The Fed says this is a cube of $1M. They're off by half a million

Post by quantadev » Tue, Jul 01, 2025, 8:38 PM UTC

a2800276 wrote: post #197

quantadev wrote: post #127

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, there's no way they piled the cash into a square on the floor and then measured it and then had the box made based on the measurements. They had the box made FIRST based on rough calculations, being sure to over-estimate it's size on purpose, knowing they can fill the interior with cardboard boxes as needed to space things out.

Considering they handle and transport a lot of money, it's safe to assume they don't meet to make back of the envelope estimations concerning weight and volume.

Post by dyauspitr » Tue, Jul 01, 2025, 8:43 PM UTC

grogenaut wrote: post #202

ggreer wrote: post #145

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It could be that they measured a stack of bills sitting on a table, then did the math to make a metal frame to contain $1,000,000. But they didn't account for stacks compressing under the weight of higher stacks, and it wouldn't look as nice if the top part of the cube was empty. Still, it does seem like it would be cheaper to rebuild the case than to add $500k to it. Maybe it's easy for the Fed to acquire more cash…

It's the cost of paper not the dollar value. Also only the outermost bills need be real the rest could just be paper, or voided bills or whatever. But accounting can cover it. It's not gold or pennies where the currency costs what it is worth to make

Post by hidelooktropic » Tue, Jul 01, 2025, 8:44 PM UTC

daemonologist wrote: post #149

mrandish wrote: post #91

> For all we know, the middle is just air and crumpled-up old newspaper. I think this is the answer. I suspect the exhibit designers had a cool idea for a display, did a rough estimate of the area needed and then commissioned the exhibit builders to make the big metal-framed cube. Either they made an error in their calculation or the innate variability in the size of stacks of used bills threw it off. It's also possi…

The compression of the bills under their own weight might account for the excessive margin - a lone $100 bundle, even compressed by hand before measuring, probably takes up more vertical space than the ones in the cube.

Post by bandofthehawk » Tue, Jul 01, 2025, 8:45 PM UTC

kasey_junk wrote: post #255

grogenaut wrote: post #202

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's the cost of paper not the dollar value. Also only the outermost bills need be real the rest could just be paper, or voided bills or whatever. But accounting can cover it. It's not gold or pennies where the currency costs what it is worth to make

Coins don’t cost what they are worth to make.

Post by tmtvl » Tue, Jul 01, 2025, 8:53 PM UTC

NoSalt wrote: post #264

mrandish wrote: post #91

> For all we know, the middle is just air and crumpled-up old newspaper. I think this is the answer. I suspect the exhibit designers had a cool idea for a display, did a rough estimate of the area needed and then commissioned the exhibit builders to make the big metal-framed cube. Either they made an error in their calculation or the innate variability in the size of stacks of used bills threw it off. It's also possi…

> "How do I know that's not a bunch of ones with a twenty wrapped around it?" ~ Vincent LaGuardia Gambini