Great find, amazing to be all in one spill like that.
Based on inflation since the 50's, wouldn't that be about like losing 25 dollars today? It's a lot, that's for sure. Yeah, I would not let that go too easy. I once lost about that much grocery money in the parking lot, didn't realize it till the next day, and boy that smarted. Ramen noodles it was, for a while.