We had the same sort of experience with real silver coins that we bought about nine years ago. We sold some recently at an amazing profit over what we paid for them.
Hah . . we also bought some more silver coins that we kept in a leather bag and my husband used to like to inspect them. Then one night, he placed the bag on a table beside the trash can in our bedroom. Evidently, the bag was inadvertently pushed into the trash off the crowded table top. We paid $1,500 at the time for that bag of silver, and there’s no telling what it would bring today. Maybe someone at the landfill who needs it will find it someday. He still hasn’t learned his lesson about clutter, which drives me nuts - but, oh well.
Wow - that was one expensive lesson in reducing clutter! Good luck with the rest of your investments!