Grandpas Coin "Jar"

Silburned

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Aug 31, 2011
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Grandpa's Coin "Jar"

First off, long time - no post. I have been hunting, just not posting. I was debating about posting this but was inspired by Boris' Dime haul.

My Grandpa passed away just after Thanksgiving 2012. Nothing dramatic and it was expected.

Fast forward to a few months ago I am having dinner with my Grandma and we got on the conversation of coins. I told her I have been collecting and she mentions that my Grandpa had a "collection" that was mostly his pocket change. I told her I would love to look through it sometime but an opportunity never came up.

A few weeks ago was my birthday and my Grandma shows up early, per usual and says that I need to open my present now as most others won't get it. She says, "It's in my car and you need to be careful bringing it in." I'm thinking it is breakable. I go out and see something wrapped and pick it up but it weighs easy 80lbs.

When I bring it in and unwrap it I see one of those three flavor popcorn tins looking at me. I open it and it is filled with change! Some of it is separated by coin in plastic containers most of it is loose. I had no idea that she would give this to me. Honestly I had mostly forgotten about it. It brought on many feelings but I was mostly excited to see what was in there. My wife mentions that she won't be seeing me for weeks until I've gone through it.

I've mostly gone through all of it (cents are taking a bit) but I have some good results to post.

Overall:
~$340 in regular change, 2008 being that latest year = the year my Grandpa got sick.
- 232 silver roosies - Every year except 1955 was present
- 7 silver washington quarters, 6x 1964D, 1x 1940
- 1 silver Canadian Dime, 1963
- 40 wheaties, so far, mostly 40s and 50s
- foreign change ranging from Germany, Singapore, UK, Liberia

I saw the roosies right away as they were all separated in a neat glass coin bank that looks like a baseball. Interestingly there were only 20 nickels in the whole lot.

I'm thinking Grandma deserves a nice dinner with the family!

Some Pics! Some not pictured as they were put in coin albums.
 

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xrunndonex

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Dec 4, 2013
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That's neat! I'm wanting to look through my great grandpas coin collection its in a safety deposit box though. All I heard was there are some old coins in there... franklins and others I heard that and I was like! I guess he sold a lot of them for some reason but he still has a lot left
 

agme

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Feb 4, 2012
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WOW! What an awesome present!
Yes, I agree with you, Grandma does deserve a nice dinner with the family, at least.
 

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Silburned

Silburned

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I told her I would give a report on what was in there. Here is the dates on roosies.

1946 - 11
1946D - 2
1946S - 1
1947S - 2
1948D - 1
1948S - 2
1949D - 1
1949S - 1
1950D - 1
1951D - 3
1951S - 2
1952 - 1
1952D - 2
1952S - 2
1953D - 3
1954D - 4
1954S - 2
1956 - 2
1956D - 10
1957D - 12
1958D - 8
1959D - 7
1960D - 20
1961 - 4
1961D - 3
1962D - 26
1963D - 48
1964 - 2
1964D - 49
 

BuffaloBoy

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Feb 16, 2011
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That is a fantastic find, take grandma out to dinner for sure! Thanks for sharing your find with us!!!
HH
Buff
 

Dozer D

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Feb 12, 2012
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I have 12-grand children and I plan on doing something similar to this for them when I pass on. For now I'm working on a Lincoln penny collection (1909-current), hopefully in Dansco albumns. Trying to find the best of the best that I can, at least from 1940 on. All dates earlier than '40, will come out of my surplus wheaties but still best-of-the-best that i have available.
 

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Silburned

Silburned

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Aug 31, 2011
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Thanks everyone.

I went through some more cents. I have started date searching as I like finding varieties and errors. Found a 1960D small date. It isn't the best condition but still fun to find.
 

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FormerTeller

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Apr 24, 2011
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Interesting - that's almost the same amount of silver dimes in my grandmother's collection. She lived through the Depression, and I think folks her age found it easier to save a silver dime here and there found in change than to drop big bucks on collector coins or bullion, as we might do.

Do go through the regular date coins, as it is very possible that he saved key dates and/or error coins as well, and through them in with the rest.
 

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Silburned

Silburned

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I just have one question. How did grandma get that 80 pound tin in her car?

Supposedly she and my Aunt maneuvered it onto a cutting board with handles and shuffled it out to her car Cleopatra style. For 78 my Grandma is pretty spry.
 

cyberdan

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Supposedly she and my Aunt maneuvered it onto a cutting board with handles and shuffled it out to her car Cleopatra style. For 78 my Grandma is pretty spry.

Good for her! Glad she is still kickin.

When my grandma died my mother and her sister cleaned out the house so it could be sold. They had to go through absolutely everything. Morgan dollars and cash were stashed everywhere. (like coins in the freezer and cash in books and boxes) They literally filled a paper grocery store bag.

I didn't find this all out till years later, wonder what kind of Morgans there were. I know why she hoarded those coins, her mothers maiden name was Morgan.
 

superneo123

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When my grandma died my mother and her sister cleaned out the house so it could be sold. They had to go through absolutely everything. Morgan dollars and cash were stashed everywhere. (like coins in the freezer and cash in books and boxes) They literally filled a paper grocery store bag.

My mother told me that when she is gone that I will need to look everywere. She said it will be a treasure hunt for me and my brother.

Also nice story, take grandma out for a nice dinner for sure.
 

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