He looked, with wide 4-year-old eyes, at this boy in front of him, holding out his hand and tapping his foot.

“I’ll give you five if you’ll give me your one silver one,” he said, holding out the copper pieces.

“I don’t know…this one’s bigger…” Tommy said doubtfully, staring at the eagle on one side and the head on the other.

“Yeah, but which one is worth more, gold or silver?” challenged the other boy, his friend, still tapping away impatiently. His light-up shoes were going mad.

“Gold, I guess…but that gold’s dirty…” Tommy pointed out, still scrutinizing the quarter in his hand.

“Come on,” said the boy, rolling his eyes and tapping faster. “Gold is gold. Silver’s not worth anything.”

“No,” decided Tommy, “this quarter was made in the year I was born. It must be lucky.”

“Stupid,” jeered the other boy, turning away derisively.

Tommy looked at the quarter sadly.

“I don’t think you’re lucky. Silver isn’t worth anything,” he repeated to it.

So he dropped it and walked away.