What's Going On: When half a $10 bill is worth more than just $5

 It was one of those unseasonably warm days in January. 

There had been enough of them in a row that whatever snow had fallen was melted away. 

Taking advantage of the rare warm temperatures, my son and I had gone in the backyard to get some fresh air. 

After 20 minutes or so on the swing set, I suggested we “walk the yard.” After the inevitable “why,” the standard response of any 5-year-old to any comment or suggestion, I responded simply “you never know what you might find.”

The vagueness of my response and the mystery it contained was not enough to satiate my son’s need for an explanation to simply walk around the backyard, looking for the unknown. 

So instead of the standard “because I said so,” I indulged him with a more thorough explanation. I told him I had previously found all sorts of fun and mysterious items on previous walks, including bones, money, weird rocks, and even a weapon I’m fairly certain was built in a jail. 

I had him at bones, so a walking we went. 

And right on cue, in less than a minute, I found something I had never found before: half a $10 bill.

No, it wasn’t a $5. It was precisely what I stated: half a $10 bill. In fact, it was the middle half. 

The bill was folded perfectly in half, with both ends cut off. It was clearly a legit piece of currency based on the paper style, presidential picture, and the presence of the first two serial numbers. 

What was odd, beyond the absence of both ends, was the cuts. It almost looked like something mechanical had done it, based on the serrations. It wasn’t a clean cut, as if done by scissors. And it was far too uniform to have been torn or mangled by a lawnmower. 

And the portion of the bill raised several questions beyond what cut it, such as why was it cut, as it appeared intentional. 

Most interestingly though, for me, was what journey the bill had taken before it landed in my fenced-in back yard. Who previously had the $10 bill, why did they cut it, and how did it in end up in my yard? And when did it get there? It appeared worn, but didn’t look like it had been there that long. 

Regardless, I took the portion of the $10 bill and stuck it in my wallet. We looked for a good 30 minutes for the ends that had been cut, to no avail.

I was resigned to having a portion of the bill, a story, and a lot of questions. 

A couple weeks ago, the second and apparently final thaw came. This time, my daughters joined my son and me outside on the swings. 

We weren’t outside very long when I saw that instantly recognizable shade of green that belonged to only one thing: money. 

I had long forgotten about the portion of the $10 bill stuffed inside my wallet, but when I picked up one of the two missing ends, I quickly remembered its presence. 

Excitedly, I pulled out the $10 and the end matched it perfectly. I was stunned and amazed I had found one of the missing ends, although I was equally dismayed as I imagined spending two-thirds of a $10 bill would be a total failure. 

However, in a matter of minutes, I found the other end, just a few feet away and it too was a perfect match. 

Armed with all three pieces, I took them inside where my wife adeptly taped them together. (She’s the arts and crafts person, so that responsibility naturally fell to her.)

My wife and I then debated whether I would be able to spend the repaired bill. I argued I could as it was completely intact, complete with serial numbers. The bill would most likely be destroyed once it reached a bank, but any vendor would take it. 

And I was right. The clerk took the bill, looked at it a little curiously, and then without question, tucked it into the cash register. 

Now, weeks later, I almost feel a little twinge of remorse I spent the bill instead of keeping it. The story, and questions remain, although I’m betting the bill has since been destroyed. 

Admittedly though, the Subway sandwich was pretty tasty and my wife certainly appreciated not having to cook dinner that night, so maybe the remorse isn’t too significant. 

Gregory Orear is the General Manager/Editor of the Red Oak Express and Glenwood Opinion-Tribune. He can be contacted at publisher@redoakexpress.com.