HobBob
Hero Member
Greetings, All!
Back in November (2005), my wife and I made a trip to Wisconsin to spend some time with her mom at Thanksgiving. She has lived in the same house for a little over fifty years now. Although in her 80's and still spry, she needed some help with getting rid of some of the things that had accumulated over the years.
As my wife went through stuff in a spare bedroom, she encountered a rather heavy box tucked under the bed, covered with dust and obviously undisturbed for a long time. When her mom came to have a look-see, she couldn't remember at first what was in the box or how it got there.
When they opened it, they found a coin collection that had been given to my wife's mom by her cousin in 1971, just prior to his moving into a retirement home. She had never opened it, and, having no interest in coin collecting, promptly tucked the box away and forgot about it for the next 35 years.
Fortunately, she knew that I was interested in coins, so she called me in and asked me if I wanted it.
Did I want it? Are you kidding?!
So I took the box into the living room and began going through it. What I found caused my jaw to drop.
Inside were 33 silver dollars (dated from 1878-1926, and 25 of which were contained in a huge silver anniversary card given as a gift from a husband to his wife in 1956), 85 half dollars (from 1852 to 1969), 37 quarters (from 1853-1964), 283 dimes (also from 1853-1964), several half-dimes (1843-1872), a few "V", buffalo, and Jefferson nickels (including some war nickels), several 2- and 3- cent coins, two flying eagle pennies, a bunch of Indian head pennies, and a bunch of Lincoln pennies (including a 1909 VDB - unfortunately, not -S mintmarked). Also - a number of $1 silver certificates, $2 US Notes, a few $2 federal reserve notes, a Canadian $2 bill, and a small number of foreign coins, including an 1876 16 skilling coin, an 1860 British 6-pence coin (silver?), an 1876 British half-penny, an 1879 British farthing, a 1907 British penny (it's huge!), and a few others. I don't have any foreign coin guides, so maybe some of you TNet'ers could help me out in that department...
And the best find of all - an 1878 gold quarter eagle, in EF-40 condition.
Wow!! To be honest, I was so overwhelmed that, after telling her about some of the highlights of the collection, I asked her if she really wanted to give it to me. Much to my relief, she said yes. Whew!! But honestly, I would have given it back to her if she had said no. Despite what I hear from some guys about how much they don't like their mother-in-laws, mine is like a second mom to me, and I love her very much. I guess I am very blessed in that department! (And I can hear the gears turning in some heads - No, it's not just because she gave me the collection!)
I have attached pictures of some of the collection. To be honest, I had originally intended to photograph the entire collection, but after I got going with that project today it took up a lot more time than I had planned. So some of it will remain anonymous.
Thanks for looking.
Happy hunting always,
Bob
PS - the pics with the black background were taken with a digital camera; those with a white background were scanned in. Sorry about the pic quality - it's the first time I have tried this!
Back in November (2005), my wife and I made a trip to Wisconsin to spend some time with her mom at Thanksgiving. She has lived in the same house for a little over fifty years now. Although in her 80's and still spry, she needed some help with getting rid of some of the things that had accumulated over the years.
As my wife went through stuff in a spare bedroom, she encountered a rather heavy box tucked under the bed, covered with dust and obviously undisturbed for a long time. When her mom came to have a look-see, she couldn't remember at first what was in the box or how it got there.
When they opened it, they found a coin collection that had been given to my wife's mom by her cousin in 1971, just prior to his moving into a retirement home. She had never opened it, and, having no interest in coin collecting, promptly tucked the box away and forgot about it for the next 35 years.
Fortunately, she knew that I was interested in coins, so she called me in and asked me if I wanted it.
Did I want it? Are you kidding?!
So I took the box into the living room and began going through it. What I found caused my jaw to drop.
Inside were 33 silver dollars (dated from 1878-1926, and 25 of which were contained in a huge silver anniversary card given as a gift from a husband to his wife in 1956), 85 half dollars (from 1852 to 1969), 37 quarters (from 1853-1964), 283 dimes (also from 1853-1964), several half-dimes (1843-1872), a few "V", buffalo, and Jefferson nickels (including some war nickels), several 2- and 3- cent coins, two flying eagle pennies, a bunch of Indian head pennies, and a bunch of Lincoln pennies (including a 1909 VDB - unfortunately, not -S mintmarked). Also - a number of $1 silver certificates, $2 US Notes, a few $2 federal reserve notes, a Canadian $2 bill, and a small number of foreign coins, including an 1876 16 skilling coin, an 1860 British 6-pence coin (silver?), an 1876 British half-penny, an 1879 British farthing, a 1907 British penny (it's huge!), and a few others. I don't have any foreign coin guides, so maybe some of you TNet'ers could help me out in that department...
And the best find of all - an 1878 gold quarter eagle, in EF-40 condition.
Wow!! To be honest, I was so overwhelmed that, after telling her about some of the highlights of the collection, I asked her if she really wanted to give it to me. Much to my relief, she said yes. Whew!! But honestly, I would have given it back to her if she had said no. Despite what I hear from some guys about how much they don't like their mother-in-laws, mine is like a second mom to me, and I love her very much. I guess I am very blessed in that department! (And I can hear the gears turning in some heads - No, it's not just because she gave me the collection!)
I have attached pictures of some of the collection. To be honest, I had originally intended to photograph the entire collection, but after I got going with that project today it took up a lot more time than I had planned. So some of it will remain anonymous.
Thanks for looking.
Happy hunting always,
Bob
PS - the pics with the black background were taken with a digital camera; those with a white background were scanned in. Sorry about the pic quality - it's the first time I have tried this!
whoaaaaaaa! 
