One of My First Coin Finds

After finding my mercury dime I had bought a Red Book and a few coin magazines. One article I remember was about finding old coins in regular circulation. It had a few tips in it about increasing your chances of finding good coins. Like buying alot of coins from the bank and having friends who worked with money keep an eye out for you. It had also mentioned a book called The Cherrypickers Guide. I bought it. Then I realized after reading, that I was going to need a loupe. It had alot of newer coins listed with errors.

Seemed like I was spending a lot of money before I even got to looking at tons of change. But I knew it would pay off. I would be rich in a month or two. So off I went to the bank to buy $50 in pennies and nickels. About an hour into it I found what I was looking for a 1969 S double die. Wow it was worth thousands. I couldn't believe my luck. then I was reading the cherrypickers guide some more ....hmmmm... whats this section in front I thought. It has pictures of coins with doubling on them. I seen the mechanical doubling picture and my heart sank. Thats what my coin looks like. I still refused to believe my coin wasn't worth thousands. I had spent $70 dollars on books and a luope. My knowledge of coins was unsurpassed. Who was to tell ME I was wrong.

Well after a few coins show and five dealers. I finally gave in after they all told me the same thing. I still have this coin. It is worth more to me than some of the more expensive coins I have bought from dealers. But I'll never forget at one time for about thirty minutes I had found a coin worth four or five thousand dollars in pocket change.