Well 12's a distinguished older gentleman. 4 was a Bohemian... erm, I think "nutter" is the word I'm looking for! (But let's not derail the thread!)
True, I took us slightly off topic, but then I don't carry anything unique except my memories (and my DNA, and my driver's licence, oh, I'll come in again...)
Wow, I thought you said a few Brazilian dollars. Now that would be some serious cash, I mean with that kind of money you could... wait, what's that? But I thought it was Brazilian, is that not a thing? Bazillion? That's not it either? Billion, really? Never mind.
My D22 swiss cross! I've carried it for years! Was a gift from a friend over on multitool forums a lifetime ago! I always wanted a ti version, but it was a gift, and stainless is ok in my book too! I'd never trade it for anything! I only ever take it off when the wife shaves my back.
My Tefillin (sorry can't post wikipedia link I don't think but google should explain). Had a forest fire last summer that got to within 60 yards from the house. Police didn't allow anyone nearby to retrieve stuff of course, at that point I realised that I should be carrying them on me. They are the most precious religious items for a Jew that most will own and are daily wear. I feel far more relaxed with them in my EDC bag.
I don't have it any more sadly, I lost it a decade or so ago with my wallet which it had been inside, but I used to carry a tiny silver 'Hamsa' pendant with an interesting story attached. Dotted around Israel are synagogues set up by holocaust survivors which are melancholy named 'Holocaust Remembrance Synagogues'. I was staying with a friends Aunt and Uncle in the North, near Haifa. The parents of the well known singer Dudu Fisher who did the US musical circuit for a while in the '90's. The father had been in Auchwitz and on friday night took me to the local 'Holocaust Remembrance' Synagogue. I was standing next to him just before prayers started, me a fresh faced 18 year old and him, an old grizzled hard man. Another bent old man came over to us and pressed the pendant into my hand. I was confused, I was a stranger. I thanked him profusely and humbly asked why I deserved a gift. His reply in strong Polishly accented Hebrew will always stay with me. 'We have forgotten what it is like to see young faces here, all our children moved on and there is none left but us old survivors'. I dearly wish I still had the pendant but the memory of his words is still as alive with me today. I now attend my local 'Holocaust Remembrance' Synagogue in Jerusalem, there are so few of the old men and women left, however the young people of the area have made sure that the synagogue and community is as vibrant and active as during 'their day'. My wife told me of one time sitting in the synagogue next to an Auchwitz survivor who looked at my kids and had tears running down her face. She told my wife 'It's been so long since we saw little children here and now the place is full of children'. Tears of joy. A wonderful feeling to have been part of that. Have to say these old survivors, in their 90's, are incredibly people, there is so much to learn from them. I asked one, a 94 year old, what the secret was to his long life. His answer 'I didn't take things personally, I never let anger simmer'. What a lesson!
Mines actually a "Cabac Voltfinger" I just used the term voltstick as a description, like kleenex is used instead of tissue
If you don't disqualify me for the basic nature of the item, then I'd bet nobody else EDC's a pair of vintage pince nez sunglasses.
A moose finger puppet, that replaced a bear finger puppet that lost an eye and an ear. Good luck charm from backpacking that ended up being carried day to day.
I always have a pennywhistle in my edc bag. It breaks down into 3 separate pieces. Since I'm a musician the very thought of being without a musical instrument of some kind for any length of time causes me great anxiety! I used to carry a harmonica.
Zeiss Miniquick 5x monocular/magnifier 3V CRAA Lithium Primary (same as a CR123) serves as full output back-up cell for my flashlight and also any of my other 2xAA devices.
