Coins in movies and television

jmcu12

I was just watching an original episode of Dennis the menace where mr Wilson finds an 1895 Morgan.

What shows have you seen coins or currency have you seen?

The old Hawaii five-o had the 1913 liberty nickel - what else?

ricko

There was an NCIS show on gold coins in a sunken ship I believe... Cheers, RickO

Eagleguy

There was an episode of Psych last season which focused on a stolen coin.

JH

joeykoins

Good,good movie;"Somewhere in time" with the late Christopher Reeves. They use a 1999 lincoln cent. and the year,has a big meaning in the movie! The cent, puts a twist, in the plot! Great movie! Who know's, maybe that 1999 cent was a "wide a.m. variety? No ,Reeves doesn't pull out his loupe, to check..

keyman64

An entire thread along these same lines, ATS, if you are interested.

anablep

I remember seeing a lot of period coins during Gangs of New York.

illini420

<< <i>I was just watching an original episode of Dennis the menace where mr Wilson finds an 1895 Morgan.

What shows have you seen coins or currency have you seen?

The old Hawaii five-o had the 1913 liberty nickel - what else? >>




There's another episode of Dennis the Menace where Mr. Wilson buys a 1907 Rolled Edge $10 Indian and then hides it from Mrs. Wilson so he doesn't get yelled at for spending $250 on a coin!!! But of course, Dennis finds it and uses that "big penny" to make a wish in a fountain!

rawmorgan

In Guillermo del Toro's "Don't be Afraid of th Dark" an 1804 dollar makes an appearance.

UltraHighRelief

the hawaii 5-0 episode with the 1913 liberty nickel is on netflix steaming, if anyone wants to watch it.

joeykoins

<< <i>An entire thread along these same lines, ATS, if you are interested. >>

That thread was cool! Thanks greg, for posting it. One guy mentioned the same movie I did but he had the year on the coin wrong. thanks again.

coinkat

There is also another Dennis the Mennis episode when he and Tommy find some 1914-D Lincolns after searching parking meters and he gives one to Mr. Wilson.

There is an episode of Ozzie and Harriet with some old Spanish pieces of Eight- can't remember the complete story other than Ozzie going into a coin store- the dealer is actually played by Jerome Kearn- the guy who played Mr. Wilson- and I though he was playing a prank to place the coins in his yard to get work done or something to that effect

MWallace

There's an episode of the Andy Griffith Show that includes a Buffalo Nickel

cmerlo1

IIRC, Rose in 'Titanic' pays for her drawing with a Barber dime.

gene2393

Saharah, with Mathew McConaughey where he goes to find out about a civil war ship knowing that it exists in documents and that the first clue was a 1865 or 1866 double eagle that thought maybe only 5 were made. but turns out there were more when he finds that ship

gene2393

OldEastside

Secretariat has a famous coin flip with a 1921 Morgan

Steve

TURBO

Here is a link to one of the above. Dennis the Menace "Dennis and the Rare Coin" pt.1/3

Is that really one of the dealers tricks!!?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKGuO1O8rew

123cents

The old movie "The Brasher Doubloon" is pretty cool.

fivecents

The movie: Getting Even With Dad.
Raymond "Ray" Gleason (played by Ted Danson) is a man who figures the only way he can fund his dream of owning a bakery is to steal thousands of dollars in rare coins from The Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS).

The movie: American Buffalo.
"This drama features Don (Dennis Franz), an antique store owner who accidentally sells a rare Buffalo nickel for far less than it’s really worth.
Determined to steal the Buffalo nickel back and sell for its full value so that he may achieve his dream of ascending the economic rungs, Don plots to his young teenage friend Bob (Sean Nelson) steal the coin back, much to the chagrin of another of Don’s friends, Teach (Dustin Hoffman).
This gritty film not only unveils the prospect of selling coins for less than they’re really worth (which is a common worry among nearly all coin collectors) but the troubles of living in the very dregs of society."

Dentuck

Coins are mentioned in passing several times in the Hunger Games
books, but I can't remember if they were referred to in the movie.

telephoto1

As I recall, there was an episode of "My Three Sons" where Ernie has a 1914-D Lincoln. Can anyone confirm this?

RedTiger

There is an AU 1912 dime in the movie "Titanic" purchased from Rare Coins Gallery in Glendale. Rose gives it to Jack and there is a close up of the coin. The dime was placed into a keychain and given to the producer, James Cameron.

AMRC

Little House on the Prairie always seemed to use period correct coins and currency in their episodes.

Bullsitter

BEVERLY HILLBILLIES

Mr. Drysdale tries to get Jed to invest in rare coins. He shows him a 1894 dime and tells Jed what it's worth.

Jed says "weeee doggie, thousands of dollars for a little old bitty dime?" He then walks off shaking his head.......

Billy2014

Two face in The Dark Knight uses a peace dollar. Also Cowboys and Aliens has alot of gold coins in it. I was watching a low budget movie the other night. The guy was holding a 1923 peace dollar and in the movie it was suppose to be a 1800's morgan dollar. lol

tjc2120

In an early episode of Mad Men, Draper's "dad" gives a drifter a SLQ during a flash back.

Whit

There is a Dick Van Dyke episode (early 1960s) in which allusion is made to Buffalo nickels of 1913. I haven't seen the episode in many (and I mean many) years, but I think Rob inherited a desk which promised to contain something valuable, and thoughts turned to coins. I recall Buddy Sorrell examining a nickel, and Rob excitedly asking, "Is the buffalo on the plain?" and Buddy says, "No, it got off the plane, now it's on a bus."


Whit

joeykoins

<< <i>There is a Dick Van Dyke episode (early 1960s) in which allusion is made to Buffalo nickels of 1913. I haven't seen the episode in many (and I mean many) years, but I think Rob inherited a desk which promised to contain something valuable, and thoughts turned to coins. I recall Buddy Sorrell examining a nickel, and Rob excitedly asking, "Is the buffalo on the plain?" and Buddy says, "No, it got off the plane, now it's on a bus."


Whit >>

I love that show!

lloydmincy

My woman loves the movie "Dear John", which is directed by the same guy as the brand new movie out, "The Lucky One". Anyway, in Dear John, the father? is a coin collector, and briefly talks about the Sacagawea Mules...

As a coin collector, you notice coins in movies!!! You keep an eye on the "era" and if you get a close-up, curiousity gets you to see if the coin is "correct". I know in "The Sting", Lt. Snyder is in a diner, and pays for his coffee with a silver dollar. Movie was 1973, (but based in 1930's Chicago) so did they use an Ike, or a Peace or Morgan???

Coinlearner

Titanic Barber looked cleaned but maybe just AU. She is not a coin collector,holding a coin like that

OldEastside

Just saw a Matlock with Andy Griffith and he solves the crime centered
around a 1936 proof Washington quarter.

Steve

FredWeinberg

There is a great book by author Fred Reed
titled


"Show Me The Money! - The Standard Catalog
of Motion Picture, Television, Stage, and
Advertising Prop Money" (2005)

It's a huge, 775+ page book, illustrating
mostly Paper Money used in the above
(MP,TV,Stage, Ad.) with tons of photos
of notes, in the films, etc.....

Great book - highly recommended.

joeykoins

<< <i>There is a great book by author Fred Reed
titled


"Show Me The Money! - The Standard Catalog
of Motion Picture, Television, Stage, and
Advertising Prop Money" (2005)

It's a huge, 775+ page book, illustrating
mostly Paper Money used in the above
(MP,TV,Stage, Ad.) with tons of photos
of notes, in the films, etc.....

Great book - highly recommended. >>

Great Fred. I wonder If the book would show the "first" motion picture ever, that shot any sort of coin? That would be interesting. Esp. if it was in a silent movie.

SanctionII

The most recent King Kong Movie has a scene where the chracter played by Jack Black has, I think, a buffalo nickel.

joeykoins

To think of all these movies that have a coin in it? The stars and the directors may not realize what a "certain" coin that they show may be worth thousands! Esp. if it is a particular variety or error of somekind. or even just a rare coin in general.

johnny9434

wasent there 1 or 2 3 stooge shorts that had some change in it? something to do with them being in the old west and all

Whit

Hello all:

Since this thread is still active, I will mention that there is a coin reference in a Seinfeld episode. According to a quick Google search, the episode "The Glasses" has the following dialogue:

GEORGE: (noticing something) Hey look, a dime.

(George walks over to the other end of the room and picks up a dime)

GEORGE: Heh, Mercury head. You mind?

JERRY: No, keep it. (Elaine enters the apartment) Hey what happened to you? You buzzed five minutes ago.


Whit

Justlooking

There was a copper farthing (I think), and it looked genuine, in the coin toss before the final duel scene in Barry Lyndon.

okracer

The first "Pirates Of The Caribbean".....at the beginning Jack plops down some old shillings to dock his boat. I wanted a closer look......

"Fools Gold" ....with Matthew Mcconaughey and Kate Hudson.....more about treasure hunting....but all that shipwrecked gold!!!!!!

yellowjacket

The movie Cinderella Man with Russell Crowe playing a Depression Era boxer has to swallow his pride and pass the hat to heat his small home shows a number of coins of the time. LA Confidential has Kevin Spacey's character leave a 1950's $50 FRN on top of his drink as he leaves the bar. The bill is a payoff for setting up another person who is later killed.

Garrow

renomedphys

I tend to think back to a Law & Order: Criminal Intent episode that centered around a shipwreck full of Double Eagles of a certain date. It turned out that the salvage company was blackmailing the modern day company that once owned the ship and shipment, which for some reason didn't want any details of the sunken ship brought to light. Anyway, the salvagers, unable to just leave gold lying on the bottom of the sea, kept bringing the coins to the surface, eventually getting somebody killed in the mix. The thing that stood out about the show was that once the detective got his hands on one of these coins, he took it to a coin shop. Here's what happened:

The coin shop owner offered him a price just above melt, which was something like $800 at the time. The detective, having done his research, pointed out that this was way under book value. The dealer then pointed out that prices for these things are based largely in part on rarity and availability, and that for some reason, a lot of these things were coming onto the market, which was driving the price down. So then the detective says "hmmm, thanks" and walks out. Or maybe he confiscated the dealer's inventory. Something like that.

FredWeinberg

From the book I mentioned, "Show Me The Money!",
it says the first time money was shown was in an
1895 kinetocope movie by Thomas Edison, showing
two young men 'in the backround passing money,
wagering on the result of the action'....(of a c--k fight)

PCGSCustomerService

<< <i>The movie: Getting Even With Dad.
Raymond "Ray" Gleason (played by Ted Danson) is a man who figures the only way he can fund his dream of owning a bakery is to steal thousands of dollars in rare coins from The Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS). q]

Nobody in Customer Service had even known about this little cameo. I posted it up on the PCGS Facebook!

Thanks for sharing!

ColonelJessup

There was a pretty good TV program called "Streets of San Francisco"(1972-77) starring Karl Malden and Michael Douglas. In one episode a coin collection is stolen. The thief needs to make a phone call in a hurry and uses a 1796 10c to make a successful call from a public phone booth.

A "minor" technical point: All phone booths accept "modern" dimes with a diameter of 17.90 millimeters. 1796 dimes have a diameter of 19.80 millimeters.

Rick

joeykoins

<< <i>From the book I mentioned, "Show Me The Money!",
it says the first time money was shown was in an
1895 kinetocope movie by Thomas Edison, showing
two young men 'in the backround passing money,
wagering on the result of the action'....(of a c--k fight) >>

Thanks Fred for replying to my question. 1895 huh? wow, was the money paper or coins? Maybe, It was the elusive "1895 proof" ?Can you imagine? If it was,and not knowing what a Gem they were handling? WoW!

RedTiger

This week's episode of the Mentalist (original air date on CBS Thursday 5/3/12) had a treasure of $5 gold pieces. Mishandled as usual, with touching of the surfaces, but still neat to see.

SanctionII

Watched a re-run of Mad Men this morning.

During the show Don Draper has a flash back to when he was about 6-7 years old (during the depression). He lives with his mother and a man (who I do not think was his father) in a rural home. Another mans stops by and asks if there is any work he can do. After some discussion the mother and the man she lives with (her boyfriend I assume) agree that the second man can stay the night, have dinner with them and work the next day. I think the second man is Don Draper's father, though Don does not know this. The mom's boyfriend pulls out a quarter to show the second man what his wages will be when he finishes working the next day. The boyfriend places the quarter on the table and there is a close up shot of it. It is a Standing Liberty Quarter that looks to be in high circulated condition with a dark look and "circulated cameo" appearance with the high points of the devices being lighter in color than the lower relief areas and the fields.

rainbowroosie

Hardy Boys segment "The Mystery of the Applegate Treasure" on the Mickey Mouse Club in 1956

Gold Doubloons and Pieces of Eight

LanceNewmanOCC

.
Resident Evil: Afterlife

Milla & Ali use a shotgun that shoots groups of quarters take down Executioner Majini.

i've seen a few other movies that show peace dollars but don't come to mind as of now
.

magikbilly

Peck, Welles, Huston and a large whale.

Eric

LanceNewmanOCC

saw this one last night
.

nickel

Way back in earlier Mission Impossible TV shows , one of the team members
had a Kennedy half dollar fall out of his pocket . In the show , the team was trying
to convince a mark that they were living in the 1940's .