This is a gospel truth story about just such a penny-centered good luck piece.
I was given one when I was, like, 6 or 7. It said the exact same thing about never going broke -- not that I had any idea what "broke" meant. It also said "Good Luck Charm" and had a horseshoe embossed on one side.
Well, this traveling Wild West show came to town and me and a bunch of others kids went wild ourselves. We got to the show first -- and got front row seats.
The ridin', ropin' and rustlin' was amazing. Then, things became downright surreal when this buckskin-coated host named (of course) Wild Bill sashayed up and asked if any of us had a quarter. Not one between all of us. Panic. But, I had my good luck piece and held it out. Then, the most beautiful woman the world had ever seen, walked over in her cowgirl outfit, took my good luck piece and after some fanfare -- and vital aligning of herself and Wild Bill -- flicked it into the air where Wild Bill shot it. Damn near dead center -- though I'd skip that "damn" part in those days. The crowd went wild. That shootin' was unbelievable, even to this day.
Wild Bill retrieved the token and handed it back to me, sans penny -- but with a genuine bullet hole just a tad off-center.
I don't even remember walking home that night. I was so far beyond Cloud Nine that I could barely sleep. I just turned the good luck piece over and over, putting my pinky through the partial bullet hole. It was truly the luckiest piece anyone could ever have.
Not sure where it is now. I guess I outgrew such luck. The field where the show was at is now a mall. But somewhere under it is a 1949 penny with a Wild Bill bullet scar.
