Published: 10/28/2015 8:46:47 AM. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. "I would break a dollar before giving up a penny.". Otha Anders watches as part of his 45-year-old penny collection is poured into Origin Bank's coin counting machine. He also stopped spending pennies on purchases, preferring instead to put them in emptywater jugs, the Star reports. As it was, the $5,136 worth of pennies took five hours for Origin Bank in Ruston, Louisiana, to count and process. Then, one day, he decided to turn in the loose change. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". For Anders, the process of collecting the coins meant more than the money he would make. He took it as a sign to pray and give thanks. By. The final count: 513,614 pennies, which comes to a little over $5,136, Fox 14 reports. 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. He says he finally cashed in because his insurance policy won't cover the collection, according to the News-Star. 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. . This means that on an average day, he had collected around 31 pennies. October 29, 2015 By Coin Update 13 Comments. 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. I know its a crazy amount but this is a dear collection of mine that I need to cash out. 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. AREVIK 25.12.2022 1.1k. "After collecting the copper for decades, Anders deposited his haul on Tuesday to pay for some recent dental work. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The woman stared at him in disbelief. But one Louisiana man gathered more than 500,000 pennies over the course of 45 years. After 45 years of saving the coins and storing them in five-gallon jugs, he wheeled his collection in on a dolly to see how much he had. Specifically, coins made of precious metals like gold, silver, platinum, palladium, and even copper fluctuate in value over time but generally become more valuable. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. Its shocking, for sure, he told ABC News. He always made sure that his change had pennies in it. Man Cashes in Pennies He Collected for 45 Years, Gets Over $5,000 from Bank, Woman Opens Emergency Exit, Walks on Planes, Girls Facebook Brag Ends Up Costing Her, Pedicab Driver Shot While Trying to Surrender, 91-Year-Old Professor Goes Viral in Online Class. 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. "Anders will inform us on where he wants the cashed-in money to be placed," she said. That is a lot of pennies. News-Star. 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. But why? "Whenever I would see a penny, I would always say a prayer of thanks. Even opening the jugs wasn't a simple task -- they were hacked open with an axe. He started collecting pennies in the early 1970s. How long has Otha Anders been saving his pennies? "Our exchange became competitive by each trying to outdo the other and consequently our collections; his nickels, my pennies began to multiply," he added. Disclaimer: All content is provided for fun and entertainment purposes only. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. 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. 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. "Jack saved nickels as I saved pennies and every nickel that passed through my hands I would save for him," he said. Change for the better: Man cashes in 45-year penny collection worth $5,000. To Anders, 73, the pennies represent more than a nice pay day. 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. Uh-oh, overstock: Wayfair put their surplus on sale for up to 50% off. 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. "But if we can help Anders with his endeavors, we are happy to do so.". Shop sales in every category.Uh-oh, overstock: Wayfair put their surplus on sale for up to 50% off. It seems like Anders steady patience and consistent well-wishing has paid off for him. Although Anders didnt have time on his side, he did have volume. The coin reminded him to pray and give thanks. Your health is important to us. He was so serious about his rather unique hobby that he ended up collecting 55 large water jugs filled with pennies. The final amount was certainly not small. He couldnt believe it. It took at least 5 hours to process his pennies through a coin-counting machine until the sum was revealed. Anders sheepishly laughed with her before pleading to her again. I never failed to do that. "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. Youtube / Kray K News. 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. "I would never spend a penny," Anders said. I never allowed anyone, not even my wife nor children, to give me pennies without being compensated, Anders told the site. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! Otha Anders, a 73-year-old from Ruston, Louisiana, has been collecting pennies for more than 45 years, ABC News reported. With the help of friends and family, Otha Anders wheeled in 15 water jugs full of pennies to the bank in Ruston. 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. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. 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. Cool, isnt it? We value his business, as we do all of our customers, she said. Then he took his jugs to a bank in Ruston, Louisiana to cash them in. -- A Louisiana man recently cashed in hundreds of thousands of saved pennies, rollingthem to the bank on a dolly after collecting them for more than four decades.According to the Louisiana News Star, Otha Anders, 73, started collecting pennies 45 years ago when he spotted one on the ground. 2023 FOX Television Stations, from WED 8:00 PM PST until THU 10:00 AM PST, Willapa Hills, from THU 4:00 AM PST until FRI 4:00 AM PST, West Slopes North Central Cascades and Passes, from THU 4:00 AM PST until FRI 10:00 AM PST, West Slopes North Cascades and Passes, from THU 4:00 AM PST until FRI 4:00 AM PST, East Slopes of the Washington Cascades, from THU 12:00 AM PST until THU 1:00 PM PST, Lower Columbia and I - 5 Corridor in Cowlitz County, from THU 4:00 AM PST until THU 10:00 PM PST, West Slopes South Central Cascades and Passes, from WED 11:00 PM PST until THU 8:00 AM PST, Western Whatcom County, Western Skagit County, Admiralty Inlet Area, FOX13 News | Seattle & Western Washington | Formerly Q13 News, Idaho murders: Bryan Kohberger leaks a 'huge issue' with 'potential to compromise' prosecution, lawyer warns, Idaho student murders suspect Bryan Kohberger could face death by firing squad under proposed law if convicted, Deputies: Theft suspect caught after GPS tracker hidden in stolen items, I didnt realize: Woman mistakenly eats heart-shaped chip that could have won her 100K, Armed suspects impersonate federal officers, rob elderly woman in Pierce County home, 'I wanted to be the best teammate'; First woman appointed as fire chief in King County, West Virginia governor signs new carry bill, allowing for guns on public college, university campuses, Prince Harry and wife Meghan asked to vacate royal home in UK. 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. I would guesstimate about half a million pennies?. It was actually his religion that started the penny collecting. The 73-year-old had a family of his own. The bank employees looked at Anders rolling his containers in on dollys and stared at him in utter confusion. All rights reserved. NEW YORK DAILY . Otha Anders saved his first penny more than 45 years ago when he found it on the ground. How many were in there? And they werent the only establishment to do so. But why? It may inspire them to start a collection of their own. 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. This meant that he soon had more pennies than he knew what to do with. 73-year-old Otha Anders worked as a supervisor on the Jackson School Board. The two men could only redeem their preferred coins with an exchange; Anders got a penny for a nickel and vice versa. 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 didnt know that after he picked up his first penny, more would keep appearing through his love. 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. "I never allowed anyone, not even my wife nor children, to give me pennies without being compensated," he said. 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. The pennies were then poured into the coin machine with small plastic buckets. Anders' coin collecting habit started when he found a penny on the street decades ago. By Christie. "I would break a dollar before I would spend a penny," he said. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. Pennies are small both in size and worth, but as a popular Indiansaying goes, "Drops of water collected eventually become a flowing stream." Copyright 2012-2023 Social Sweethearts GmbH. Anders wasa supervisor for in-school suspended children for the Jackson School Board in Louisiana, and when his students found out about his habit of collecting pennies, they would save up their money to sell to him. The woman gave Anders a long look before calling her manager. Their eyes popped as they took in the sight of the sheer amount of pennies. Could you have the discipline to collect coins for almost 50 years? "But I never allowed anyone, not even my wife nor children, to give me pennies without being compensated," he said. But what was he going to do with his saved money? His quirky hobby turned out to be a brilliant reminder of how much little things matter. Otha Anders saved his first penny more than 45 years ago when he found it on the ground. They seem somewhat worthless, save for the moments when we find pennies on the ground that promise us a day filled with luck. Share away, people! Guess Who Her Dad Is. "But if we can help Anders with his endeavors, we are happy to do so.". To him, it was a small and simple quirky habit but over time, it didn't look so small anymore. He would just find them and save them. I would break a dollar before giving up a penny.. He approached the questionable expression behind the desk and asked them to cash his pennies in. Five of Anders' closest friends and family helped him and bank employees load the coins from the back of a pickup truck into the company's coin room. When he finally took his collection over to the bank, tellers were staggered by the amount he had saved. Even though one particular hobby of his raised a few eyebrows. However, thats not true for all coins. It was a reminder to me to always be thankful," he added. Little did he know, just how many gifts he was going to receive. 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. That led to a huge collection, stored in 15 five-gallon, plastic water jugs, adding up to about half a million pennies, which ultimately converted to $5,136.14. It wasn't easy to transport these jugs to the bank, especially as the total weight was more than 2,800 pounds. "I would break a dollar before giving up a penny". All rights reserved. "I became convinced that spotting a lost or dropped penny was an additional God-given incentive reminding me to always be thankful," said Anders. The woman behind the counter looked at him in disbelief. 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. Tell us your tales of coin collections if you have any,and don't forget to show this story to your friends as well! For 45 years, up until Tuesday, he was the proud owner of a collection containing over half a million of them. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. But that's not all. But now, he was about to find out. 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. "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.". This is a staggering number! With all the pennies this guy had, he must've been very, very lucky. Man Cashes In 500,000 Pennies Collected Over 45 Years. Anders saved up an incredible $5,136.14 through collecting pennies for 45 years. 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. All of the kids love him and he was happy to look after them. If I was at someones house and I found a penny, I would pick it up and I would keep it, he said. How many?, the woman asked. And with hundreds of thousands of coins, perhaps one had a valuable error. He explained, I wanted the inner satisfaction that God and I acquired this collection., If I was at someones house and I found a penny, I would pick it up and I would keep it, 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. Anders and his friends hauled in the containers one by one. But when they finally did, the amount Anders had saved all these years was incredible! Every penny he had, he kept. Otha Anders started collecting pennies in the late 1960s. So, he paid them for pennies? Who would have thought a penny a day could someday bring you $5k! Im not sure exactly, Anders said. But if we can help Anders with his endeavors, we are happy to do so.. Updated: 8:46 AM EDT October 28, 2015 . It eventually became so much of a hobby that he would deliberately avoid ever spending pennies. 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. He walked into the bank, rolling a dolly behind him. It reportedly took five hours for machines to count all the change. They were much heavier than youd think, and not to mention, there were fifteen of them! Then all day long, you'll have good luck." And his "luck" came in the shape of a cool five grand. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. He cashed in the coins to the Ruston Origin Bank, in Ruston, La. What if you collected pennies as a hobby? Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. After over four decades of this spectacular collection, we wish Anders the very best for his future penny collections as well! When he finally took his collection over to the bank, tellers were staggered by the amount he had saved. 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. 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. The bank manager was rather surprised to see this old man carting in the water jugs filled with money. 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. 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