Peace and Morgan Silver Dollars at Face Value

[PGHDigger]

Stopped at the convenience store to get a coffee on my way to work this morning... The cashier was arguing with some kid, when I got to the counter and realized what it was about I almost dropped my coffee as my heart skipped a beat... I am a regular and familiar with the cashier so I asked what's up... The cashier said the kid was trying to pass counterfeit money, the kid turned around and showed me what he had in his hand... It was actually 2 Morgan's and 5 peace dollars... I asked him if it would help if I gave him the seven dollars for them and he agreed... He bought his cigarettes and went on his way...

I just got home from work and got my first real look at them... Couldn't be happier...

Now all I need is the snow to go away and the ground to thaw so I can get out and detect...

 

[Tom_in_CA]

... in case he pinched more of grannies stash...

What ?? Are you kidding me ? How do you figure ? It's entirely feasible they circulated all these years (they're legal tender afterall), and ... were simply coin-roll-searching results. Recant of your kill-joy attitude !

 

[Tom_in_CA]

.....Did you even ask that KID how he came about them?....

Coin roll hunting, of course. Why do you ask ?

 

[GA_Boy]

And Papa Bear says, "Somebody been messin' with my collection".
OP, you made out like a bandit.
Marvin

 

[Nitric]

This thread is fun!

Here's my side on the defense of the op, A little different, but the same Idea as you guys are saying to ask questions.

I sold stuff at Flea markets as a "kid" 18 to 20 something(maybe a little older). Anyhow, I was into pocket watches, jewelry,coins, etc...I had a really good friend that owned a store and I got my pick of some stuff. He would buy out whole estates or other collections of stuff. He did this to help me out and to let me learn some things on my own. While set up I had display cases out on tables, an older guy, Prob 60's to 70's starts accusing me of selling stolen items, "Because a long haired, Burnt out" Couldn't possibly have that on his own it had to be stolen!!! This guy is genuinely Ticked off! Face all red spit flying, I told him it was none of his business how I got the stuff, that only made it worse. Some stuff I sold really cheap not knowing what it was.None of it was stolen! Anyhow, He makes a huge scene, I have a whole crowd around the table. That clown reminds of so many that are quick to judge!

So, I guess that still sticks in my mind when I see people quick to say something is stolen or pass judgement.

 

[GA_Boy]

Unless you could

A. Prove they were stolen (which I couldn't) or

B. They were stolen from you and were willing to file a police report.

The police would tell you they couldn't do anything and everyone would go on with their days.

Please keep your self righteous rant to yourself... You don't need to call everyone commenting in my thread undignified thieves... It's rather unnecessary...

Couldn't have said it better. He probably thinks if he finds a really good deal at a yard sale he should call the police.
Marvin

 

[GA_Boy]

Wow. Guilty until proven innocent huh? If you did call the cops you'd be the one going to jail if you ''detained'' a person without anything other than ''I think their stolen'' lol

He probably would be replacing his teeth if he tried to hold me with that idea. The OP had every right to do what he did. If someone asked me for change for a ten and i gave him two fives and we are both satisfied. If the ten is a silver certificate I'm lucky. If one of the fives is a CT then he is lucky. There is no law broken when the guy tries to spend those coins that I'm aware of.
Marvin
Marvin

 

[PGHDigger]

Stopped at the LCS on my way home today... I'm happy to report the coins are very real... I talked to the owner of the shop for a while about my acquisition... He basically said coins, metal detecting and any kind of treasure hunting is about opportunity... He said it is not the job of the buyer to educate the seller... If the seller is unaware of the value of an item he is essentially selling or exchanging than that is on him... That is the reason when you go to sell something the buyer always asks what you want for it... He said it's pretty common for the sellers offer to be below the lowest offer he would have made as a buyer...

he said "if it wasn't for people not knowing the value of what they have, I wouldn't be able to stay in business"...

I feel better about this now... I did what I did and I have no regrets... Dude got his smokes... And I got 7 coins I could never have afforded to buy retail...

If this ever happens to me in the future I may think a little harder before I say anything... I would consider offering more, but it would, depend on the individual and location... If I caught an older gentleman dumping a jar of coins in a coinstar, I would offer him a fair value... But if it was another punk in a convenience store, I think I would stick to my face value offer only... if they are willing to spend them at a convenience store for face value on garbage, then I will be willing to pay face value for them...

Either way... I'm still taking this as a win... I did a good thing for me and mine...

Thanks for all the comments everyone... Good and bad... I like how this has become an ethics discussion... A topic that can translate to all aspects of treasure hunting... Should a land owner that has given permission receive a reward for a found object that has value? Even if that was not discussed in the original permission? I don't know... But it's something to think about...

 

[Gold Maven]

Every situation is different, some punks should be taught a lesson, and some should be given some advice.

Sat. night my I paid for my meal at a burger joint, the young female cashier gave me an extra 20 dollar bill with my change. I realized her mistake, and when she returned I handed her the 20, and explained what happened.

Instead of a big smile and a thank you, I got a mean look and off she went. She returns with her manager, to open her drawer and return the twenty. I get an equally cold stare from the manager, no thank you, nothing. It hurt a little at the time, but on the way home, I still had a good feeling about what I had done.

Treasure hunting should not be about taking advantage of someone, If I find buried loot, and know who it belongs to, taking it would be stealing, plain and simple.

 

[Garrett424]

Right place; right time. Congrats on a sweet deal and some beautiful coins. Maybe he got into granddad's collection or something.

I love it when things show up out of the blue like that....

 

[Beans]

May I have every ones attention........ I am letting you all know this ahead of time to prevent any assumptions. I will be going to the local convenience store tomorrow with a 2 dollar bill and a kennedy half dollar. These are not stolen. I came across these in an honest transaction from the local bank. Thank you in advance.

 

[Gridwalker306]

I collected coins when I was a kid, mostly Canadian large cents and any kind of silver. The largest part of the collection was silver coins 1940's-1960's. In my early teens I became addicted to cigarettes, they tasted great and made me cool (lol!). I remember going to the convenience store and paying the $5.00 for a pack of smokes (early 1990's, cigs were cheap). I paid for them with silver from my own collection. Maybe the reason the clerk didn't ID me was because they were quite pleased to take my silver. I look back and shake my head, what a shame to waste all that silver on stupid cigarettes.

At any rate, the kid at the store in this post could very well have been me 25 years ago--not a thief, just stupid.

 

[masterjedi]

In approx 1990 I went to a drive up at the bank in my town. I cashed a check for $2,000 and told her I wanted all $100 bills. When I got back to my store I counted it and it was $2,100 in $100 bills. I drove back to the bank went through drive up I told her to recount the money she gave me. I told her she gave me $100 too much. she looked confused then smiled and thank me. Because the $100 would have come out of her pocket. I knew $100 was not mine. it's just who I am.

 

[Nitric]

In approx 1990 I went to a drive up at the bank in my town. I cashed a check for $2,000 and told her I wanted all $100 bills. When I got back to my store I counted it and it was $2,100 in $100 bills. I drove back to the bank went through drive up I told her to recount the money she gave me. I told her she gave me $100 too much. she looked confused then smiled and thank me. Because the $100 would have come out of her pocket. I knew $100 was not mine. it's just who I am.

I had the opposite happen! Had to go back and the only way to prove what I was saying was true was to wait till they counted down the drawer, and sure enough it was a $100 plus.

Nothing wrong with being honest, I guess it's just opinion, but I don't see where the OP did anything dishonest, or immoral? If he was supposed to pay the kid top dollar? Then there would be no pawn, or coin shops! And why learn anything in those areas, if it's dishonest to profit on what you learn or know?

Anyhow, just a fun topic I guess!

I guess there are rules? To me anyhow, if the guy would have asked the OP, What are these worth? That would change my whole opinion, because then the seller is putting trust in the buyer. If they say how much will you give me? That is open for any number! Even if the guy would have taken 50 cents each. There is nothing Immoral with profit! The holder of the coins couldn't buy his smokes, he has a guy behind him willing to buy them, at whatever price! They both win! Nothing wrong with that! They both got what they wanted and both walked away happy, I'm guessing! That's a good deal!

 

[A2coins]

If you go coin roll hunting and find some rolls all silver re rolled would you assume they are stolen because someone turned them in as face value or they must be stolen cause who would do that. Do you turn in the gold rings and diamond rings you find to the police as required by law and metro parks. This guy would have gave them to someone else if not op. Most of us are honest decent people but giving 7 dollars to him for seven in silver someone was going to get them. coin roll hunting you give money and get same face value back do you offer to give melt value when you get silver or tell the bank you gave me much more value back than I gave you, just thinking this situation probably happened pretty fast I would do what op did all day long

 

[UnderMiner]

So much drama, you old T-Net members are sometimes very mean to the new guys. So he bought the kid's silver coins dollar for dollar, that's not a crime - that's opportunity knocking. Kid clearly didn't care about the silver, he just wanted to spend them for their face value on cigarettes. You also can't assume it's stolen money. Every time you coin roll hunters go to the bank and find silver do you assume that was stolen before being brought to the bank? This kid likely found his dead relative's old money and wanted to cash it in. No different from all those people who bring their parent's old money to the bank without knowing what it is and then we all find it later in those coin rolls. No difference. Kid would have gone straight to the bank and then THEY would have given him the face value in fiat paper instead of PGHDigger. Great score PGHDigger!

 

[treblehunter]

I collected coins when I was a kid, mostly Canadian large cents and any kind of silver. The largest part of the collection was silver coins 1940's-1960's. In my early teens I became addicted to cigarettes, they tasted great and made me cool (lol!). I remember going to the convenience store and paying the $5.00 for a pack of smokes (early 1990's, cigs were cheap). I paid for them with silver from my own collection. Maybe the reason the clerk didn't ID me was because they were quite pleased to take my silver. I look back and shake my head, what a shame to waste all that silver on stupid cigarettes.

At any rate, the kid at the store in this post could very well have been me 25 years ago--not a thief, just stupid.

Young, dumb, and full of...........

Cigarettes were such a waste of money and my health, I'm so glad I quit 24 years ago! In the last 10 years I have seen so many of my friends that didn't quit, end up with cancer and heart disease.

 

[scott9050]

Every situation is different, some punks should be taught a lesson, and some should be given some advice.

Sat. night my I paid for my meal at a burger joint, the young female cashier gave me an extra 20 dollar bill with my change. I realized her mistake, and when she returned I handed her the 20, and explained what happened.

Instead of a big smile and a thank you, I got a mean look and off she went. She returns with her manager, to open her drawer and return the twenty. I get an equally cold stare from the manager, no thank you, nothing. It hurt a little at the time, but on the way home, I still had a good feeling about what I had done.

Treasure hunting should not be about taking advantage of someone, If I find buried loot, and know who it belongs to, taking it would be stealing, plain and simple.

I found a purse with $480 cash in it, drove 12 miles to return it and did not even get a thank you. This was back when I first got married and we could have really used the money, but I did the right thing. Strange thing is that I found a wallet with over $200 in it the week before and returned it as well as all the credit cards, that guy was thrilled. I haven't found a damn thing since

 

[stealthycat]

you did fine

you didn't search for the situation, you didn't ask for it, you simply fell into it and made a deal where the buyer(you) and seller were happy

GREAT DEAL FOR YOU

 

[Owassokie]

In approx 1990 I went to a drive up at the bank in my town. I cashed a check for $2,000 and told her I wanted all $100 bills. When I got back to my store I counted it and it was $2,100 in $100 bills. I drove back to the bank went through drive up I told her to recount the money she gave me. I told her she gave me $100 too much. she looked confused then smiled and thank me. Because the $100 would have come out of her pocket. I knew $100 was not mine. it's just who I am.

I have a very similar story. I was CRHing and dumped a bunch of halves in a lobby coin counter. I took my printed ticket to the cashier, watched her count my money, then left. Later that day I went to purchase more coin and noticed I had an extra hundred. After calling the teller, I found she was $100 short. I drove across town that day so she wouldn't be short when she closed.

What we did for these tellers doesn't make us 'different' than most TN members. I'm guessing most TN members would do the same thing. I don't see a correlation between the kind act of returning a $100 and your reaction to the OP's situation.

OO

 

[relic lover]

The OP clearly should have immediately roundhouse kicked the coins out of his hand and while they were still in the air shoot each one through the center with his revolver. At the same time grabbing him by his shirt and asking him in all the excitement he can't remember how many shots he fired. And ask him do you feel lucky punk? I'm sure that's what any reasonable t-netter would do.