Italian postman becomes a local legend after collecting 2.7 tons of one-cent coins
Bruno Salvi. Photo: Bild
Bruno Salvi, a postal worker living in Italy, has dedicated a large part of his life to a simple yet astonishing goal: he has managed to collect exactly 2.7 tons (2,710 kg) worth of one-cent copper coins.
According to local media reports, his long-term hobby has not only resulted in massive numbers but even began to threaten the structural integrity of his own apartment.
From Lira to Cents: The history of 1.176 million coins
Bruno Salvi has been interested in small change since childhood, but his real "collecting race" began when Europe switched to a common currency:
"I just wanted to know my limits": "After the national currency, the lira, was abolished in Italy, I started collecting 1-cent coins. I had no intention of finding any rare or antique numismatic coins. I just wanted to see how far I could go with this," says Bruno;
Total amount collected: As a result of many years of patience, he has accumulated a total of 1 million 176 thousand 1-cent coins. This amount totals 11,760 euros.
The floor cracked: A treasure in 28 giant glass jars
Over time, the pile of copper coins grew so much that it caused serious safety problems inside the house:
30-liter glass jars: The collected change was placed in exactly 28 large glass jars, each with a capacity of 30 liters;
Cracks in the concrete: Because the total weight of the coins exceeded 2.7 tons, the apartment's concrete floor could not support such a heavy load and cracked;
Moving to the ground floor: Worried that the house might collapse, the postman was forced to move all the heavy containers to the lower, more stable floor of the building.
The goal: 1.5 million coins
Despite the cracks in the concrete floor and the weight issues, Bruno does not intend to give up his hobby. He aims to expand his collection even further:
"My main intention now is to reach 1.5 million coins. If these 1-cent small coins continue to remain in circulation, perhaps I will collect even more," the Italian postman emphasized.
Comments 0
…