Laugh with Me – Episode Summary

Podcast: Laugh with Me
Host: Jeremy Odom
Episode: No More Pennies
Air Date: March 11, 2026
Guest: Johnny (recurring sidekick, researcher)
Main Theme: The disappearance of the penny and the unintended consequences for wishing wells, with comedic musings and facts about coins, wishes, and what people really toss into fountains.

Episode Overview

This episode dives into the U.S. Treasury’s decision to eliminate the penny and explores the ripple effects—particularly how it changes traditions around wishing wells and fountains. Host Jeremy Odom, with research support from Johnny, examines everything from the business of coins in fountains to the folklore of making wishes and the bizarre objects people throw in the water.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The End of the Penny in America

• Jeremy opens with playful banter about his “authoritative” intro (02:50) and shifts to the day's main topic: the U.S. has officially phased out pennies.
• Personal note: As a former grocery store manager, Jeremy reflects on how this change affects retail transactions and jokes about his initial reaction: “But what about my wish?” (18:50)

2. Impact on Wishing Wells & Fountains

• Jeremy wonders aloud if the penny is the most common coin used for wishes, reasoning: “Pennies are the cheapest...Also generally the one you want to get rid of the most out of your pocket.” (07:50)
• Speculates on whether tossing in a higher-value coin, like a quarter, should yield a stronger wish:

  “If I throw in more than a penny, I would think I would have a better shot at getting this wish to come true.” (08:42)

• Predicts people will now start “getting just a little more aggressive on their wishes” (09:15) by tossing in higher-value coins.

3. Fun Facts about Fountains & the Wishing Industry

• Johnny provides research: throwing coins in fountains is big business, with millions of dollars tossed each year. (15:02)
• Trevi Fountain in Rome: $1.6 million annually in coins.
• Average smaller fountain: $100–$5,000 per year.
• About 40-60% of coins in fountains used to be pennies; now, we’ll likely see more nickels and quarters. (16:00)
• Average “wish toss” ranges between 18 and 30 cents—much higher than expected!

4. The Science & Superstition of Wishes

• The odds of a wish coming true are “anywhere between 5 and 20%,”—essentially the same as luck. (17:50)
• Most men, statistically, are wishing for a million dollars: “50 to 1 that when a male throws anything into the fountain...they’re wishing for a million dollars.” (18:15)
• Jeremy quips about rare coins and whether throwing in a valuable one increases your wish “return on investment” (21:10).

5. What Actually Goes into Fountains?

• Beyond coins, Jeremy lists:
  • Foreign coins (5–10% of the total)
  • Paper bills (sometimes in Ziploc bags to protect them from water damage) (22:45)
  • Jewelry, phones (usually accidental), photos, toys, animals (!), dentures, and even bicycles have been recovered. (23:00–25:30)
  • Noteworthy: “My favorite would be the fake human body parts—like mannequins and fake arms...That’s a hell of a prank.” (25:45)
  • Ponders if “genies or their cousins” are granting all these wishes. (23:50)

6. Coins, Charities, and the Circular Economy

• Jeremy is genuinely surprised by how much charity money comes from wishing wells:

  “The fact that thousands of dollars in coins is being thrown into these major fountains every single day is just so wild. I mean, it does go to good causes.” (27:28)

• Urges listeners not to let the penny’s extinction stop them from tossing coins and making wishes since many fountains donate collections to charity.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On his forceful intro:
  “If you feel that I was in particular yelling at you, then there’s probably some truth to it.” (02:54)

• On penny logic:
  “If the rate of getting your wish granted is the same with the quarter and the penny...then everybody should be throwing in pennies, but that’s the thing. They don’t.” (08:58)

• On the demise of the penny:
  “Here we are. We’re nickel and I. We’re nickel and diming them now, baby. But I just might be going all quarter.” (11:29)

• On rare coins in fountains:
  “I wonder if somebody not knowing throws in a very valuable coin and then wishes for something like maybe an A on a test...do they get the value in which they thought they were throwing it in or do they get the true up value of the coin for their wish?” (21:15)

• On what’s found in fountains:
  “People have found a full bicycle sitting at the bottom of [the Trevi Fountain]...That had to be on purpose. That’s got to be a prank.” (25:10)

• On the penny’s true legacy:
  “A lot of people, they think of the penny going away and they’re like, all right, how’s this impact retail? ...And I instantly went to, but what about my wish?” (28:20)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [02:50] – Jeremy’s comedic intro and setting the theme: pennies are out.
• [07:50] – Riffing on why pennies are most commonly used for wishes.
• [09:15] – Predicting the rise of bigger coins (quarters!) for wishes.
• [15:02] – Facts about money in fountains (millions per year).
• [16:00] – Breakdown of coin types in fountains and average value per toss.
• [17:50] – The (un)likelihood that wishes actually come true.
• [18:15] – Fun research on what people wish for (million dollars!).
• [21:10] – Tangent on ROI for rare coins in wishing wells.
• [22:45] – Everything else people throw in: bills, jewelry, toys, animals.
• [25:45] – Mannequins and prank objects in fountains.
• [27:28] – The charity side of wishing wells and why to keep wishing (and tossing).
• [28:20] – Summary: “But what about my wish?” and closing thoughts.

Overall Feel, Tone, and Takeaway

The episode is warm, silly, and packed with facts—Jeremy’s signature mix of observational humor and genuine curiosity comes through as he navigates a serious economic shift (the end of the penny) through the lighthearted lens of “wish economics.” He marvels at the unexpected outsized impact of coin tossing on both psyche and charity—and manages to riff on everything from accidental iphones in fountains to whether genies moonlight as wish granters.

For listeners:
If you’re missing pennies, don’t worry—you’re not alone, and your wishing well routine just got a lot richer (maybe literally). And next time you chuck that coin, remember: somebody in Rome is fishing out bikes, “chicken butt” messages, and the odd mannequin hand.

End of summary.