The Lake Superior Agate Standard

My Uncle John took the woman who would become Aunt Joy Lake Superior Agate hunting on their first date. He explained to her that it was important to find as many agates as possible because the Federal Reserve would tire of having fait money and would adopt the Lake Superior Agate Standard. She either believed him or was nice enough to humor his tale.

Great was the competition between my dad, his brothers, and my grandpa to see who could accumulate quantity, quality, and “the big one.” One would think that we lived in 1849 San Francisco, so ardent was the desire of our families to accumulate such wealth. Dad, my uncles, and Grandpa would resort to swiping agates from each other. Uncle John would even occasionally go so far as to have us turn out our pockets after visiting him.

We had a lot of fun agate hunting. Agate hunting with Dad was always a treat. And afterwards, we’d go to Bridgman’s to celebrate our find over chocolate malts. Then we’d clean them off with an old tooth brush. When they were clean, we’d to go to Uncle John’s to brag. It was a pretty nifty way to spend a Saturday afternoon with Dad.

So, what brought on the agate standard? As I mentioned before, Josh and I moved to a new apartment. So, yesterday I unpacked a box of my treasures. I found a variety of little crafts that I made Granny and Grandpa over the years. They had been returned to me and different points through college and when I lived in my first apartment. One happened to be a little box I made for them. So I opened the box, and I found… And I hid them… They’re mine I tell you… Mine…