What is the worst coin related experience you've ever had?
poorguy
Posts: 4,317 ✭
Here is a story about the complete BU+ Merc Dime set that could've been mine.
My grandfather used to have a large bank bag of mostly uncirculated mercury dimes in his store which he kept in his office. A storehand that he had working for him stole them and brought them to the local bank where he commenced to swapping them for paper money. This was in the early 60's, long after these babies were made. The banker got face value for them and he happened to be an avid coin collector. My grandpa went and asked the banker if someone recently cashed in a large amount of dimes and the banker said "yes." My grandpa tried to get them back but to no avail.
My grandfather did confront the storehand and he was fired. Although the bag of mercs was gone, my grandpa did manage to have some hidden from that bag in his office closet, but it was only about a handful though. I got to look through them one day and found several teens and twenties in uncirculated condition.
About 6 years after he told me that story, I was with the same banker looking at his collection that he'd aquired over the years. Among an impressive collection of St. Gaudens and Morgans, he showed me his folder containing a complete merc dime set with nearly every piece in bu+ condition. I asked him where he got all of those mercs and he told me that a young man had cashed them in a long time ago. He knew that I knew exactly where those dimes had come from becuase I told him the story my grandpa told me. I am going to get that set of dimes from him one day because they belong in our family. What is very sad though is that the banker is also a Deacon in our community's catholic church.
This story is partly why I became such an avid coin collector. The fact that this account is burned into my soul keeps coin collecting in my mind.
So how about any of you. Anymore stories about the coins you "could" have had?
edited because of some basic grammatical errors.
My grandfather used to have a large bank bag of mostly uncirculated mercury dimes in his store which he kept in his office. A storehand that he had working for him stole them and brought them to the local bank where he commenced to swapping them for paper money. This was in the early 60's, long after these babies were made. The banker got face value for them and he happened to be an avid coin collector. My grandpa went and asked the banker if someone recently cashed in a large amount of dimes and the banker said "yes." My grandpa tried to get them back but to no avail.
My grandfather did confront the storehand and he was fired. Although the bag of mercs was gone, my grandpa did manage to have some hidden from that bag in his office closet, but it was only about a handful though. I got to look through them one day and found several teens and twenties in uncirculated condition.
About 6 years after he told me that story, I was with the same banker looking at his collection that he'd aquired over the years. Among an impressive collection of St. Gaudens and Morgans, he showed me his folder containing a complete merc dime set with nearly every piece in bu+ condition. I asked him where he got all of those mercs and he told me that a young man had cashed them in a long time ago. He knew that I knew exactly where those dimes had come from becuase I told him the story my grandpa told me. I am going to get that set of dimes from him one day because they belong in our family. What is very sad though is that the banker is also a Deacon in our community's catholic church.
This story is partly why I became such an avid coin collector. The fact that this account is burned into my soul keeps coin collecting in my mind.
So how about any of you. Anymore stories about the coins you "could" have had?
edited because of some basic grammatical errors.
Brandon Kelley - ANA - 972.746.9193 - http://www.bestofyesterdaycollectibles.com
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Ken
-YN Currently Collecting & Researching Colonial World Coins, Especially Spanish Coins, With a Great Interest in WWII Militaria.
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<< <i>I believe that the only way to get them back would be to find the guy that stole them, have him willingly confess that he stole them and cashed them in at that bank, prove that the same ones in the set are from that mini-hoard, and have rinky dink small town cops actually make the guy give them back. It would be improbable. I believe that one day, I will have enough money to purchase them from the guy. >>
Or, recount the entire story to the man in posession of your coins... tell him exactly how he got them--remind him of your grandfather trying to get them back just after they were cashed... play with his mind, if possible.
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<< <i>Your Deacon sounds like he knowingly is in receipt of stolen property. The problem is that the statute of limitations has probably passed and it would be difficult (but not impossible) to prove. >>
I think God has a longer statute of limitations.