Life Lessons of a Military Wife (overseas in Europe!): Hidden in the back hallway

Life Lessons of a Military Wife (overseas in Europe!)

My goal here is to make your life easier, especially those who are in the unique situation of being a military spouse. Yes...I've been around...but in a good way...and hopefully can share those tips, tricks and shortcuts with you too. I've been on this military bus for over 40 years now. My goals in life are to have a well-run home, few money worries, well adjusted children, money socked away and whatever happiness I can scoop out of life.

About Me

After life as an Army brat, being in the Army myself and marrying a soldier, I can honestly say I have a bucket full of life lessons I can share to help you make your everyday life easier and enlightening. Don't waste your time making unnecessary mistakes and benefit from others who have come before you on your journey through life.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Hidden in the back hallway

I rarely talk about my hubby...he likes to stay low-key...but then again, he's an overachiever too. So, in the back hallway, where we parked some bookcases before you go up into the attic, he's stashed his military coin collection, if I can call it that. You know the one...the oodles of coins of all shapes and sizes that most men will put into a display case...or two....to be proud of. You see what my husband's looks like? I mean...these are supposed to be special. Something given to you by "an important person or organization" as an atta-boy or a pat on the back for a job well done. My goodness, some of these are even numbered! That means the general, or in one case, the Secretary of State handed it out...and somewhere (his aide probably) maintains a list of who got each coin...yes, they really do that. If they are supposed to be this treasured, then why are they sitting in a jumbled mess?

I'm sure most military servicemembers have at least a few of these. Hey, even as a spouse at my USO job stint, I got coined. How does your servicemember display his or her coins? Aren't they supposed to be carrying one in their wallet and if anyone should call them on it...they'd better have it? But for the rest....I'm thinking at this point...a large jar will do? Has anyone put theirs in a jar or manly vase? Or does that devalue the stuff?....at least mentally...anyway, if anyone has any nice ideas, please send them this way!

Labels: Military

9 Comments:

Anonymous said...: Seems like they hand them out like cookies now a days.; October 14, 2010 at 1:40 PM
tootie said...: Sadly, I think ours are tucked in a drawer. Maybe someday we'll put them in a nice display case!; October 14, 2010 at 1:55 PM
Anonymous said...: Yes, my husband has a stand for his coins to display them. They have slots like yours and he got it from clothing sales here at MacDill AFB. They come in different sizes. Ours holds about 12.; October 15, 2010 at 1:28 AM
****Veteran Military Wife at Life Lessons of a Military Wife**** said...: Looks like I'm going to have to get creative....that display thing is actually some kind of vintage salesman's sample stand from a printer's shop....we got it at a flea market way back when...I think I would need five big coin stands to hold all the coins, if I bought the largest stand....and I think that would look too overbearing...sigh....think I'm going to look for a big jar somewhere...where's Costco when you really need it?; October 15, 2010 at 8:11 AM
Anonymous said...: A lot of people arrange them on a table or desk top and then put a plexiglass or glass top on it, They look nice when you do that and you can display a ton of them that way.; October 19, 2010 at 8:42 AM
LyricMama said...: I was just about to suggest the same. These things seem to multiply and at a certain point, they almost lose their "specialness." Still, you feel proud of them and want to display them, just not necessarily decorate an entire wall of your house with them.

You want to display them so that they're as close together as possible, so beneath a piece of glass or plexiglass on a table (coffee table, desktop) sounds best. Some have beautiful reverse sides, in particular the foreign coins. Unfortunately, unless you keep it in an open display, I think your best bet is to pick a favorite side, get them shoulder-to-shoulder, and display spread out flat. Good luck!; October 20, 2010 at 4:49 AM
Anonymous said...: I know this sounds work intensive, but it's a good way to occupy a few hours. My husband had all of his in a toiletry bag.

I got some arts and crafts foam (the stuff that little kids use) and glued two pieces together to make it extra thick. Then, I cut out a hole with a craft knife/razor for each coin. Then, I put the coined up foam in an 8.5 x 11 scrapbook page holder. All of the pages go into a heavy duty 4" binder. This way they are all in one place and you can see the back and front of each one. This solution is ideal if you don't really have space to display them.

Two pieces of foam have to be glued together otherwise they aren't strong enough to hold the coins and they will fall out of their custom cut holes.; October 23, 2010 at 5:12 PM
Jennifer said...: I loved the idea of the vase! My husband has a ton and it's only been 12 years. I can imagine a big antique looking jar that my grandkids dump in the middle of the living room floor with my husband laying on the floor next to them. He remembers each one. Sometimes it takes a few wrong stories to get it right but he remembers them each. When we were at Campbell they had to keep their Air Asault coin with them all the time or they would get smoked. Not sure exactly which idea I am gonna use but you have me thinking.; November 14, 2010 at 5:39 AM
****Veteran Military Wife at Life Lessons of a Military Wife**** said...: In the interest of saving space, I ended up buying a thick glass rectangular vase from IKEA...it's about 10 inches long and fits great right on that space in the bookshelf. With it being a thin rectangular space inside, you can actually see most of the coins:-)

Thanks for all the great ideas! I like the glass on the coffeetable idea too...but we don't have a coffee table....thanks for all sharing!; November 14, 2010 at 3:56 PM

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Life Lessons of a Military Wife (overseas in Europe!)

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Thursday, October 14, 2010

Hidden in the back hallway

9 Comments: