The Lincoln Highway National Museum & Archives 102 Old Lincoln Way West Galion, Ohio 44833 (419) 462-2212 Voice (419) 462-2214 Fax (419) 566-0790 Cell

Dear Friends,

We talked about it and decided to go for it.

As kids we had collected coins together
and I even had my Coin Collecting Merit Badge
so we both were knowledgeable on the subject.

This is one of the many times my Scouting background
has paid huge dividends in later life.

In addition,
you have to remember Gold and Silver
were at all time highs at the time,
and their were lines at all the coin shops

So, I wrote him a check for $200 and no sense,
and he went to the bank and made a withdrawal.

It was all the money I had in the world.

At the time we thought,
"Boy if we could only make a $1000.00."

While it sounded good in theory,
there was still the small problem of customers.

We thought about taking out an ad in the paper,
we really didn't want people coming over to his apartment,
so we went to the Dayton Mall and hit on a few of the customers
who'd been standing in line for hours.

We bought maybe $100 face
which at the time came to $1800.00 or so.

Then there was the small problem of where to sell
and hopefully of course at a profit.

We actually had visions of flying to New York
twice a day to sell our newly acquired treasures.

To this day we sometimes look at one another and say,
"You know we could go to New York."
and then we both break down in gut wrenching laughter.

We soon found a local fellow we could work with
and the rest is pretty much history.

Later we opened a shop in Galion

and then another in Mansfield.

This is at West Park Coins.
"We're .999 Fine"

One time an old farmer walked in
and asked for a buy price on Krugerrands.

He was dressed in a pair of faded coveralls
and didn't look like he had two sticks to rub together.

I gave him a price and figured that was that;
we used to get a lot of shoppers.

"Well, I guess I'll sell them."

Then he reached in his pocket
and pulled out not one,
but two rolls.
I think it came to $15,000.

"Hard to believe, but one thousand percent true."

So much for judging a book by its cover.

Ah, the stories I could tell...

Warmest Regards,

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