Weird & Wacky News (37th Edition)

From around the corner, down the street, and up your alley, here are some stories that hitting the headlines… and they’re all TRUE!!

Dateline: Costa Mesa, California

Penny for your thoughts? Stack’s Bowers Galleries held an auction, but not for a painting, sculpture, or some valuable artifact from Egypt. It was for three pennies! Oh, but not just any three pennies, but the last one-cent pennies ever minted by the U.S. government, as per the new order to stop manufacturing them. The winning bidder ($800K) also received the three dies that struck those coins. “I’ve been going to coin auctions for 40 years, and I’ve never seen anything like this,” said John Kraljevich of Stack’s Bowers Gallery. A nickel and dime at the auction had no comment.

Dateline: Northumberland, England

School daze. The Amble Links Primary School had “naughty elves” attack their school with an odd assortment of goofy pranks, like bricking up the school entrance, filling the head teacher’s office with balls, and getting a herd of sheep to block the school’s entrance. But these “elves” are really community members enjoying some Holiday hijinks. Head teacher Paul Healey says “It does involve some very, very early mornings”, recalling that it brings joy to the children. No word on whether or not those kids have to clean up the mess!

Dateline: Auckland, New Zealand

You want fries with that? Officers were dispatched to Partridge Jewelers and arrested a 32-year-old man. Why? He was accused of swallowing a $19,000 Faberge Egg pendant, set with white diamonds, blue sapphires, and an 18-karat-gold miniature octopus inside! *Gulp!* And talk about your crappy duty! While officers are currently awaiting a certain biological development, a key officer was assigned to constantly monitor the man and his (ahem) bathroom visits. Inspector Grae Anderson said, “At this stage, the pendant has not been recovered.” Well, what goes in has to come out eventually, right?