one of my friends would only pick up pennies if they were head side up

Growing up my brother and I also held to this condition. I think we learned it from my father (who grew up in the Boston area, FWIW). I think there was a second couplet after (as we knew it)...
Find a penny, pick it up,
All day long you'll have good luck.
But I can't remember what it was. The heads-up rule only applied to pennies, all other change was fair game, even if it was on its edge (a la Twilight Zone).