Posted on 05/30/2005 1:03:54 PM PDT by wagglebee
Linda Stafford has been going to garage sales for 30 years, and taking good-natured ribbing from her family all the while.
Now, the tables have turned.
Stafford has found more than $3,000 in bills dating from 1928 to 1953 in the bottom of a high-backed chair she bought at a garage sale — for two bucks.
"When we found the money, they could probably hear us screaming all over the neighborhood," said Stafford, 57.
She made the discovery while trying to make room in her garage for more furniture. When one of her daughters, Mandy Rath, heard something rattle in the chair, they removed the bottom. Placed inside a compartment were two paper packets, one with $10 in coins, the other with $3,060 in bills.
Stafford remembers what she paid for the chair, but not where she bought it.
"I know that I've had it out in our garage for at least a year, maybe two," she said.
But, Stafford was not sure how she would spend the money.
"Who knows?" she said. "I might spend it all at garage sales."
You're right about the bills; chances are, they aren't worth more than 15-20% over face value unless they are star notes, or a series that is worth more than usual.
However, it is perfectly legal, and is actually very common to melt US coinage. During the silver boom in the late 1970's, many Ben Franklin halves, Washington quarters, and even common-date Morgan dollars were melted for their silver.
Also, it is not illegal to deface either US currency or US coinage, unless it is done with fraudulent intent; i.e. if you try to alter the date to make it look like a rare coin, etc.
Chances are the stash that she found might be worth around 5K, but definitely not much more than that, unless there are some extreme rarities involved.
Bills that old would have been extra large sized in comparison to today's bills. Definitely collector items.
Hey I had first dibs!
I allways keep every siver coin I find, every Silver Certificate etc
I just do it for a collection of oddball things that I think that my Grandkids will get a kick out of and maybe study some history or even make them some money or they can do what I did and sock it away for their Grandkids etc etc I have pictures, stamps, toys and other small worthless junk that (1) will be worth somthing one day or maybe (2) remind them of how much I loved them after I am gone.
Anyway you slice it, "face value" is a bargain
TT
That's what I was thinking. Some of those might be quite rare.
Sorry about hte triple post; my computer was being unusually slow, and I wasn't sure if it got the message.
My Grandmother found a couple hundred dollars worth of Confederate money in her piano.
It's not that hard. Heck, I've gone to 20 sales in a day before. I certainly couldn't find one I went to over a year ago.
"Interesting wild ass speculation, founded on nothing but your imagination."
Numismatists want mint or almost mint coins.
The coin market hit its peak in late '89-early '90. For the first time ever,value/prices actually went down and haven't regained the highs;AFAIK.
"In regular use coins, unless they are something rare and special, they aren't worth much more than face value. Even case enclosed mint sets, aren't worth all that much, though more than face value."
I'm sitting here with the '04 "Red Book" in my lap. :) Wanna try that one again? ;)
Banks turn in worn out and defaced paper and badly worn coins to the government. They are then destroyed.
Then I'm giggling at you. :-)
Not really.
Did she find a copy of the Declaration of Independence in there, too?
Now THAT'S a comfy chair!!
Poor Uncle Billy ;-)
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