Imagine finding three grams of treasure in your pocket worth $40,000. Would this be platinum? Weapons-grade plutonium? An invisibility serum?
How about a copper penny, found in change? Impossible, right? Wrong! Not too long ago, coin collectors from the Brown County Coin Club were in Ft. Worth at the American Numismatic Association’s national coin show, an event that rarely comes to Texas. While there, a couple of the guys overheard the following true tale.
A fellow brings up a 1969 S (S for San Francisco mint) cent, with doubling, to the ANACS representative who takes in coins for authentication. He immediately takes the coins to one of his graders, for a quick opinion on what was presented to them. “Yes,” the grader said, “This is an authentic 1969 S Lincoln cent with doubling, in a grade of Mint State 65.” From there, the ANACS rep took the penny and its owner, to a dealer whom he knew dealt in these kinds of coins. The dealer offered the owner $40,000 for it, but was turned down because the book value on it was $85,000! Can you believe a value of $85,000 for a penny found in pocket change!
Even as late as the ‘70s, it wasn’t unusual to find a buffalo nickel or a Mercury dime in your pocket change. Nowadays, it’s nearly impossible to find any silver coin in circulation. However, there is treasure to be gleaned from your pocket change in the form of die varieties and errors, as evidenced by the story of the 1969 S doubled die obverse cent above.
How would one get “up to speed” on the basics of coin collecting? The Brown County Coin Club meets on the second Tuesday of each month, at 6:30pm, at the Austin Avenue Church of Christ. Meetings provide a great opportunity to learn all about coin collecting, including the basics of searching pocket change for valuable coins. Additionally, the annual coin show in February features the ANACS representative where one can submit his or her coins for authentication. Get involved in coin collecting!
The Brown County Coin Club hopes to see you on May 10th, at 6:30pm, for their next meeting. Call Bill Cooper at 784-5197 for more information.
