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What is the worst coin related experience you've ever had?

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. image

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

Comments

  • LAWMANLAWMAN Posts: 1,274 ✭✭
    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. image
    DSW
  • Wolf359Wolf359 Posts: 7,656 ✭✭✭
    If that had happened to me, I'd be in Jail. A man of God indeed....
  • mgoodm3mgoodm3 Posts: 17,497 ✭✭✭
    Walking into a coin shop in San Diego a few minutes before closing and they were pretty pissy to even me look at anything and then asked me to leave shortly thereafter. this was at like 4:30 in the afternoon, so not even that late.
    coinimaging.com/my photography articles Check out the new macro lens testing section
  • poorguypoorguy Posts: 4,317
    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.
    Brandon Kelley - ANA - 972.746.9193 - http://www.bestofyesterdaycollectibles.com
  • EvilMCTEvilMCT Posts: 799 ✭✭✭
    As a kid I started buying coins through the mail from a company located in Littleton, NH. . .

    Ken
    my knuckles, they bleed, on your front door
  • I used to go to the local shows and buy pointless stuff with no real drive or goal to what I was doing, just bought what looked like a deal, or was hot. Lost alot of money that way.
    Scott Hopkins
    -YN Currently Collecting & Researching Colonial World Coins, Especially Spanish Coins, With a Great Interest in WWII Militaria.

    My Ebay!
  • airplanenutairplanenut Posts: 22,145 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <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.
    JK Coin Photography - eBay Consignments | High Quality Photos | LOW Prices | 20% of Consignment Proceeds Go to Pancreatic Cancer Research
  • poorguypoorguy Posts: 4,317
    Jeremy, It's been over 40 years. The guy knows well whose coins those were. I don't think reminding him will do much good.
    Brandon Kelley - ANA - 972.746.9193 - http://www.bestofyesterdaycollectibles.com
  • MyqqyMyqqy Posts: 9,777
    Wasn't there a passage in the new testament about not being able to hold on to stolen mercury dimes if one wanted entrance into heaven?? Sheesh- what a terrible dude.... image
    My style is impetuous, my defense is impregnable !
  • BBNBBN Posts: 3,761 ✭✭✭
    The first dealer I ever dealt with. What a jaggoff! It's funny that many of the area dealers are good friends and even carpool to shows and even all of those guys hate the jaggoff that I first dealt with.

    Positive BST Transactions (buyers and sellers): wondercoin, blu62vette, BAJJERFAN, privatecoin, blu62vette, AlanLastufka, privatecoin

    #1 1951 Bowman Los Angeles Rams Team Set
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    #8 (and climbing) 1972 Topps Los Angeles Rams Team Set
  • byergobyergo Posts: 586
    Smear his reputation around town. He deserves it for his unethical, criminal, lowlife behavior. Forget the dimes, you'll never get 'em...
    Buy/Sell/Trade Rainbow Morgans
  • ANACONDAANACONDA Posts: 4,692
    My first wife getting to our safety deposit box before me.
  • I havent really had many bad experiances. I got ripped off a few times but nothing over 200 bucks so its a cheap learning experiance. Thats to bad about your mercs, I'd make it known the the Deacon is an @$$hole first of all. Then try and get the guy who stole them to talk to him. Maybe he has wised up in the last 44 years.
    image


  • << <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. image >>



    I think God has a longer statute of limitations.

    Dave - Durham, NC
  • 1957joe1957joe Posts: 608 ✭✭
    poorguy, How about letting the local paper hear the story. Maybe they will print it! Maybe that would be enough to make him come clean!?!?!?!?!?!
  • 66Tbird66Tbird Posts: 2,858 ✭✭✭
    As a young collector of 11 or 12 years old I had saved and sold my old toys to buy a very old coin. The year was 76-77 and the place was somewhere near Reno. Since my folks would never let me purchase a coin with that kind of money it was up to me grandfather to help. We went to a dealer with a nice place and was sold this as the real thing. Of course now I know that it was an easily spotted fake and I'm sure he knew that to. He saw us coming and took us going. Of course I was happy about the coin for years,,,,,,, until I had gathered the knowledge.
    image
    Need something designed and 3D printed?
  • lavalava Posts: 3,286 ✭✭✭
    Everything about ACG. I have a deep mistrust for that bunch, as I think they do some serious damage to the hobby.
    I brake for ear bars.

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