Coining ways to cover costs.

Byline: Andrea Damewood The Register-Guard

Lane County officials have learned that to make money, they've actually got to create money.

Not money that can be spent in stores, of course. But maintaining out-of-commission covered bridges costs the county Parks Division a pretty penny, and something had to be done to help offset the expense.

So the county took a chance, minting the first of 17 silver "coins" featuring county covered bridges, with the proceeds going to maintain the now-retired structures.

"We didn't have any idea when we started what the interest would be," Public Works Executive Assistant Vonnie Rainwater said. "It's been very successful and well-received."

After releasing the third coin last week, featuring the Office Bridge in Westfir, the county has made at least $13,000, she said. Two other coins, with the Goodpasture and Lowell bridges, were released last year.

Most of the covered bridges in Lane County were built between 1920 and 1940, and fall under the county roads budget, Rainwater said. But a state law says that any money allocated for road repairs cannot be used on covered bridges that are closed to traffic - placing the Lowell, Currin and Stewart bridges under the county Parks Division budget.

"They're very, very expensive to maintain," Public Works Director Ollie Snowden said.

The Parks Division spent about $13,300 last year for general upkeep such as replacing boards and fixing holes in roofs to prevent rotting on the Currin and Stewart bridges near Cottage Grove. The division also used a $3 million grant to renovate the Lowell Bridge - funds that they also hope to raise for complete makeovers on the other two bridges.

"We knew going into this that we wouldn't get all of the money we needed to cover bridge costs, but it will help to defray the costs," Snowden said.

Plans are to release two coins a year - and as the county with the most covered bridges west of the Mississippi, that could equal to a lot of money, Rainwater said.

The Goodpasture and Office bridge mintings were given a 500-coin run, while 600 Lowell Bridge coins were minted. The Goodpasture coin cost $20 and the Lowell and Office coins are $25. The first 25 of each series were numbered in series and were sold at auctions, Rainwater said.

The competition for some numbered coins has been fierce: The No. 1 coin for Goodpasture Bridge went for $400, at Lowell it was $510 and the Office bridge took $280.

Eugene resident Donna Bothwell beat out all comers for the first coins from the Lowell and Office mintings, which she bought for her son, Jerry, a coin collector.

Bothwell, 77, said she has always loved the area's covered bridges, and has visited each bridge at least once.

"I got in the front row, and I was determined to get No. 1," she said. "I feel like the money that I'm bidding is going to help restore the bridges and so I feel like it's going to a good cause."

She said she plans to get all of the number ones, joking that it's her "incentive to live a long time."

For some coin collectors and dealers, the coins already are bringing a personal profit.

The unnumbered Goodpasture Bridge coins are now sold out, leaving collectors scrambling to find more, said Jeff Thurn, owner of North Star Coin and Jewelry in Spring- field.

Last week, he said he sold a $20 Goodpasture coin on e-Bay for $99.99.

"It sold to a guy named Steve Goodpasture," Thurn said. "It seems to be (the coins) have gotten into collectors' hands, and there aren't a lot floating around these days."

Rainwater said she has 365 people on a mailing list of coin fans from as far away as New York, New Jersey and Florida.

Coins slated for release in 2007 will feature the Marcola Bridge - due out July 28, at the Ann Mary Cole Days Festival - and the Currin Bridge in Cottage Grove, which will debut Oct. 6 at what organizers hope will be the first of many Covered Bridge and Chili Cook-Offs.

Along with the coin release, the county also will offer 100 limited-edition prints of each bridge by Cottage Grove artist Michael Jannish. The prints sell for $15.

"There are a lot of people who are covered-bridge enthusiasts, and there are a lot of coin collectors," Rainwater said. "The bridges have a special place in their hearts."

LANE COUNTY COVERED BRIDGE COINS Price: $25 Availability: About 65 Lowell coins and 315 Office coins. Goodpasture Bridge coins are sold out. To buy: To purchase a coin visit http://ecomm.lanecounty.org or go to Lane County Public Works, 3040 N. Delta Highway. For more information, call 682-6900.