum weight for a carry-on?”
The first person doesn’t know. Neither does the second. Or the third. After an hour of getting bounced around the call center, I finally got the answer I’m looking for:
“There’s no limit to carry-on weight.”
Bingo.
I’ve been lifting weights. I got this!
So I pack a TON of dollars into the sturdiest carry-on I can find. It’s so heavy the scale at the airport errors out.
The TSA gives me dirty looks, but they let me on board.
I’m feeling pretty pleased with myself. My eye for opportunity has bought me a lifetime of upgrades, and now I’m one flight away from trading in my metal for actual $100 bills.
As I’m finding my seat, a little old grandma flight attendant approaches:
“Can I put your bag overhead, sir?”
—
Usually, turbulence doesn’t usually bother me.
I don’t love the idea of sitting underneath 150 lbs of metal… but I’m not going to make someone else sit under it.
I’m glad when we land.
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In the end, I made it to Vegas. Cashed in the coins. Put them in circulation. Got my $100 bills.
I hacked the system, kept my word and values, and I had an adventure.
A win all around.
Was it pointless? Yeah, kinda.
Was it fun? 100% definitely.
And that’s what this whole story is about:
Tapdancing to work (or your next adventure), just because it’s what you’re meant to do.
Go make it happen!
Have a great week!
Michael
