I found a set of my wife's coins

fcloud

I haven't really said anything to the group on the message boards (some members knew). I lost my wife of 44 years 14 months ago, and it has been difficult for me. Linda was a great support for me in my hobby and small business. I miss her dearly, and today I found her stash of Flattened Cents, which put a smile on my face remembering all the different places we went. Enjoy a peek into her collection, and was able to touch the coins she carefully arranged into her holders. She also had an empty holder for the next chapters of our lives, but it remains empty.
Show us something someone else has that is close to you.

coinbuf

Beautiful memories, and my most heartfelt condolences on your loss.

JBK

Condolences. Those are nice reminders.

Modern elongated coins are basically tourist "junk", but guess what I do when I go on vacation? I make sure I have a big supply of quarters and copper cents (I prefer them over zinc). I can't help myself.

fcloud

@JBK said:
Condolences. Those are nice reminders.

Modern elongated coins are basically tourist "junk", but guess what I do when I go on vacation? I make sure I have a big supply of quarters and copper cents (I prefer them over zinc). I can't help myself.

Yes, definitely not an investment, but treasures of memories that are irreplaceable.
Thank you for the condolences.

davewesen

were those places you had been to? what memories +++

crazyhounddog

It’s great that you found those coins and it gives you comfort.
All my best to you my brother

fcloud

@davewesen said:
were those places you had been to? what memories +++

Yes, there are only a few she had where I wasn't along, so many previous times to remember with small squished cents.

rooksmith

Nice -- Keep them in a cool dry place! -close to your heart.

rooksmith

We used to call them squashed pennies, and it really was phenomenon. I loved making them - at Wall Drug in South Dakota, and all over the west.

fcloud

@rooksmith said:
We used to call them squashed pennies, and it really was phenomenon. I loved making them - at Wall Drug in South Dakota, and all over the west.

Yes, I know she had at least one Wall Drug cent. Fun place. We took one of those old-time photos across the street. LOL.

BryceM

There's something amazingly sweet about this post.

".....it has been difficult for me" is probably the understatement of the century. Loosing a spouse is utterly devastating. Even a long, happy life is never enough. We are but transients here on this brief journey. So sorry for your loss. Words are never enough.

SkyMan

Very sorry for your loss. That looks like a fun book for remembrance...

Herb_T

Fun memories, thank you for sharing. I am sure she left them someplace she knew you would find them. Memories are meant to help us…..I think of my dad and sister often and when I do it puts a smile on my face.

JBK

@fcloud said:

@davewesen said:
were those places you had been to? what memories +++

Yes, there are only a few she had where I wasn't along, so many previous times to remember with small squished cents.

And THAT'S what it's all about.

gumby1234

Sorry for your loss. Losing any friend or family member is tough. Memories in those elongated cents will help ease your pain.

Justacommeman

My deepest condolences. Thank you for sharing her coins with us and I know you will cherish them as the prize possessions they are

m

jmlanzaf

I'm very sorry for your loss. Always difficult.

vulcanize

Very sorry to hear about your loss.

My wife and I used to do the same squished pennies memorabilia collecting them wherever we went as a couple before kids came on the scene. I think we did only one more after that and that too at Chuck E Cheese.

Just wanted to say a big thank you to our gracious hosts and chime in that my wife loved the latest 2022 PCGS calendar that was recd. in the mail sometime in end Dec.
She was actually astonished, comparing the look of the St. Gauden, Morgan and a few other coins (including the silver bullion copies) in hand versus the printed one. The look of awe on her face was indescribable and she quickly became the boss and said "I am keeping the calendar, you have your coins".
I had a good chuckle and said okay, but you have to buy the other ones that are not in my collection. She was too engrossed or pretended to be busy studying the details of some coins and her jaw dropped when she saw the sold prices. Told her to never think that my coins are worth that many zeros and were at the most, just fetch spot price monies.
Anyways, she looked happy and that was all that mattered during the two week holiday vacation time with her.

Take care.
Cheers.

Type2

Very sorry to hear of your loss, my condolences as well. That is very very cool to see she is with you in her special way keep busy my friend.

HoneyMarket

@fcloud said:

@davewesen said:
were those places you had been to? what memories +++

Yes, there are only a few she had where I wasn't along, so many previous times to remember with small squished cents.

Each "squished cent" is a memory, a memory more valuable than GOLD itself!

Is there one particular squished cent from a trip that stands out? A memory like no other?
Maybe it was something funny that happened, maybe it was something horrible that happened (ex. flat tire in the middle of a thunderstorm)?
Or, where was the Route 66 squished cent from? That's a long road with many different stops along the way?
For me - Route 66 will always be remembered as visiting the Santa Monica pier with my family!

lkenefic

My sincere condolences... and thank you for sharing your memories. Priceless...

kaz

I'm so sorry for your loss. Thanks for sharing the collection.

jedm

My condolences, I'm at a loss for words that haven't already been posted very eloquently by others before me. Thank you for sharing.

golden

So sorry for your loss.

Steven59

So sorry to hear. That is a very nice memory of her to find and keep with you.

Catbert

Glad you spoke about her here so we could know a little about her while also allowing you to vent a bit of pain with us by your side. While your loss is awful, I know you’re also grateful to have many years of positive memories to contemplate. Maybe you could continue to travel and continue her collection with new additions in her honor.

joeykoins

So sorry for your loss, my friend.
Memories are beautiful.
If interested? You can have some of your sweetie's coins placed in some of PCGS Holders along with your wife's name or a title of your choice on the slab?
I had this done with my "Dad's Dollar's".
He engraved all his kids names/birthdays on some Morgan/Peace Dollars.

Smudge

Great find and condolences, hopefully she used mostly pre 82 cents.

Goldbully

Beautiful tribute thread for your Linda.

The 'empty holder' will be filled one wonderful day.

So sorry for your loss. May she rest in peace.

HoneyMarket

@fcloud said:
She also had an empty holder for the next chapters of our lives, but it remains empty.

...she probably also knew, that you would fill those empty holders with your own journeys. Maybe it will be exciting journeys with kids, grandkids, friends, etc???

And just like the trips were you were not along, those empty holders are an invitation for you to fill so that you can tell her all about them the next time y'all see each other!

Flatwoods

Very sorry to hear of your loss.
Those are wonderful coins and memories.

I lost my mom a few years ago. I visit my dad often and try to help with things.
I went down to the basement recently and saw my mom's plants. Mostly dead and withered. This Christmas cactus was clinging to life.
I couldn't bear to leave it. It is now being revived in the laundry room sink

amwldcoin

fcloud

@joeykoins I had done a tribute set to her many years ago.

I called the set "Linda's Lil Gold Hoard" the set was number one when I first added it, and it does carry a fun pedigree.

Also, I have the quarter she used when she scratched a few lottery tickets; even though, it was a old worn out clad Washington. I will send it off with one of my orders to get it slabbed.

Thank you to everyone who has responded. It is helpful for me to continue and cope with the most devastating thing I have ever had to endure.

Here is a link to the set.

https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/mexican-decimal-coinage-1905-1992/mexican-decimal-coinage-gold/mexican-gold-2-pesos-circulation-strikes-1919-1947/alltimeset/67970

Edited to fix link. It works now.

fcloud

@HoneyMarket said:

@fcloud said:

@davewesen said:
were those places you had been to? what memories +++

Yes, there are only a few she had where I wasn't along, so many previous times to remember with small squished cents.

Each "squished cent" is a memory, a memory more valuable than GOLD itself!

Is there one particular squished cent from a trip that stands out? A memory like no other?
Maybe it was something funny that happened, maybe it was something horrible that happened (ex. flat tire in the middle of a thunderstorm)?
Or, where was the Route 66 squished cent from? That's a long road with many different stops along the way?
For me - Route 66 will always be remembered as visiting the Santa Monica pier with my family!

As for memorable I would say the cents from Hawaii. At that point in our lives she had only been on two trip by air, and was not comfortable flying. We took the trip in 2004 (we even went to the Pro Bowl). It was the best vacation we had ever done, and she would always say she would go back (pretty brave for someone not comfortable flying.

We drove from Wisconsin to California, so many times, I simply would not be able to put an exact local on many of the coins. The ones from museums and zoos are easy to remember.

fcloud

@Smudge said:
Great find and condolences, hopefully she used mostly pre 82 cents.

I was never smart enough to remember to pull some bronze cents before our trips, so if we had bronze in our change, we would use those; if not we would use zincolns.

JBK

@Flatwoods said:
Very sorry to hear of your loss.
Those are wonderful coins and memories.

I lost my mom a few years ago. I visit my dad often and try to help with things.
I went down to the basement recently and saw my mom's plants. Mostly dead and withered. This Christmas cactus was clinging to life.
I couldn't bear to leave it. It is now being revived in the laundry room sink

I have a Christmas cactus that my grandmother gave me 50 years ago. It is a little scraggly and doesn't flower on the right schedule, but that doesn't matter to me.

sumdunce

Sorry for your loss.

Perhaps you could fill the last pieces with places you two had talked about going.

fcloud

@Flatwoods said:

I lost my mom a few years ago. I visit my dad often and try to help with things.
I went down to the basement recently and saw my mom's plants. Mostly dead and withered. This Christmas cactus was clinging to life.
I couldn't bear to leave it. It is now being revived in the laundry room sink

Sorry for your loss. I am managing to keep some of Linda's plants going, some not so good.

JBK

@HoneyMarket said:

@fcloud said:
She also had an empty holder for the next chapters of our lives, but it remains empty.

...she probably also knew, that you would fill those empty holders with your own journeys. Maybe it will be exciting journeys with kids, grandkids, friends, etc???

And just like the trips were you were not along, those empty holders are an invitation for you to fill so that you can tell her all about them the next time y'all see each other!

Forgive me for rewording your thoughts, but along the lines of what you said:

The filled slots are memories. and the empty ones are dreams.

I do hope fcloud has the chance to add a few new pennies to the collection.

jesbroken

Bless you. I can't imagine your loss. While my wife has no interest in my hobby, we've been together for 46 years and do most everything else together, to include major decisions and minor decisions. Never went to bed mad and has been a most pleasurable 46 years. We went to Cancun in the 90's and she got a flattened cent. I've looked for it, but cannot find it this evening. What a beautiful memory and collection to cherish.
Jim

fcloud

@JBK said:

@HoneyMarket said:

@fcloud said:
She also had an empty holder for the next chapters of our lives, but it remains empty.

...she probably also knew, that you would fill those empty holders with your own journeys. Maybe it will be exciting journeys with kids, grandkids, friends, etc???

And just like the trips were you were not along, those empty holders are an invitation for you to fill so that you can tell her all about them the next time y'all see each other!

Forgive me for rewording your thoughts, but along the lines of what you said:

The filled slots are memories. and the empty ones are dreams.

I do hope fcloud has the chance to add a few new pennies to the collection.

Thank you JBK, HoneyMarket, and others for the thoughts (dreams) to continue the set...

fcloud

@jesbroken said:
Bless you. I can't imagine your loss. While my wife has no interest in my hobby, we've been together for 46 years and do most everything else together, to include major decisions and minor decisions. Never went to bed mad and has been a most pleasurable 46 years. We went to Cancun in the 90's and she got a flattened cent. I've looked for it, but cannot find it this evening. What a beautiful memory and collection to cherish.
Jim

Thank you, Jim, it is amazing what becomes treasure. Linda died from uterine cancer. A couple of weeks before she left me to be with Jesus, she told me she didn't want to leave me. You see she wasn't worried about herself, but in her usual way of always there for everyone else (besides Linda), she was worried for me (of course we both were crying, again...)

Also, Linda kept her hair long for me, and as it became so thin she asked me to take the rest. I did, and I put it in a plastic bag. It is my most valuable asset (more tears).

DCW

I'm terribly sorry for your loss. Having something tangible from someone that meant so much to you can be very comforting. My grandfather gave me his pocket watch which I had admired so intently, when I graduated the eighth grade. Not long afterwards, he was diagnosed with cancer and gone in short time. Means the world to me, that old watch. And it's been in my pocket for every major event of my life. College graduation, Army enlistment, wedding, 1st day of my career, births of my children, etc.
No one ever really leaves you if you keep them in your memory.

fcloud

@DCW said:
I'm terribly sorry for your loss. Having something tangible from someone that meant so much to you can be very comforting. My grandfather gave me his pocket watch which I had admired so intently, when I graduated the eighth grade. Not long afterwards, he was diagnosed with cancer and gone in short time. Means the world to me, that old watch. And it's been in my pocket for every major event of my life. College graduation, Army enlistment, wedding, 1st day of my career, births of my children, etc.
No one ever really leaves you if you keep them in your memory.

Thank you DCW, please accept my condolences, too.
I have a pocket watch that was my Dad's. He received it from his Uncle Tony when he was confirmed, It has a broken crystal now, so I keep it in a glass case he most likely received it about 1930. I think the story goes something like his Uncle happened to stop by that Sunday, and found out he was confirmed that day, reached into his pocket and gave it to my Dad (my Dad was also named Tony).

Thanks for sharing,
Tony

Dave99B

God Bless both you, and your wife Linda. So very sorry about your loss. 😢

She’s beautiful, and is no doubt watching over you from here on out. Love her collection too, which is now priceless.

Take good care,
Dave

Cocoinut

I'm so sorry for your loss. Each identifiable piece in your wife's collection will bring back a priceless memory that you'll treasure forever. It would be neat if you have photos that you could pair with the rolled out cents. I lost my spouse after a year-long battle with cancer 3 years ago, and I understand the feelings you're having. Fortunately, most of us are wired to remember the good times and forget the not-so-good. In time, you'll cope with your loss better, even though there will always be a hole in your heart.

My dad wasn't a collector, but when he died 50 years ago this month, I found in his dresser drawer an 1891 nickel (his mother's birth year), a 1918-P half dollar (his birth year), and a 1945-P half dollar (the year he and my mom were married). They don't have much monetary value, but I wouldn't part with them for anything.

Again, my condolences.

ChangeInHistory

Talk about a Priceless collection.

Sorry you lost her fcloud.

joeykoins

@fcloud said:
@joeykoins I had done a tribute set to her many years ago.

I called the set "Linda's Lil Gold Hoard" the set was number one when I first added it, and it does carry a fun pedigree.

Also, I have the quarter she used when she scratched a few lottery tickets; even though, it was a old worn out clad Washington. I will send it off with one of my orders to get it slabbed.

Thank you to everyone who has responded. It is helpful for me to continue and cope with the most devastating thing I have ever had to endure.

Here is a link to the set.
https://pcgs.com/setregistry/mysetregistry/set/67970

Oh! How awesome. Beautifully done, dude.
Very nice tribute.

fcloud

I fixed the link to Linda's Lil Gold Hoard.

https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/mexican-decimal-coinage-1905-1992/mexican-decimal-coinage-gold/mexican-gold-2-pesos-circulation-strikes-1919-1947/alltimeset/67970

nwcoast

That’s a beautiful collection and tribute you’ve shared.
I suspect it’s just a tiny scratch in the surface though.
I can’t imagine what you’ve been going through.
It looks very much like you were blessed to have shared your lives and travels together.
Your words, memories and sharing are very thoughtful and touching.

coinsarefun

My sincerest condolences and what a special find. I recently found out that my sister has been collecting
elongated cents for years. Basically every place her and her husband have gone.
It was nice to think someone else in my family collects besides me so I bought her an elongated
as a Christmas present. I choose this because we grew up in Cleveland .

.