"Silver Penny Taken" - Error newspaper story from 1960

IkesT

I came upon this while browsing eBay and was curious to know if anyone can provide further detail on this story.

Did the Secret Service routinely confiscate error coins at that time? Only errors they thought might be counterfeits? Or is this case an outlier?

Did Mrs. Gieder ever get her coin back?

ricko

I have no information on that item, but a lesson learned.... Be quiet about such finds.... Cheers, RickO

IkesT

@ricko said:
I have no information on that item, but a lesson learned.... Be quiet about such finds.... Cheers, RickO

It seems times were different, then - I've never heard of the Secret Service confiscating off metal error coins in recent years.

@FredWeinberg , @ErrorsOnCoins , @SullivanNumismatics , @Byers - Do you have any insights on this particular story, or the Secret Service's general approach to error coins during the 1960's?

FredWeinberg

I'm not familiar with that particular story, but
the Treasury/Mint/SS did not go around confiscating
error coins in the 60's and '70's - with a few exceptions.

Most news stories in the '50's and 60's touted how someone
found a nice error in a roll or bag, for example.

Because of stories like this one, it was 'rumored' that they
would, but I never heard of, nor heard from, anyone who
had their off metal or double struck coins seized.

IkesT

Thank you, @FredWeinberg . The only other thing I can think of is that perhaps she was targeted because of the Justice Department connection, but it still seems like an overreach for them to take her coin.