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. into his account to go toward a recent dental bill. Ruston resident Otha Anders started saving his first penny more than 45 years ago when he found it on the ground. When he finally took his collection over to the bank, tellers were staggered by the amount he had saved. The same with coins that hold an error. It reportedly took five hours for machines to count all the change. Otha Anders started collecting pennies in the late 1960s. 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. Employees gathered to see the first five-gallon container being counted. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Orav4IyjgtE. While he may not be able to amass another collection so large, we are sure that the happiness that comes from the act of collecting the coins will only continue to multiply. He had no idea, but clearly, this would result in a fortune. "I have not spent a penny in 40-plus years. 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. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. "Jack saved nickels as I saved pennies and every nickel that passed through my hands I would save for him," he said. Author: Frededreia Willis. I would never spend a penny, he said. It all just started that one day when he found a penny in the street; he went on to collect more. Even though one particular hobby of his raised a few eyebrows. "I never allowed anyone, not even my wife nor children, to give me pennies without being compensated," he said. "Anders will inform us on where he wants the cashed-in money to be placed," she said. Back in 2015, he had to finally cash them in becausehis homeowners insurance policy no longer covered his pennies, and he needed some extra cash. This meant that he soon had more pennies than he knew what to do with. Studies have shown that gratitude is a sure-fire way to a path of greater happiness in life. Its unclear how much his collection weighed, but using the U.S. Mints estimate of 2.5 grams a coin, it might have been around 2,800 pounds. The same with coins that hold an error. That was the goal, but I couldnt stop. For over 45 years, Anders had been collecting pennies, storing them in 5-gallon water jugs. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. How would they be able to count all these 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! 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. The 73-year-old has some modest plans to spend his money. How many were in there? You know you see pennies all over. 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. The woman behind the counter looked at him in disbelief. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Their eyes popped as they took in the sight of the sheer amount of pennies. 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. All of the kids love him and he was happy to look after them. It escalated from there. RUSTON, La. In the end, Anders was always fair about how he came across his pretty pennies. The two men could only redeem their preferred coins with an exchange; Anders got a penny for a nickel and vice versa. This means that on an average day, he had collected around 31 pennies. So he decided it was time to cash in. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. "Our exchange became competitive by each trying to outdo the other and consequently our collections; his nickels, my pennies began to multiply," he added. But when they finally did, the actual amount Anders had saved all these years was incredible!When the manager walked out to see who was causing all the ruckus, his face lit up at the sight of Anders. Could you have the discipline to collect coins for almost 50 years? 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. Anders saved up an incredible $5,136.14 through collecting pennies for 45 years.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. I would guesstimate about 400-500,000 pennies?. He took . As a supervisor for in-school suspended children for the Jackson School Board, Anders said his students learned about his penny fascination and would save them up to sell to him. Anders collected pennies for 45 years until he had filled up . 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. With all the pennies this guy had, he must've been very, very lucky. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. News-Star. Their worth is even less still if the government issuing the coins no longer exists. He plans to put the money toward a recent dental bill, but he says he hasnt lost the joy that comes with collecting coins. Anders also added that his friend,Jack "Domino Kid" Brown, played a significant part in his penny collection. Asian-American Affairs Reporter, HuffPost. Specifically, coins made of precious metals like gold, silver, platinum, palladium, and even copper fluctuate in value over time but generally become more valuable. "I would break a dollar before giving up a penny". Market data provided by Factset. The trolley wheels squeaked as he walked into the bank. "I became convinced that spotting a lost or dropped penny was an additional God-given incentive reminding me to always be thankful," said Anders, 73. The extra bonus of income came just in time for him to pay a medical bill. "I will always tell the person that if it was a quarter, I would give it back, but since it is a penny, Im keeping it." 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. But if we can help Anders with his endeavors, we are happy to do so.. Uh-oh, overstock: Wayfair put their surplus on sale for up to 50% off. (Fox 14) A Louisiana man who collected pennies for almost half a . "Our exchange became competitive by each trying to outdo the other and consequently our collections; his nickels, my pennies began to multiply," he said. Change for the better: Man cashes in 45-year penny collection worth $5,000. Then he took his jugs to a bank in Ruston, Louisiana to cash them in. But now, he was about to find out. He watched suspended kids and loved his job. He told USA Today, "I became convinced that spotting a lost or dropped penny was an additional God-given incentive reminding me to always be thankful. This is a staggering number! The half million pennies Anders collected amounted to $5,136.14 in cash.The bank where Anders cashed in his change told the Star they were more than happy to help the longtime customer, though it took more than 5 hours for a machine to count through the change.Anders maintains he will continue to collect pennies, but likely turn them in at the bank more often since his collection is not covered under his homeowner's insurance. — -- Otha Anders is a true believer in the phrase a pretty penny. For 45 years, up until Tuesday, he was the proud owner of a collection containing over half a million of them. The coin reminded him to pray and give thanks. Having collected pennies since the late 1960s, the 73-year-old from Louisiana finally deposited the savings in his bank to pay for a dental bill. This penny reminded him to give thanks for the small but wonderful things that happen in life. Part of HuffPost News. After over four decades of this spectacular collection, we wish Anders the very best for his future penny collections as well! 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. I never failed to do that. "I would never spend a penny," he told the Star. (Fox 14). He explained to the outlet the coins hold meaning for him. I know its a crazy amount but this is a dear collection of mine that I need to cash out. 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. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. By Laurie Hanna. All Rights Reserved. If I was at someones house and I found a penny, I would pick it up and I would keep it, he said. It eventually became so much of a hobby that he would deliberately avoid ever spending pennies. Pennies are small both in size and worth, but as a popular Indiansaying goes, "Drops of water collected eventually become a flowing stream." Senior vice president of the Origin Bank in Ruston, Louisiana, Ryan Kilpatrick said that they were not prepared for such a huge amount to come rolling through their bank. "I would break a dollar before giving up a penny.". But why? "He did likewise with pennies for me." "I became convinced that spotting a lost or dropped. Subscribe to our channel: http://bit.ly/FactsVerse Image Credits :Like this content? . 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. But why? 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. Thats especially true when it comes to coins but only certain kinds of coins. He walked into the bank, rolling a dolly behind him. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. The man who collected coins for 45 years took it to the bank with a truck and counted how much money he managed to collect during this time. A few people have the profitable habit of collecting coins over a long period of time and cashing them in for good money at the end. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. 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. During the five-hour process of counting the pennies, the plastic jugs were hacked open with an ax and hammer. Legal Statement. And as he got older his connection to god only felt stronger for it. Anders sat next to the machine watching his collection go down the counter and the bank workers come in to the change the coin bag every 20 minutes, since the coin machine bags need to be changed after every $50. The bank manager was rather surprised to see this old man carting in the water jugs filled with money. Coins made of base metals, such as aluminum, have very little worth. Where many people think of wishing on a penny, Otha Anders thinks of praying on a penny! The total came out to a whopping $5,136. 'Dream big', 'never give up'; Sen. Murray's advice to young girls in the U.S. 'Go back to your country:' Man arrested for hate crime after throwing rocks, using racially-biased comments, WATCH: Surveillance footage shows suspect stealing car with two kids inside, Scientists tap volunteers to save integral species to Puget Sound ecosystem, First woman appointed as fire chief in King County, Egg shortage and high demand creates waitlist for people looking to adopt chickens, Suspect in 3rd and Pine shooting releasing from jail. You know you see pennies all over. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Man saves coins for 45 years, cashes in over $5,000 in pennies. "But if we can help Anders with his endeavors, we are happy to do so.". 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. He watched over in-school suspended children and absolutely loved his job. Otha Anders has collected over half a million pennies during the last 45 years. This soon became an obsession until he started saving his own pennies for his hobby. 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. The woman gave Anders a long look before calling her manager. You have to find 100 of them to get a dollar it is a lot of work. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". For 45 years, up until Tuesday, he was the proud owner of a collection containing over half a million of them. As the years passed, Anders continued to collect his pennies until he successfully filled fifteen five-gallon plastic water jugs with nothing but pennies. After all, the magic of life is preserved in the ordinary, everyday things, and it is up to us to find it. "If I was at someone's house and I found a penny, I would pick it up and I would keep it," he said. Most of us eventually find a way to incorporate our nickels and quarters into our shopping sprees but pennies? 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. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. 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. Guess Who Her Dad Is. 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. Its shocking, for sure, he told ABC News. I will always tell the person that if it was a quarter, I would give it back, but since it is a penny, Im keeping it., Black News and Black Views with a Whole Lotta Attitude. He also stopped spending pennies on purchases, preferring instead to put them in emptywater jugs, the Star reports. Anders sheepishly laughed with her before pleading to her again. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". But one Louisiana man gathered more than 500,000 pennies over the course of 45 years. It has long been said that time is the most valuable commodity. It took the bank over 5 hours to count the money and thats through a machine! Anders took his haul to the Ruston Origin Bank. So, he paid them for pennies? It was by far the most exciting thing that had happened at the bank in a while! Otha Anders started collecting pennies because he became "convinced that spotting a lost or dropped penny was an . However, Anders always made sure that every penny that came his way from others was compensated properly. "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. It took at least 5 hours to process his pennies through a coin-counting machine until the sum was revealed. 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. All rights reserved. Not many people think too much of a penny - it is just one cent. The hobby turned into an obsession that would consume a lot more of his free time than what his wife like. It all just started that one day when he found a penny in the street; he went on to collect more. An error in the coin made it extremely valuable, and its value could only keep growing over time. "After collecting the copper for decades, Anders deposited his haul on Tuesday to pay for some recent dental work. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. And after acquiring over a half million of these coins, he finally cashed them in on Tuesday at Origin Bank. Its shocking, for sure, he said. 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. An error in the coin made it extremely valuable, and its value could only keep growing over time. To get the pennies to the Ruston Origina Bank in Ruston, LA, Anders needed help.He ended up getting a couple of his friends to help move the five-gallon jugs full of pennies into his truck and then into the bank. That is a lot of pennies. The coin reminded him to pray and give thanks. But his wife couldnt help but question one habit that he had had for the last 45 years. But as he speculated, he remembered reading about a coin collection that resulted in a fortune for the owner. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Youtube / Kray K NewsAnders saved up an incredible $5,136.14 through collecting pennies for 45 years.For anyone who's trying to work it out, that's $114.14 a year, Anders was able to collect by picking up dirty old pennies left forgotten on the side of a street. NEW YORK DAILY . All rights reserved. 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.". "We value his business, as we do all of our customers," she said. . 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. 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! I wanted the inner satisfaction that God and I acquired this collection.. 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. When Anders picked up his very first penny, he had no idea that hed continue picking them up for 45 years. The machine bags had to be changed for every $50. But as he speculated, he remembered reading about a coin collection that resulted in a fortune for the owner. For Anders, the process of collecting the coins meant more than the money he would make. The woman stared at him in shock. He had saved pennies for most of his life a whole 45 years. That first penny, he told the Star, reminded him that life is a gift from God. I know its a crazy amount but this is a dear collection of mine that I need to cash out. They remind him to stay thankful, he says. Otha Anders from Ruston, Louisiana, knows that by being patient and collecting over a long period of time, pennies can amount to a significant paydaythat is sure to surprise anyone. 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. Thats why they had so much value to me., If his homeowners insurance policy hadnt stopped covering the pennies, Anders says there wouldve been no turning back. The plastic jugs were hacked open by an ax and hammer. I would never spend a penny, he told the News-Star. "We value his business, as we do all of our customers," she said. We could only imagine how many weeks they would have spent on Othas collection if there was no machine to help them count. As it turns out, he knew Anders quite well, Anders was a longtime, loyal customer who never gave them any problems so immediately knew they wanted to help him. And after acquiring over a half million of these coins, he finally cashed them in on Tuesday at Origin Bank. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. It seems like Anders' steady patience and consistent well-wishing has paid off for him. He took it as a sign to pray and give thanks. And they werent the only establishment to do so. And they werent the only establishment to do so. The counting and processing of the coins took a total of about five hours, according to the News-Star. "I would never spend a penny," he said. How would they be able to count all these pennies? Anders was hesitant to finally hand in his collection, which he refused to do back in the 1970s, when the government was offering a $25 bonus for every $100 worth of pennies turned in, the News-Star notes. 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Government issuing the coins no longer exists improve your experience while you navigate through the website he across. What his wife couldnt help but question one habit that he would deliberately avoid ever spending pennies hours! These pennies on Othas collection if there was no machine to help them count a while that. Last 45 years ago when he found it on the ground my nor.