Ashton Gerard/MDN Currency that is currently out of circulation is laid out on a table at Burger King’s South Broadway location in Minot as an example of what Minoters could get back in change during National Coin Week at either of Minot’s Burger King locations.

National Coin Week is a time for numismatists and coin enthusiasts to come together and share their hobby of collecting coins, medals and paper money with others. New to 2019, there is a Great American Coin Hunt to coincide with the week, which will see the participation from Minot Coin and Bullion through Minot’s Burger King restaurants.

“It’s actually the first time, to my knowledge, there has been a national campaign to tie in with National Coin Week,” Minot Burger King co-owner Josh Hummel said.

The idea for the coin hunt is for coin dealers and collectors across the country to release some of their collectible vintage coins and paper money notes back into circulation. The goal is to reinvigorate the hobby, which is a message Josh and his father Don Hummel could get behind.

“It’s a personal passion of mine. My dad (Don) got me started 35 years ago when I was a very young child,” Josh Hummel said. “I’m just excited to get other people excited about it.”

This was an opportunity the Hummels couldn’t pass up.

“We have a unique opportunity because we have two businesses,” Josh Hummel explained. “Through Minot Coin and Bullion, we are going to use Burger King as the vehicle to distribute a lot of coins out there to the masses.”

Anyone using cash at either of Minot’s Burger King locations from Monday, April 22, to Saturday, April 27, can expect a collectible coin or paper money as change. Most coin dealers are going to be using their collectibles as tips, to pay for things or to scatter in random locations, but the Hummels can promote that people will receive a collectible coin and hopefully encourage people to be examining their change again.

“I see that in our business every year we are taking a higher and higher percentage of credit cards so people are carrying less cash and they’re caring less about cash and coins,” Hummel said. “The timing of this program is good because we need to get the word out about the hobby.”

Some of the collectibles Minot Coin and Bullion has supplied Minot’s Burger Kings include Indian Head cents (produced from 1859-1909), Lincoln Wheat pennies (1909-1958), Buffalo nickels (1913-1938), silver Kennedy half-dollars (1965-1969) and uncirculated presidential dollar coins from the 2000s to present. They will also have some old bills available such as $1 silver certificates (1935 and 1957) and $2 red seal U.S. notes (1928, 1953 and 1963).

“Every coin we give out will have value above its face value and we’re going to put over 5,500 into circulation,” Hummel said.

With the help of Burger King’s employees, they should be able to distribute one collectible to each customer paying in cash and receiving change. At the end of the week they will receive a surprise for helping spread the coins and collectibles throughout Minot’s community.

To follow other collectors on their hunts, check out #GreatAmericanCoinHunt or #GACH on Twitter. For more information about coin collecting in Minot, visit the Minot Coin Club on Facebook @MinotCoinClub or Minot Coin and Bullion @MinotCoinBullion.