Carolina woman finds 2000 year old coin in grocery change

[MiddenMonster]

Talk about scoring an easy cache! Now watch the IRS come swooping in and drop the tax hammer on her.

http://www.wltx.com/sports/story.aspx?storyid=41584
Sumter Woman Finds Possible Ancient Coin In Grocery Change



(Sumter) When the coins come out of the cash drawer, they all sound the same. And when Lynn Moore picked up her change and walked out of a Sumter Bi-Lo last November, she had no reason to believe her coins were any different.

Boy, was she wrong.

“It's definitely not a penny," said Lynn.

It wasn't until she emptied her change that she noticed.

“I threw it in a vase right next to my kitchen table," said Lynn. She continued, "I dumped it out into my hand and noticed that one coin was very odd looking."

For 10 months, she kept it to herself. Then, Ken Lyles saw it. Ken has collected and studied coins for 50 years, and says this one is definitely not American.

“My research on it would tell me that it (was made in) approximately 132 to 135 A.D."

Mr. Lyles says the shape, uneven edges, and weight of the coin means it definitely pre-dates modern mints. According to his reference books, the coin is from ancient Hebrew society.

But as for value, there's no telling what it's worth.

“It's hard to really put a price on it until you find somebody who wants it,” said Ken. “Then you could very easily put a price if they'll tell you what they'll give you for it."

As for now, Lynn doesn't care how much it's worth. She's happy with the value that Mr. Lyles has placed on it:

“You have tangible evidence in your hand of ancient history," he said.

Lynn Moore doesn't know what she'll do with her coin. For now, she's happy holding on to it, but says she might consider selling it later.

[Diggincoinz]

I don’t think the IRS will come swooping down on a $2 or $3 ancient coin. Nice story, nevertheless

That gets me! I never did understand why a coin that old isn't worth but a few bucks. 2000 yrs old for God's sake!

[Kentucky Kache]

Looks and sounds like my coin. Most seem to think it's a fake.

http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.p...ic,8872.0.html

[MiddenMonster]

Looks and sounds like my coin. Most seem to think it's a fake.

http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.p...ic,8872.0.html

Well, I hate to say this but based on your post I would say that odds are both of the coins are fakes, or at least reproductions. How did you acquire the coin you have? It just seems that the chances of two identical 2000 year old coins, supposedly with origins in the Middle East and found in the U.S. are pretty slim. Of course, it's also very possible that both coins were once part of a collection that got separated and entered circulation. I would bet that most people would think it is just a worthless foreign coin and try to pass it on as quickly as possible. But with the price of copper and the millions of pennies floating around, foreign coins that look like pennies might be like $1 chips in Las Vegas in that all the casinos take (or used to take) each other's $1 chips.

[Skrimpy]

For 10 months, she kept it to herself. Then, Ken Lyles saw it. Ken has collected and studied coins for 50 years, and says this one is definitely not American.
But as for value, there's no telling what it's worth.

Big problem here. She's gone and opened her mouth. 1. It's probably fake. 2. If it's not, pretty soon some stupid historical society, or preservation group, or possibly the feds are going to file suit for possession claiming she has no right to it, and she won't even see the dang penny she was supposed to get when she recieved the thing.

[Blind.In.Texas]

The vikings were here on this continent long before the Grandeur that is Christopher Columbus. They made it as far inland as Oklahoma. And left runes with their markings. Eric the Red was here looooong before Chris. ( he lets me call him that).

Here is one fact we must all remember. Every coin got somewhere somehow. I know that sounds about as corny and simplistic as it can get, but, none of us were there to see the coin fall OR come out of the ground and we have all asked ourselves at one time or another "how did it get here?" Most things are reasonabley explainable or 'buyable' and some are not. I just hope that it is real. One of these days I plan on hunting the areas around the runes in OK and I hope I find something neat to take home.

I have no opinion as to it's validity, but, I hope that it will someday be ruled as authentic. Wouldn't that be neat?! But, yeah, what are the odds and where was yours found? NEat looking little thing nonetheless.

[MiddenMonster]

The vikings were here on this continent long before the Grandeur that is Christopher Columbus. They made it as far inland as Oklahoma. And left runes with their markings. Eric the Red was here looooong before Chris. ( he lets me call him that).

I don't doubt that the Vikings were in Vinland/New Foundland/Labrador or even as far south as Cape Cod long before Columbus. I also think it is likely that a few African or Mediterranean sailing vessels from several thousand years ago were blown off course and ended up in North, Central or South America. But I've never seen evidence that the Vikings were ever in Oklahoma. The latest evidence regarding the Kensington Runestone is that it is a forgery, i.e. the language structure on the runestone was not used in the 14th century. I can accept that Jews trying to escape the Romans during Bar Kochba's time were blown to North America, perhaps being drawn along by a hurricane that formed and tracked towards Florida. But as of yet, there is no evidence that anyone from the eastern side of the Atlantic ever touch North American soil after the Ice Age prior to the Vinland landing. The person who finds a cache of coins or any other evidence to demonstrate that would have the most amazing archaeological find ever. The value of such a cache of evidence would be staggering, as would the rush by nations to claim it.

[Heavy Chevy]

Hi gang,

I wont get into a debate about the Kensington stone. One side says it is fake , and the other says it isn't. He said ,she said !

Gloria Farley has found much evidence of pre-Columbian explorers in Oklahoma.
That can be Googled.

PS: Erik the Red never left Greenland but his sons Leif and Thorvald did when they came to Vinland.

[Siegfried Schlagrule]

I don’t think the IRS will come swooping down on a $2 or $3 ancient coin. Nice story, nevertheless

That gets me! I never did understand why a coin that old isn't worth but a few bucks. 2000 yrs old for God's sake!

One reason that roman coins aren't more valuable is that the typical roman senator was paid 1.9 million sesterces per month. This was in debased silver coins. The only way to deal with them was to buy things and dig a hole in the ground for the excess coins. They would also buy as many gold coins as they could find but not many folks wanted to sell their gold at any price. There were no banks back then but there were some money-changers and lenders. Thus you have the potential for mega-caches of roman coins all over europe. The trovers will usually do a quick search and try to spot any rarities for sale through auction. The rest are sold in bulk lots for anything they can get. There are multiple uncleaned roman lots on ebay. Prices are very reasonable. exanimo, ss

[lou423]

I found that same coin while detecting at a park here in Chattanooga, I sent a picture of it to an ancient coin dealership and was told that it was a fake...

Then a few weeks later as I was visiting my local metal detector store another fellow had a similar coin, but he did not remember how he got it...

[lou423]

picture of the coin back

[lou423]

picture of the coin front

[lou423]

These coins were minted by the Jews to celebrate their victory over the Romans,
they managed to beat back the romans for a couple of years. But then they came back and burned their cities and killed many of those who were part of that rebellion.

These coins were minted on top of roman coins.

Well, all this is academic since the coin is a fake anyway...