I could not help but chuckle when I read the article about collecting manhole covers. I was immediately reminded of a mentor of mine. Ralph "Curley" Mitchell was a famous collector of "Odd and Curious Money". He was well known as such both here in California and nationally.

Among his "mainstream collections" were Chinese spade, knife, and bridge money. He had an example of Yap stone money in his back yard! I have never seen another outside of a museum. He was also a "Rag Picker" (obsolete currency collector) as am I. I think if Ralph was still with us and saw the illustration for the article he would probably have wished to add it to his collection as a specialty medal collectable!

On a recent trip to Japan, I learned that manhole covers can be an art form. The first picture is from the Ueno Park in Tokyo, where the National Museum is. The other one is just a street in Otaru, Hokkaido, a small coastal tourist town.