Saw an old homeless guy in the subway today playing an unrecognisable tune on a harmonica.  I slipped him a coin for which he was very greatful and the smile he gave was the most genuine id seen in a long time….if a little toothless. It made me wonder how much people actually give as they walk by, and what is a fair amount if we put aside the saying ‘beggars cant be choosers’.
To begin with i think copper coinage id pretty useless. Not only is it difficult to find anything which costs a penny or two, but shops also reserve a legal right to refuse over 20p in copper coinage. I pissed a bus driver off doing just that in my schooldays, luckily i successfully appealed to his better nature. 5 pence coins are capped as well and awkward to carry around due to their size. Who wants to be weighed down by a pocketful of five p’s? So tens and twentys? Hmmm, these seem more respectable but youd need quite a few before you could buy anything like food or a drink at a cafe. Could try the pound shop but if you need something warm on a cold day youd be buggered. I figured anything from 50 pence or above is fair and practical in this day and age. Youd only need six 50p coins three times a day to eat relatively well. 18 generous people out of the hundreds that pass you by. Of course ill give whatever i can spare, but i see a fifty pence piece or above as a realistic offering in 2015.
Incidentally…. I gave this guy a one pound coin.