No one solved GRRiddler + 2022, so the prizes have been rolled over into GRRiddler 2023. Like all the other Grand Rapids Riddler hunts, the main prizes will be some sort of silver and a carbon monoxide detector. I've been giving away current year U.S. Mint silver proof sets in previous hunts. Since no one found GRRiddler + 2022, the lucky winner of GRRiddler will receive two US Mint proof sets! And now on to the prizes...
Word on Fire Book Collection
Word on Fire is back again as a sponsor this year, generously providing a collection of books for part of the prize package. Retail value of the collection is about $75. Find other great books at the Word on Fire store. Learn more about Word on Fire ministries at wordonfire.org
Redeeming the Time
Author: Robert Barron
The past several years have been a time of tremendous challenge. From the COVID-19 pandemic that afflicted the world, to the political polarization that unsettled the nation, to the division, disaffiliation, and scandal that rocked the Church, Catholics everywhere have been filled with fear, burdened by pain, and longing for hope. In Redeeming the Time, Bishop Robert Barron follows the wisdom of St. Paul in Ephesians 5 and boldly shines the light of the Gospel into our dark hour. Sorting through our moral, intellectual, social, political, and ecclesial turmoil, this collection of essays is a timely reminder that our hope—especially when things seem hopeless—is always found in Christ and his Church.
Vibrant Paradoxes: The Both/And of Catholicism
Author: Robert Barron
G.K. Chesterton once said that Catholicism keeps its beliefs "side by side like two strong colors, red and white...It has always had a healthy hatred of pink." Catholicism is both/and, not either/or. It celebrates the union of contraries--grace and nature, faith and reason, Scripture and tradition, body and soul--in a way that the full energy of each opposing element remains in place. In Vibrant Paradoxes, bestselling author Bishop Robert Barron brings together themes and motifs that many would consider mutually exclusive or, at best, awkward in their juxtaposition. But seen through the Incarnation, these opposites crash together and reflect new light in every direction.
Seeds of the Word
Author: Robert Barron
Since the first century, Christians have detected “seeds of the Word" in the surrounding culture. No matter how charred or distorted the fragments, we can always uncover inklings of the Gospel, which can then lead people to God. Through this evocative collection of essays, Bishop Robert Barron finds those “seeds" in today's most popular films, books, and current events. How do Superman, Gran Torino, and The Hobbit illuminate the figure of Jesus? How does Bob Dylan convey the prophetic overtones of Jeremiah and Isaiah? Where can we detect the ripple of original sin in politics, sports, and the Internet culture? Finding the “seeds of the Word" requires a new vision. This book will train you to see.
2022 US Mint Silver Proof Set
A perfect gift for special achievements, promotions, graduations, and more!
The 2022 Silver Proof Set features five 99.9% fine silver proof quarters from the American Women Quarters™ Program honoring:
- Maya Angelou – celebrated writer, performer, and social activist
- Dr. Sally Ride – physicist and first American woman in space
- Wilma Mankiller – first woman to be principal chief of the Cherokee Nation
- Nina Otero-Warren – a leader in New Mexico’s suffrage movement
- Anna May Wong – first Chinese American woman to be a Hollywood film star, director, and producer
Each set contains 1.473 troy ounces of fine silver and is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity
1963 US Mint Proof Set
For this inaugural GRRiddler + hunt, I'm giving away another proof set, but this one is from 1963. For decades now, the United States Mint has issued proof sets for collectors on an annual basis. Proof Sets typically feature one of each denomination from the release of circulation coins, but with each coin struck in brilliant proof. In addition to offering beautiful visuals, sets such as the 1963 Proof Set also have silver content in some of the coins.
Coin Set Highlights:
- Coins arrive in sealed plastic pouches with a US Mint envelope and Certificate of Authenticity!
- Includes five 1963 coins from the US Mint!
- Last year for the Franklin Half Dollar!
- Total issue of 3,075,645 proof sets in 1963!
- Contains .6148 Troy oz of actual silver content.
- Bears individual face values in US dollars.
- Obverse and reverse designs vary by denomination.
- Proof specimens.
The set comes with the original packaging from the United States Mint and includes a Certificate of Authenticity. Early proof sets such as these were often referred to as Proof Envelope Sets as the US Mint shipped the sets to collectors in manila envelopes to help delay the onset of tarnishing and discoloration on the coins. The coins are sealed in individual pouches in a clear sheet and packaged inside the US Mint envelope.
Included in this set are five different proof coins. These coins all have frosted designs with mirror-like background fields. Three of the five coins have 90% silver content for a total of .6148 Troy oz of silver in the set. The silver coins in this set are the 1963 Dime, 1963 Quarter, and the 1963 Half Dollar.
This set comes with a US Penny, US Nickel, US Dime, US Quarter, and the US Half Dollar. Each coin has its own design elements, with Presidents Lincoln, Jefferson, Roosevelt, and Washington on the penny, nickel, dime, and quarter respectively.
The highlight coin in the 1963 US Mint Proof Set is the 1963 Franklin Half Dollar. The Franklin Half Dollar design replaced the Walking Liberty Half dollar in 1948 and was struck until 1963. The next year, it was replaced by the Kennedy Half Dollar design. On the obverse side, you will find a right-profile portrait of Benjamin Franklin. The reverse face of the Kennedy Half Dollar comes with a Liberty Bell at the center of the design and a small heraldic eagle to the right side of the bell.
Steel Pennies
In addition to the 1963 Proof Set, the winner will also get a set of 10 steel pennies from 1943. The pennies were struck in steel due to wartime shortages of copper. The Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco mints each produced these 1943 Lincoln cents. The unique composition of the coin (low-grade steel coated with zinc, instead of the previously 95%-copper-based bronze composition) has led to various nicknames, such as wartime cent, steel war penny, zinc cent and steelie. The 1943 steel cent features the same Victor David Brenner design for the Lincoln cent which had been in use since 1909.Due to wartime needs of copper for use in ammunition and other military equipment during World War II, the United States Mint researched various ways to limit dependence and meet conservation goals on copper usage. After trying out several substitutes (ranging from other metals to plastics) to replace the then-standard bronze alloy, the one-cent coin was minted in zinc-coated steel. This alloy caused the new coins to be magnetic and 13% lighter. They were struck at all three mints: Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco. As with the bronze cents, coins from the latter two sites have respectively "D" and "S" mintmarks below the date.
However, problems began to arise from the mintage. Freshly minted, they were often mistaken for dimes. Magnets in vending machines (which took copper cents) placed to pick up steel slugs also picked up the legitimate steel cents. Because the galvanization process did not cover the edges of the coins, sweat would quickly rust the metal. After public outcry, the Mint developed a process whereby salvaged brass shell casings were augmented with pure copper to produce an alloy close to the 1941–42 composition. This was used for 1944–46-dated cents, after which the prewar composition was resumed. Although they continued to circulate into the 1960s, the mint collected large numbers of the 1943 cents and destroyed them.
The steel cent is the only regular-issue United States coin that can be picked up with a magnet. The steel cent was also the only coin issued by the United States for circulation that does not contain any copper. (Even U.S. gold coins at various times contained from slightly over 2% copper to an eventual standard 10% copper to increase resistance to wear by making the pure gold coins slightly harder).
One of a Kind Winner's Mug
You wouldn't be a winner without the winner's mug! So here it is.
52 Little Lessons from It's a Wonderful Life
If George and Mary Bailey are annual guests at your home every winter, you already know that It's a Wonderful Life is more than just a holiday tradition--it's a powerful reminder that our lives can change everyone around us, for better or worse. But what can this Christmas classic teach us about our everyday lives?
52 Little Lessons from It's a Wonderful Life will change the way you think about this holiday staple, from the lightheartedness of George and Mary's floor-parting dance to the poignancy of a community that rallies to save a desperate man, Bob Welch's 52 Little Lessons from It's a Wonderful Life will inspire you to live for the things that matter most.
Welch invites us to revisit the defining lessons in Frank Capra's 1946 classic and discover new dimensions of the film you've seen time and again, including:
What can we all learn from Mary's quiet contentedness?
Can George's selflessness make you rethink your own priorities?
What impact do we have on the people around us?
Join Welch for a close-up of the characters and themes that shape this timeless story of resilience and redemption. You'll be reminded that life's most important work is often the work we never planned to do, that God can use the most unlikely among us to get the job done, and that grace is the greatest gift we can possibly give.
Discover why It's a Wonderful Life is more than just a holiday tradition--it's an inspiration for us to lead better lives, to become people of honor and integrity, and to recognize what really matters.
Items Beyond Description
Rock & Mineral Collection with identification sheet, plus a genuine meteorite fragment, shark teeth and arrowheads. This kit teaches how to find, sort and identify rocks, gems, and minerals. It contains over 200 special, hand-sorted, and ethically sourced specimens including real shark teeth, real meteorite, arrowheads, fool's gold, amethyst, tiger eye, pumice (it floats!), goldstone, and many more.
Genuine Meteorite from Outer Space
This collection is contained in a small treasure chest that measures measures 7 x 5 x 5.5 inches.
Carbon Monoxide Detector
When the CO alarm detects carbon monoxide gas, 4 loud beeps will sound to alert you to the danger and a red LED will illuminate. The CO detector also features a Replacement Alert, which chirps 2 times every 30 seconds to indicate that it's time to replace the detector. For whole-home family detection, place one carbon monoxide detector on each level of your home and outside each sleeping area. UL Certified with a 10-year limited warranty. Meets requirements of UL 2034.
