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"I have a box of coins. Do you want to look at it?"

partyofone

Elite Member
Joined
Mar 7, 2013
Messages
1,264
Location
Central PA
Let me begin by saying that this is an absolutely true story but I was dumb enough to not take pics.

December 25, 2019, I was sitting at my mother in law's dining room table when she says to me, "I have a box of coins that my aunt had. I don't know what's all there. Do you want to look at it and see?"

"Absolutely!"

We walk down to her basement and she points to the box. An office paper box! I could barely lift it, but I managed to get it back up the stairs.

I removed the lid and the excitement began to build. I could see silver, but I had no idea what awaited me. Inside the larger box was an assortment of smaller boxes, change purses, jars, containers, and wads of paper. I began the search.

One box contained over 100 Peace Dollars and Morgan Dollars. Some of the boxes were loaded with Kennedy, Franklin, and Barber Half Dollars. Boxes of buffalo nickels, indians, wheats, and other assorted pennies.

Every time something especially exciting came out, I would put it in my hand and pace around the room. I was holding coins that I have only ever dreamed of digging. 2 cent pieces, Seated this and that, large cents, half cents, a Flying Eagle, and a Capped Bust Half Dollar.

THEN - my oldest daughter slid open the lid of a small wooden box and said, "Dad. Hold out your hand." From the box slid $70 in Gold Coins. a $20, 4 $10, and 4 $5 coins.

My MIL told me that she didn't want the stuff and wanted me to be the broker in the sale of the items. I was allowed to keep whatever I wanted and sell the rest.

I brought it all home and went to see my local coin dealer. He's a trustworthy guy and we went through the box piece by piece. I searched everything for key dates and came up with one real winner. There was an 1893 S Morgan in the pile. That one coin alone netted me $3500.

In total, I sold right around $15K worth of coins and silver certificates to him over the course of several days.

The coins came from a woman who was born in 1914. She always paid cash for everything and knew the value of money. She was a wonderful woman who's legacy will live on in our family forever.
 
That is really an amazing story and glad you helped her out. BTW, where in central PA are you?

Steve
 
Other than the math on the gold not working, that’s a crazy deal! I would’ve thought the capped half would’ve been worth money, was it? Oddly enough, MY in-laws who have passed away, left my wife and her sister a nice collection as well, nothing quite like you describe though. What a thrill, especially for someone who is interested in coins to begin with!
You just NEVER know what’s going to happen next!
 
Other than the math on the gold not working, that’s a crazy deal! I would’ve thought the capped half would’ve been worth money, was it? Oddly enough, MY in-laws who have passed away, left my wife and her sister a nice collection as well, nothing quite like you describe though. What a thrill, especially for someone who is interested in coins to begin with!
You just NEVER know what’s going to happen next!

Oops. That’s why I teach music
 
..........she didn't want the stuff and wanted me to be the broker in the sale of the items. I was allowed to keep whatever I wanted and sell the rest.............There was an 1893 S Morgan.....That one coin alone netted me $3500..........

That sounds like a pretty sweet deal. You keep what you want for the trouble of brokering the deal, she gets the proceeds of the sale, plus she's OK with you selling what you decided to "keep"!? Mother in law of the year!

I have an older relative who retired as a bank teller. For years she bought the silver coins that came through. She knows I "appreciate old coins" and I'll get them one day. I've never seen the collection, so that'll be a surprise.
 
Flip side to this story:
I was walking with my new neighbor and our dogs, and asked her if I could hunt in her yard with my detector. I told her about the hobby, things that I had found, and all the coins that I'd recovered over the years. She started asking me about value, and I told her about old silver and how a dime from the past was not like a dime today, how older coins had intrinsic value due to metal content. She started crying. It turns out that her father had a big collection of "really old coins", and when he passed away she took all the collection to the bank and turned it in for face value. An inheritance gone. She absolutely had no idea that any of it had value, and apparently he did not teach or show her any of it to instill appreciation or value. It was so sad to see. Someone at the bank, or roll hunters got some big surprises for sure.

Educate your wives, and children about what you have & collect. :oldguy:
 
Flip side to this story:
I was walking with my new neighbor and our dogs, and asked her if I could hunt in her yard with my detector. I told her about the hobby, things that I had found, and all the coins that I'd recovered over the years. She started asking me about value, and I told her about old silver and how a dime from the past was not like a dime today, how older coins had intrinsic value due to metal content. She started crying. It turns out that her father had a big collection of "really old coins", and when he passed away she took all the collection to the bank and turned it in for face value. An inheritance gone. She absolutely had no idea that any of it had value, and apparently he did not teach or show her any of it to instill appreciation or value. It was so sad to see. Someone at the bank, or roll hunters got some big surprises for sure.

Educate your wives, and children about what you have & collect. :oldguy:

Amen to that !
 
I have heard several variations of this story, witnessing one personally.

The one I saw, was where a man passed away, and left his coin collection to his granddaughter. She, not knowing better, was using it to buy breakfast at our work cafeteria - throwing silver halves, quarters, etc, in the “honor basket”.



Flip side to this story:
I was walking with my new neighbor and our dogs, and asked her if I could hunt in her yard with my detector. I told her about the hobby, things that I had found, and all the coins that I'd recovered over the years. She started asking me about value, and I told her about old silver and how a dime from the past was not like a dime today, how older coins had intrinsic value due to metal content. She started crying. It turns out that her father had a big collection of "really old coins", and when he passed away she took all the collection to the bank and turned it in for face value. An inheritance gone. She absolutely had no idea that any of it had value, and apparently he did not teach or show her any of it to instill appreciation or value. It was so sad to see. Someone at the bank, or roll hunters got some big surprises for sure.

Educate your wives, and children about what you have & collect. :oldguy:
 
partyofone

Cool story about a grand old girl, good thing she confided in you. Not saying any of yours are but some family members would have just seen dollar signs for themselves but we all probably have seen some like that.

Steve........
 
As a college student in the late 60's i worked as a cashier in a supermarket.

The night manager would call me up into the office when things were quiet to help him go through all the tills looking for silver.

My wife has a clear plastic bank with a lot of silver coins. I confess to slipping out a dime and quarter for test purposes!

About 15 years ago my late uncle was moved into an assisted living facility. He left us a treasure map of his old house trailer when he moved from it. There were several hidden locations holding canvas money bags filled with silver coins. Then the trailer was torn down. Hope we didn't miss any of them

Older sister was handling his estate and used proceeds to cover seversal expenses.
 
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