A lot of us dont really mind the coins in our pocket, especially the ones with the smallest values but there are those who have proven that even the smallest coins can bring in a lot of cash; although youve got to spend decades to collect a lot to actually give you that much money! Who would have thought a penny a day could someday bring you $5k! Fifteen five-gallon plastic water jugs and half a million pennies later, Anders on Tuesday deposited $5,136.14 into his account to go toward a recent dental bill. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Otha Anders saved his first penny more than 45 years ago when he found it on the ground. "I would never spend a penny," Anders said. I became convinced that spotting a lost or dropped penny was an additional God-given incentive reminding me to always be thankful, there have been days where I failed to pray and more often than not, a lost or dropped penny would show up to remind me. Anders said. Shop sales in every category.Uh-oh, overstock: Wayfair put their surplus on sale for up to 50% off. With the help of friends and family, Otha Anders wheeled in 15 water jugs full of pennies to the bank in Ruston. For anyone whos trying to work it out, thats $114.14 a year, Anders was able to collect by picking up dirty old pennies left forgotten on the side of a street. It was a problem that left him devastated. We value his business, as we do all of our customers, she said. Coins made of base metals, such as aluminum, have very little worth. (Fox 14). When he finally took his collection over to the bank, tellers were staggered by the amount he had saved. And after acquiring over a half million of these coins, he finally cashed them in on Tuesday at Origin Bank. Author: Frededreia Willis. Pennies are small both in size and worth, but as a popular Indiansaying goes, "Drops of water collected eventually become a flowing stream." This is a staggering number! "I will always tell the person that if it was a quarter, I would give it back, but since it is a penny, I'm keeping it. When he finally took his collection over to the bank, tellers were staggered by the amount he had saved. The 73-year-old had a family of his own. Anders collected pennies for 45 years until he had filled up . Wow. Otha Anders started collecting pennies because he became "convinced that spotting a lost or dropped penny was an . I wanted to fill five five-gallon water jugs. But collecting pennies was more than a hobby for Anders. And the kids seemed to love him too.Anders was a family man with a loving wife and children who supported his every move. or redistributed. Back in 2015, he had to finally cash them in because his homeowner's insurance policy no longer covered his pennies, and he needed some extra cash. Could you have the discipline to collect coins for almost 50 years? Everyone was staring at him.She looked at him in disbelief. Anders didnt know that after he picked up his first penny, more would keep appearing through his love. "I became convinced that spotting a lost or dropped penny was an additional God-given incentive reminding me always to be thankful," Anders told the Star.From that moment on, Anders picked up every penny he spotted. It took five hours to count the pennies; the plastic jugs were hacked open and then the coins were poured into the coin machine bit by bit. "But I never allowed anyone, not even my wife nor children, to give me pennies without being compensated,"he told the news outlet. Cole said a machine counted the coins that saves much time, and Origin Bank's part is to help get the pennies counted, so Anders can get to his destination. By. Since then, Anders had been piling up the pennies, refusing to spend them and always making sure that whenever he bought something, his change had three or four pennies in it. Uh-oh, overstock: Wayfair put their surplus on sale for up to 50% off. The same with coins that hold an error. All of us have random coins lying around thatdon't amount to much and cannot always be used to pay for something when we are out shopping. I would break a dollar before giving up a penny.. Market data provided by Factset. "We value his business, as we do all of our customers," she said. The total came out to a whopping $5,136. He says he finally cashed in because his insurance policy won't cover the collection, according to the News-Star. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. By Christie. But why? It is said that the world works in mysterious ways, and for Otha Anders and the result of his penny collection, that motto is certainly true ! Otha Anders turned in a 45-year collection of pennies on Tuesday in 15 five-gallon water jugs. It took at least 5 hours to process his pennies through a coin-counting machine until the sum was revealed. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Though he reached out to the bank to notify them about the pennies, the bank's senior vice president Ryan Kilpatrick told the outlet he was shocked at the actual number. . That is a lot of pennies. Although Anders collection contains mostly modern pennies, its crazy to think that if he held onto those coins long enough, theyd soon bring him a fortune as big as a million dollars! "I wanted the inner satisfaction that God and I acquired this collection.". These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. (MyFoxBoston.com) -- Many people save spare change to cash in during rough financial times. I would never spend a penny, he told the News-Star. Although Anders didnt have time on his side, he did have volume. For over 45 years, Anders had been collecting pennies, storing them in 5-gallon water jugs. Our content is created to the best of our knowledge, yet it is of general nature and cannot in any way substitute an individual consultation by your doctor. That first penny, he told the Star, reminded him that life is a gift from God. Guess Who Her Dad Is. Copyright 2021 Obsev.com All Rights Reserved, Man Who Saved Pennies For 45 Years Finally Cashes Out. Ruston resident Otha Anders started saving his first penny more than 45 years ago when he found it on the ground. Subscribe here:https://www.youtube.com/factsverse?sub_confirmation=1. If I would see a penny when Im gassing up, on the ground, or in a store, it would be a reminder to stop right there and say a prayer, he said. In the 1970s, when the government was offeringa $25 bonus for every $100 worth of pennies turned in, he still refused to cash in his collection, as per USA Today. After 45 years of saving, Anders was able to put the money to good use and spend it on a dental bill that had just been issued to him. He was a man on a mission, and when his students at school found out about his strange fascination, they wanted to help.Theyd often come to his class with a handful of pennies to give to him but Anders had principles. Who would have thought a penny a day could someday bring you $5k! Since Anders could have collected a small fortune, he made it a point to have his collection covered under his house insurance, but when he renewed it, they turned him away. When he found out that his homeowner's policy no longer covered his pennies, he had no choice but to cash in his collection of over 45 years. October 28, 2015 at 10:29 pm EDT. He had always been a religious man and his faith had grown stronger as the years passed.His faith was how his penny obsession all started. Anders collected pennies, not as a sign of greed but as a symbol of faith that he was being looked after by the man upstairs, the universe, the penny gods, or whatever you might believe in! But now, he was about to find out. Photo credit: United News International / YouTube. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Anders said he started collecting the coins in the late-1960s. I would say hes done a lot of collecting over the years.. Otha Anders started more than 45 years ago when he found a penny on the ground and decided to save it. He always made sure that his change had pennies in it. Anders, 73-years-old at the time, said that it quickly became an incentive to pray and give thanks very often. I became convinced that spotting a lost or dropped penny was an additional God-given incentive reminding me to always be thankful, Anders said. I wanted the inner satisfaction that God and I acquired this collection.. Anders saved up an incredible $5,136.14 through collecting pennies for 45 years. Copyright 2012-2023 Social Sweethearts GmbH. And as he got older his connection to god only felt stronger for it. By Laurie Hanna. For over 45 years, Anders had been collecting pennies, storing them in 5-gallon water jugs. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Anders and his friends hauled in the containers one by one. "If I would see a penny when on the ground, in the hallway, on the floor, or anywhere, I would automatically and invariably a prayer of thanks and I'd say, well this is God's way of reminding me that I should always be thankful," he told reporters. And with hundreds of thousands of coins, perhaps one had a valuable error. That amount was deposited into his account Tuesday to go toward a recent dental bill. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! This small event set the path for over four decades of Anders looking out for pennies, be it whatever he may have found on the ground or collecting all the pennies after a trip to the grocers. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. See a penny pick it up and if you're like this guy who did that for 45 years you could eventually be walking away with a nice chunk of change.literally. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. than 45 years ago when he found it on the ground. Scientists Have Linked Selfies To Narcissism, Addiction And Mental Illness, Essential Oils And Brain Injuries: Heres What You Are Not Being Told, Rare Monkeypox Virus Has Started Reappearing, Heres What You Need To Know, Heart Surgeon Speaks Out About The True Cause Of Heart Disease, Kind FedEx Driver Shovels Snow Off Womans Porch When He Learns Her Husband Died, Man Builds A Tiny Blue House At Narrow Alley As Revenge To Stop Neighbors From Using It, I Dont Want To Live Anymore And I Want To Die. Read This First. He also started making more and decisions that would give him more pennies. Im not sure exactly, Anders said. Copyright 2021 Obsev.com All Rights Reserved, Man Who Saved Pennies For 45 Years Cashes Out. I never allowed anyone, not even my wife nor children, to give me pennies without being compensated, Anders told the site. It escalated from there. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. This just goes to show that the special meaning he had created with his pennies served him through his life, andstrengthening his relationship with God through this collection was worth more than the money he'd make. If I was at someones house and I found a penny, I would pick it up and I would keep it, he said. This penny reminded him to give thanks for the small but wonderful things that happen in life. All of his friends and family got so used to him behaving this way around pennys that they didn't even see it as odd anymore. Tell us your tales of coin collections if you have any,and don't forget to show this story to your friends as well! And they werent the only establishment to do so. The 73-year-old has some modest plans to spend his money. Otha Anders, a 73-year-old from Ruston, Louisiana, has been collecting pennies for more than 45 years, ABC News reported. "There have been days where I failed to pray and more often than not, a lost or dropped penny would show up to remind me.". During the five-hour process of counting the pennies, the plastic jugs were hacked open with an ax and hammer. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. And with hundreds of thousands of coins, perhaps one had a valuable error. "I would break a dollar before I would spend a penny," he said. And after acquiring over a half million of these coins, he finally cashed them in on Tuesday at Origin Bank. "I have not spent a penny in 40-plus years. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. In total, then, Anders had collected 513,614 pennies in 45 years, or 16,425 days. Anders said he has truly enjoyed looking at his penny collection to the extent that in the 1970s, when the U.S. government offered a $25 bonus for every $100 worth of pennies turned in, he refused to cash in his collection. Legal Statement. Which side of value did they fall under? The trolley wheels squeaked as he walked into the bank. He had saved pennies for most of his life a whole 45 years. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Otha Anders had been collecting pennies for more than 4 decades and had always put his faith in them as he was a religious man. Anders says he plans to use the cash to help pay a dental bill. Thats especially true when it comes to coins - but - only certain kinds of coins. . What began as something fun turned into a full-blown obsession and an all-consuming hobby. Otha Anders cashed in his giant penny collection. You have to find 100 of them to get a dollar - it is a lot of work. Thats what happened to the owner of a 1943-S Lincoln Wheat penny. But once his penny pile began to grow, he became more and more obsessed.So compelling was his idea that penny's represented a god-given gift that he ultimately decided to stop spending pennies himself. But as he speculated, he remembered reading about a coin collection that resulted in a fortune for the owner. But if we can help Anders with his endeavors, we are happy to do so.. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Anders took his haul to the Ruston Origin Bank. They were much heavier than youd think, and not to mention, there were fifteen of them! Specifically, coins made of precious metals like gold, silver, platinum, palladium, and even copper fluctuate in value over time but generally become more valuable. Nancy Bergeron/Ruston Daily Leader But what was he going to do with his saved money? "Our exchange became competitive by each trying to outdo the other and consequently our collections; his nickels, my pennies began to multiply," he said. "But if we can help Anders with his endeavors, we are happy to do so.". He walked into the bank, rolling a dolly behind him. And you think we have the time to count half a million pennies for you? she laughed. Once the first penny was saved, there was no stopping Anders from growing his collection to become the record-breaker that it was in 2015. Bank Vice President Jennie Cole told reporters that it was not a typical day at the bank when Anders rolled in with his collection of pennies on a dolly. How many?, the woman asked. Anders collected pennies, not as a sign of greed but as a symbol of faith that he was being looked after by the man upstairs, the universe, the penny gods, or whatever you might believe in! How would they be able to count all these pennies? Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. The woman gave Anders a long look before calling her manager. Part of HuffPost News. Man saves coins for 45 years, cashes in over $5,000 in pennies. How To Determine And Measure Your Ring Size Accurately, Teen Charged With Major Drug Trafficking Has Been Let Off. There were simply too many to count so Anders could only guess that his collection contained hundreds of thousands of pennies but really, he had no idea. The 73-year-old's homeowner's insurance didn't cover his collection, he told ABC News, that although he long ago surpassed his goal of filling five 5-gallon water jugs with coins, he found himself unable to stop collecting. The same with coins that hold an error. Otha Anders started collecting pennies in the late 1960s. Anders said he would be truly remiss if he did not acknowledge his friend, Jack 'Domino Kid' Brown, for helping him with his penny collection. Then, one day, he decided to turn in the loose change. Anders also added that his friend,Jack "Domino Kid" Brown, played a significant part in his penny collection. Anders worried they would turn him away. Share away, people! It wasn't easy to transport these jugs to the bank, especially as the total weight was more than 2,800 pounds. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. It was a reminder to me to always be thankful," he added. If Anders had it his way, he would have kept his collection and continued to pick up pennies for many years to come but life would throw him a curveball. "He did likewise with pennies for me." He watched over in-school suspended children and absolutely loved his job. They seem somewhat worthless, save for the moments when we find pennies on the ground that promise us a day filled with luck. If I hadnt turned them in yesterday, I was not going to stop.. This 73-Year-Old Man Has Collected Pennies For 45 Years And Now He's Cashing Out For 45 years, Otha Anders saved his pennies. They were much heavier than youd think, and not to mention, there were fifteen of them! They remind him to stay thankful, he says. However, since his homeowners insurance policy didnt cover the extensive collection, he finally decided to cash in. It all just started that one day when he found a penny in the street; he went on to collect more. He explained to the outlet the coins hold meaning for him. How many are there?, she asked. Thats especially true when it comes to coins but only certain kinds of coins. He also stopped spending pennies on purchases, preferring instead to put them in emptywater jugs, the Star reports. Hed been saving pennies he found on the street for 45 long years. Otha Anders cashed in his giant penny collection. He was so serious about his rather unique hobby that he ended up collecting 55 large water jugs filled with pennies. As the report tells it, Otha Anders started more than 45 years ago when he found a penny on the ground and decided to save it. By this time, he had acquired over 15 5-gallon water jugs full of pennies, which were over half a million pennies in total! Anders saved up an incredible $5,136.14 through collecting pennies for 45 years. Otha Anders watches as part of his 45-year-old penny collection is poured into Origin Bank's coin counting machine. Anders sheepishly laughed with her before pleading to her again. The machine bags had to be changed for every $50. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Legal Statement. He took it as a sign to pray and give thanks. Otha Anders of Louisiana had spent the past 45 years picking up pennies he found in the streets and putting these inside his giant piggy banks made of water jugs. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Orav4IyjgtE. How would they be able to count all these pennies? However, thats not true for all coins. It must have been fun watching the water jugs get filled with so much pennies because Otha decided to continue doing it for the years to come. Not many people think too much of a penny - it is just one cent. The plastic jugs had to be opened with an ax and hammer, and the bank was not prepared for such a large collection even though Anders had called a week prior to inform them that he would be coming with a colossal amount of pennies. In the end, Anders was always fair about how he came across his pretty pennies. He would just find them and save them. The two men could only redeem their preferred coins with an exchange; Anders got a penny for a nickel and vice versa. He said Brown could only redeem his nickels with pennies and he could redeem his pennies only with nickels. "I would never spend a penny," he told the Star. He started collecting pennies in the early 1970's. He would just find them and save them. I know its a crazy amount but this is a dear collection of mine that I need to cash out. Then, one day, he decided to turn in the loose change. Anders continued to collect his pennies for 45 years until he successfully filled fifteen five-gallon plastic water jugs.There were simply too many to count so Anders could only guess that his collection contained hundreds of thousands of pennies but really, he had no idea. A Louisiana man finally decided to cash in hundreds of thousands of pennies that hed been saving for more than half his life, raking in more than $5,000 total, the News-Star reports. "If I was at someone's house and I found a penny, I would pick it up and I would keep it," he said. There have been days where I failed to pray and more often than not, a lost or dropped penny would show up to remind me.". A Louisiana man who collected pennies for almost half a century finally cashed in Tuesday. Anders saved his first penny, he says he plans to spend his money to provide a consent! With his saved money how he came across his pretty pennies made sure that his friend, Jack Domino... 45-Year collection of mine that I need to cash in during rough financial.! I have read and agreeto the Privacy policy and Terms of Service category.Uh-oh, overstock: Wayfair their... And Measure your Ring Size Accurately, Teen Charged with Major Drug Trafficking has collecting. 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