我现在看来是一种钱币。

客户多久以现金向您付款？前几天，我问面包店里的那位女士：“几乎所有外国人都用卡付款

A customer at the bakery paid me with a two-euro coin. It was French, and it had 1999 on it.

面包店的一位客户用两欧元的硬币付给我。那是法国人，它的1999年。

“Look after this coin,” she said, eyes wide with excitement, as she dropped the coin into my hand like it was a newborn baby. “Are we broke, then?” I quipped.

“照顾这枚硬币，”她兴奋地睁大了眼睛，当她把硬币扔到我的手里时，就像是新生婴儿一样。 “那我们破产了吗？”我打趣。

“No, it’s a French two-euro from 1999. It could be worth a fortune!” she declared, with the conviction of someone who’s been binge-watching Antiques Roadshow.

“不，这是1999年以来的法国两欧，这可能是值得的！”她宣称，有人定罪了一个一直在狂欢古董路演的人。

One of her clients — who presumably knew about coins — had spotted it in the change tray and told her to treasure it. “Very rare! Very valuable!” the oracle had proclaimed.

她的一位客户 - 大概知道硬币 - 在更改托盘中发现了它，并告诉她珍惜它。 “非常稀有！非常有价值！”甲骨文宣布。

I turned the coin over in my hand. Indeed, it said 1999 and France. Perfect storm number two complete.

我把硬币握在手里。确实，它说1999年和法国。完美的风暴第二。

Now, there was only one responsible thing left to do. Panic. And Google. What awaited me was the stuff of a fever dream. Listings! So many listings! EBay auctions, Amazon offers. And the price quoted €3,000.

现在，只剩下一件负责任的事情。恐慌。和Google。等待着我的是一个发烧的梦。列表！这么多清单！ eBay拍卖，亚马逊提供。价格引用了3,000欧元。

Three thousand euros.

三千欧元。

For a coin smaller than a biscuit.

对于小于饼干的硬币。

And because misery loves company, I asked AI for confirmation.

而且由于苦难爱公司，我要求AI确认。

Big mistake.

大错误。

ChatGPT thoughtfully informed me that, and I quote, “The value of a 1999 French 2-euro coin largely depends on its condition and rarity. If it is in uncirculated condition and a rare variety, it could be worth a considerable amount, potentially several thousand euros. However, if it is a common variety in circulated condition, it would be worth around two euros.”

Chatgpt若有所思地告诉我，我引用了“ 1999年法国2-euro硬币的价值在很大程度上取决于其状况和稀有性。如果它处于不流通状态且罕见的品种，那么它可能值得一提，可能是数千欧元。但是，如果它在循环的情况下是一种普遍的元素，那么它将是大约两次欧元的欧元。”

Which is another way of saying, “Could be worth two euros, could be worth your house. Good luck!”

这是另一种说法：“可能值得两欧元，值得您的房子。祝你好运！”

The internet, it seemed, had declared me rich.

互联网似乎宣布我有钱。

But then a cold, hard fact rattled around in the attic of my brain.

但是随后一个寒冷，艰难的事实在我的大脑的阁楼中乱七八糟。

1999?

1999年？

That was the year the euro was introduced. Not in actual coins and notes. Those didn’t hit the public until 2002. A sneaky thought crept in: had we discovered a “lost” pre-launch euro? Some priceless relic? The Ark of the Covenant — but shinier and with a European Central Bank logo?

那是引入欧元的那一年。不在实际的硬币和笔记中。直到2002年，这些人才袭击公众。一个偷偷摸摸的想法爬上了：我们是否发现了“丢失”的欧元前？一些无价的遗物？盟约的方舟 - 但更亮，并带有欧洲中央银行徽标？

And oh, how I wanted the story to end there. To tell you that I’m now writing this from a beach hammock in Bali, sipping a cocktail called “Coin Collector’s Dream” and laughing at my former poverty.

哦，我希望这个故事结束在那里。告诉您，我现在是从巴厘岛的海滩吊床上写这篇文章的，喝了一个名为“币收藏家的梦想”的鸡尾酒，嘲笑我以前的贫困。

Alas.

唉。

More research — and a polite but crushing reply from an actual coin expert — destroyed everything. “Short answer: it's worth two euros. Long answer: it’s worth 200 euro cents.”

更多的研究 - 以及一位实际的硬币专家的礼貌但又令人沮丧的答复 - 摧毁了一切。 “简短的答案：价值两欧元。长答案：价值200欧元。”

Our little miracle? Worth about the price of a cup of coffee. And not even a good coffee. The Lost Ark? More like a Lost Cause.

我们的小奇迹？值得一杯咖啡的价格。甚至没有好咖啡。失落的方舟？更像是一个失落的原因。

He added “I don't know what's up with E-Bay and the like, but people there ask for absolutely unrealistic coin prices that should never be taken into account. Numismatic shops charge under five euros for the same coin, and that's in its uncirculated state,” he added.

他补充说：“我不知道电子湾等情况，但是那里的人们要求绝对不切实际的硬币价格。

Turns out, 59 million — yes, million — of these coins were minted. If they’re rare, then so is a supermarket plastic bag. And so I find myself richer only in wisdom, not in wealth.

事实证明，这些硬币中有5900万 - 是的，是百万。如果它们很少见，那么超市塑料袋也是如此。因此，我发现自己只有智慧，而不是财富。

No dreams of retiring early. Just two euros and a bruised ego. Lesson learned: when it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. And if you’re banking your future on loose change, you might just be the one who’s a few cents short.

没有尽早退休的梦想。只有两欧元和一个瘀伤的自我。经验教训：当听起来太好了，可能是真实的。而且，如果您将未来的变化依靠，那么您可能就是那些短几美分的人。

At least I learnt a new word.

至少我学到了一个新词。