Creative gold alchemy - 1929

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RWB
RWB Posts: 8,082 ✭
in U.S. Coin Forum
Brief excerpt from the next book - just for fun:

A few thought of more creative ventures. A man named Andrew Vena from New York City wrote to mint director Grant with an idea he thought could not fail.

“I have learnt with interest that there is about $15,000,000 worth of gold teeth lie buried every year in this country.” The rest of Mr. Vena’s plan was for a government commission to order removal of gold teeth before burial (presumably after the owner’s death) with the gold sent to the treasury. He also thought it possible to exhume the dead and have them make a similar contribution.

Director Grant wrote back, “…please be advised that the Government would not be interested in the proposition you mention.”

Comments

  • DMWJR
    DMWJR Posts: 6,102 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    LOL. Certainly puts "mining" for gold in a different light ...
    Doug
  • Goldbully
    Goldbully Posts: 18,559 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    I'd dig this guy up in a heartbeat!!! image

    image
  • LanLord
    LanLord Posts: 11,756 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Nope, "we at the US government make a habit out of robbing the living, not the dead!"
  • Rob790
    Rob790 Posts: 547 ✭
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    << <i>Nope, "we at the US government make a habit out of robbing the living, not the dead!" >>



    Are you sure? This is no longer 1929.

    Mandatory body "donation" law

    I guess they can take some gold from your mouth as they pillage some of your vital organs to help line the pockets of those trading your body parts. I don't know about you but I don't want to be worth more dead than alive to some doctors that are playing god over my life.
  • BlindedByEgo
    BlindedByEgo Posts: 10,754 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Maybe just strip mine a few cemetaries? I mean, you wouldn't have to go much more than six feet down...

    Check out my current listings: https://ebay.com/sch/khunt/m.html?_ipg=200&_sop=12&_rdc=1

  • edix2001
    edix2001 Posts: 3,388 ✭
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    << <i>

    << <i>Nope, "we at the US government make a habit out of robbing the living, not the dead!" >>



    Are you sure? This is no longer 1929.

    Mandatory body "donation" law >>



    They'll have to pry it from my cold, dead ... oh, wait a minute ... nevermind.
    member, Greater Houston Coin Club - Edwin's Coin Cabinet
  • AU58WALKERS
    AU58WALKERS Posts: 3,562 ✭
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    “I have learnt with interest that there is about $15,000,000 worth of gold teeth lie buried every year in this country.” The rest of Mr. Vena’s plan was for a government commission to order removal of gold teeth before burial (presumably after the owner’s death) with the gold sent to the treasury. He also thought it possible to exhume the dead and have them make a similar contribution. "

    Oh, PLEASE, don't let obama and his gang find out about this!
    "Everyday above ground is a good day"

  • PerryHall
    PerryHall Posts: 47,760 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Sounds like an idea the Nazis would later adopt.

    Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
    "Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
    "Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire

  • ricko
    ricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Why am I not surprised at such a proposal? I guess because I have heard other discussions about grave pillaging.... some people are rather ghoulish. Thanks for the interesting factoid RWB.... Cheers, RickO
  • RWB
    RWB Posts: 8,082 ✭
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    Mr. Vena was not alone in making much the same suggestion. Others claimed to be able to “make” gold and only needed a modest Government investment to make it work. Prohibiting stock speculators was a common idea, also. During later parts of the Hoover administration there are many suggestions on ways to tax the rich, and as many more on ways to tax the poor!

    One result of reviewing these kinds of things is that at the time, no one had a good explanation for the Depression.

    From the sample reviewed, it appears that most were genuinely trying to help and were writing to the only people who might be able to change things.
  • PerryHall
    PerryHall Posts: 47,760 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    I'm sure there would be a lot of dead voters in Chicago that would object to this idea.

    Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
    "Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
    "Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire

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