I finally visited the Franklin Antique Mall basement and found a guy trading expired coupons like currency

Went down there last Saturday looking for old records and stumbled on a back room where a guy had binders full of 2022 diaper coupons. He was swapping them with three others for pet food and detergent clippings. They had a whole system with values written on sticky notes. Has anyone else seen secret coupon trading rings hiding in plain sight?

3 comments

3 Comments

reese_hayes7124d agoMost Upvoted

The 2022 diaper coupon detail got me lmao. I legit thought you were making this up until my buddy Dave told me he saw something similar at a flea market in Ohio where a lady was hoarding thrity year old grocery coupons in a shoebox. People get really serious about clipping and trading, it's almost like a whole underground economy. I can't believe they have sticky note values and everything, that's wild. Makes me wonder what else goes down in those basement rooms that we just don't see.

the_thomas24d ago

Read an article a while back about couponing subreddits where people treat expired coupons like baseball cards. Some of those old ones actually have value for collectors who frame them or use them in craft projects. But a whole trading ring with sticky note exchange rates sounds next level. I guess when you've spent years clipping and organizing, you find other weirdos who get the hobby. Bet the antique mall owner knows exactly what's happening and probably charges them rent for the back room.

jamief6724d ago

Honestly, how do these people even decide what a 2022 diaper coupon is worth? Seems like a lot of work for some old paper clippings. But I guess if you're that into couponing, you find your people wherever you can.