In addition to his stamp collection my father had a coin collection.
Like his stamps his coins tended toward the high-volumn low-value varities. He accumulated a bunch of Indian Head pennies – and never forgot that he had a whole lot more stolen out of his bedroom. He saved several rolls of 1943 “steel” pennies. He had a bunch of silver dollars.
When I was in junior high he had pretty much gotten out of the stamps but would go to the bank every week to trade them rolls of coins for new rolls he could sort through. The highlight of the collection is the gold pieces.
I don’t know the exact story but I think that the $20 gold piece was a wedding present. I remember that they had another one which they spent and that they still talked about it 50 years later.
Anyway – I need to sell these like I did the stamps. Let me know if you’re interested.