And they werent the only establishment to do so. 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. 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. I would never spend a penny, he said. He had no idea yet, but that effort resulted in a fortune, and it was all for him. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. 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Share away, people! "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.". And with hundreds of thousands of coins, perhaps one had a valuable error. 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. Seventy Five Gallons 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! When the manager walked out to see who was causing all the ruckus, his face lit up at the sight of Anders. 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. He probably would have kept his obsession up if he hadnt figured out some when he had to renew his home affairs. The bank manager was rather surprised to see this old man carting in the water jugs filled with money. He would have continued to keep them and collect more if it wasnt for one problem that he encountered when he renewed his home affairs. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. "But if we can help Anders with his endeavors, we are happy to do so.". (MyFoxBoston.com) -- Many people save spare change to cash in during rough financial times. It reportedly took five hours for machines to count all the change. "He did likewise with pennies for me." Otha Anders saved his first penny more than 45 years ago when he found it on the ground. 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. The same with coins that hold an error. "I would break a dollar before giving up a penny.". Your health is important to us. How would they be able to count all these pennies? 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. Which side of value did they fall under? 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. 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. Then he took his jugs to a bank in Ruston, Louisiana to cash them in. And with hundreds of thousands of coins, perhaps one had a valuable error. "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 continued to collect his pennies for 45 years until he successfully filled fifteen five-gallon plastic water jugs. A Louisiana man who collected pennies for more than 45 years has now cashed in 513,614 of them. It seems that this small habit was a touching way for Anders to strengthen his relationship with God. Man saves coins for 45 years, cashes in over $5,000 in pennies. 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. Otha Anders cashed in his giant penny collection. 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 hadnt turned them in yesterday, I was not going to stop.. RUSTON, La. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Hed been saving pennies he found on the street for 45 long years. We value his business, as we do all of our customers, she 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.". All rights reserved. The woman gave Anders a long look before calling her manager. Employees gathered to see the first five-gallon container being counted. Copyright 2012-2023 Social Sweethearts GmbH. Their eyes popped as they took in the sight of the sheer amount of pennies. "If I was at someones house and I found a penny, I would pick it up and I would keep it,"he said. ", | Special to The (Monroe, La.) 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. Employees gathered to see the first five-gallon container being counted. How many?, the woman asked. Legal Statement. While he only deposited them when he found. Thats what happened to the owner of a 1943-S Lincoln Wheat penny. I would guesstimate about half a million pennies?. And after acquiring over a half million of these coins, he finally cashed them in on Tuesday at Origin Bank. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. 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. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. 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. Tell us your tales of coin collections if you have any,and don't forget to show this story to your friends as well! "Our exchange became competitive by each trying to outdo the other and consequently our collections; his nickels, my pennies began to multiply," he added. Coins made of base metals, such as aluminum, have very little worth. For over 45 years, Anders hadbeen collecting pennies, storingthem in 5-gallon water jugs. The final amount was certainly not small. I wanted the inner satisfaction that God and I acquired this collection.. So, he paid them for pennies? This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. 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. 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. It eventually became so much of a hobby that he would deliberately avoid ever spending pennies. "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. Anders collected pennies for 45 years until he had filled up . 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. The 73-year-old had a family of his own. 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. Copyright 2021 Obsev.com All Rights Reserved, Man Who Saved Pennies For 45 Years Cashes Out. Otha Anders has collected over half a million pennies during the last 45 years. The extra bonus of income came just in time for him to pay a medical bill. than 45 years ago when he found it on the ground. The News-Star reports that employees at Ruston . He started collecting pennies in the early 1970's. He would just find them and save them. . 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. Their eyes popped as they took in the sight of the sheer amount of pennies. 73-year-old Otha Anders worked as a supervisor on the Jackson School Board. To Anders, 73, the pennies represent more than a nice pay day. Although Anders didnt have time on his side, he did have volume. The plastic jugs were hacked open by an ax and hammer. The woman stared at him in shock. But why? Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. By this time, he had acquired over 15 5-gallon water jugs full of pennies, which were over half a million pennies in total! It took at least 5 hours to process his pennies through a coin-counting machine until the sum was revealed. Their worth is even less still if the government issuing the coins no longer exists.But what about Anders coins? Im not sure exactly, Anders said. That was the goal, but I couldnt stop. 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. But his wife couldnt help but question one habit that he had had for the last 45 years. It took the bank over 5 hours to count the money and thats through a machine! The coin reminded him to pray and give thanks. Its shocking, for sure, he told ABC News. While he was working as a supervisor for in-school suspended children for the Jackson School Board, students found out about Anders quirk and began to save pennies to sell to him. "He did likewise with pennies for me.". However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. I would break a dollar before giving up a penny.. You have to find 100 of them to get a dollar it is a lot of work. Otha Anders saved his first penny more than 45 years ago when he found it on the ground. All Rights Reserved. He had no idea, but clearly, this would result in a fortune. Guess Who Her Dad Is. Anders saved up an incredible $5,136.14 through collecting pennies for 45 years. With all the pennies this guy had, he must've been very, very lucky. La. The 73-year-old has some modest plans to spend his money. The process of counting took so much time because the coin bag had to be changed every 20 minutes after it would reach$50. He also stopped spending pennies on purchases, preferring instead to put them in emptywater jugs, the Star reports. It would go towards his recent dental bill, he told theNews Star. Wow. 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. 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. It was by far the most exciting thing that had happened at the bank in a while! Otha Anders started more than 45 years ago when he found a penny on the ground and decided to save it. 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. By. They remind him to stay thankful, he says. They seem somewhat worthless, save for the moments when we find pennies on the ground that promise us a day filled with luck. Not many people think too much of a penny it is just one cent. (Fox 14). The machine bags had to be changed for every $50. 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. "I would never spend a penny," Anders said. or redistributed. Although Anders didnt have time on his side, he did have volume. The bank employees looked at Anders rolling his containers in on dollys and stared at him in utter confusion. Part of HuffPost News. 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. 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. You know you see pennies all over. Author: Frededreia Willis. "I became convinced that spotting a lost or dropped. Nancy Bergeron/Ruston Daily Leader Little did he know, just how many gifts he was going to receive. For over 45 years, Anders had been collecting pennies, storing them in 5-gallon water jugs. However, Anders always made sure that every penny that came his way from others was compensated properly. The News Star reports that thehabit was first ignited when he found a penny lying on the ground. "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. You have to find 100 of them to get a dollar - it is a lot of work. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. It took at least 5 hours to process his pennies through a coin-counting machine until the sum was revealed. 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. We value his business, as we do all of our customers, Cole said. Who would have thought a penny a day could someday bring you $5k! Most of us eventually find a way to incorporate our nickels and quarters into our shopping sprees but pennies? Photo credit: United News International / YouTube. Anders had no idea how much money his collection would amount to. He never knew just how much money he would make. But collecting pennies was more than a hobby for Anders. When he finally took his collection over to the bank, tellers were staggered by the amount he had saved. But when they finally did, the amount Anders had saved all these years was incredible! 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. Breanna Edwards. The coin reminded him to pray and give thanks. Anders saved up an incredible $5,136.14 through collecting pennies for 45 years. Its shocking, for sure, he said. The manager of Ed's. Legal Statement. Updated: 8:46 AM EDT October 28, 2015 . For over 45 years, Anders had been collecting pennies, storing them in 5-gallon 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. That amount was deposited into his account Tuesday to go toward a recent dental bill. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. It does not store any personal data. Anders worried they would turn him away. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Thats especially true when it comes to coins but only certain kinds of coins. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. If I was at someones house and I found a penny, I would pick it up and I would keep it, he said. Copyright 2021 Obsev.com All Rights Reserved, Man Who Saved Pennies For 45 Years Finally Cashes Out. "Jack saved nickels as I saved pennies and every nickel that passed through my hands I would save for him," he said. -- A Louisiana man recently cashed in hundreds of thousands of saved pennies, rolling them to the bank on a dolly after collecting them for more than four decades. He also always made sure that whenever he made a purchase with cash, his change contained at least three to four pennies. But now, he was about to find out. "I became convinced that. Where many people think of wishing on a penny, Otha Anders thinks of praying on a penny! You know you see pennies all over. During the five-hour process of counting the pennies, the plastic jugs were hacked open with an ax and hammer. It squeaked and squawked as the wheels turned in pursuit. In total, then, Anders had collected 513,614 pennies in 45 years, or 16,425 days. It was a problem that left him devastated. Cool, isnt it? The woman stared at him in disbelief. . The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". 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. Everyone was staring at him.She looked at him in disbelief. But after collecting the one cent pieces for 45 years, you could have amassed a fortune! 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. I would say hes done a lot of collecting over the years., Vice President Jennie Cole also said that Anders was a long-time customer whom they wanted to help. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. He looked at lost old pennies on the floor as his very own personal gift from God. Disclaimer: All content is provided for fun and entertainment purposes only. Change for the better: Man cashes in 45-year penny collection worth $5,000. Guess how many pennies were in his 15 5-gallon jugs. This meant that he soon had more pennies than he knew what to do with. Anders kept his pennies in five-gallon plastic jugs. By Christie. Ruston resident Otha Anders started saving his first penny more than 45 years ago when he found it on the ground. 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. 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. He couldnt believe it. I know its a crazy amount but this is a dear collection of mine that I need to cash out. As it was, the $5,136 worth of pennies took five hours for Origin Bank in Ruston, Louisiana, to count and process. Coins made of base metals, such as aluminum, have very little worth. 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. Bank Vice President Jennie Cole said that Anders is a longtime customer whom the bank was happy to help, even though the magnitude of the pennies didnt make for a typical day at work. He walked into the bank, rolling a dolly behind him. Anders continued to collect his pennies for 45 years until he successfully filled fifteen five-gallon plastic water jugs. It was a reminder to me to always be thankful," he added. Anders was able to put his money to good use and spend it on a dental bill that had just been issued to him.It was a happy coincidence that he found himself with more money just as an expensive bill landed in his lap. Anders new home insurance didnt cover his penny collection, so he reluctantly decided it was time to visit the bank and cash in his most prized possession. 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. 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. But what was he going to do with his saved money? "I would never spend a penny," he told the Star. Then all day long, you'll have good luck." And his "luck" came in the shape of a cool five grand. The Louisiana teacher loved looking at his massive collection so much that in the 70s, when the U.S. government began to offer a $25 bonus for every $100 worth of pennies turned in, he wasnt even a little tempted to take the extra cash. Which side of value did they fall under? As the years passed, Anders continued to collect his pennies until he successfully filled fifteen five-gallon plastic water jugs with nothing but pennies. I became convinced that spotting a lost or dropped penny was an additional God-given incentive reminding me to always be thankful, Anders said. His quirky hobby turned out to be a brilliant reminder of how much little things matter. How long has Otha Anders been saving his pennies? "But if we can help Anders with his endeavors, we are happy to do so.". Believe me, if I had it my way, Id keep these pennies forever. Thats especially true when it comes to coins - but - only certain kinds of coins. After that first coin, Anders said his penny pile began to grow and he ultimately stopped spending pennies and always made sure whenever he made a purchase, his change contained at least three to four 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! Anders loved his pennies, they were his prized collection. "But if we can help Anders with his endeavors, we are happy to do so.". By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. He started collecting pennies in the early 1970s. Pennies are small both in size and worth, but as a popular Indiansaying goes, "Drops of water collected eventually become a flowing stream." He would just find them and save them. 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.Im not sure exactly, Anders said. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 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. Anders says he plans to use the cash to help pay a dental bill. "I have not spent a penny in 40-plus years. Anders, 73-years-old at the time, said that it quickly became an incentive to pray and give thanks very often. What began as something fun turned into a full-blown obsession and an all-consuming hobby. Otha Anders, a 73-year-old from Ruston, Louisiana, has been collecting pennies for more than 45 years, ABC News reported. But when they finally did, the actual amount Anders had saved all these years was incredible! According to the . Have you ever felt bogged down by the change in your wallet that feels like extra weight that you'll never get rid of? This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Their worth is even less still if the government issuing the coins no longer exists. 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. I never allowed anyone, not even my wife nor children, to give me pennies without being compensated, Anders told the site. I would guesstimate about 400-500,000 pennies?. into his account to go toward a recent dental bill. His quirky hobby turned out to be a brilliant reminder of how much little things matter. All eyes were on the man pulling the trolley behind him. Anders and his friends hauled in the containers one by one. Anders sheepishly laughed with her before pleading with her again. By Laurie Hanna. 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. 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. Who would have thought a penny a day could someday bring you $5k! 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! Cats And Cucumbers: Why Are Cats Afraid Of Cucumbers? He also started making more and decisions that would give him more pennies. Otha Anders, a 73-year-old from Ruston, Louisiana, has been collecting pennies for more than 45 years, ABC News reported. "Jack saved nickels as I saved pennies and every nickel that passed through my hands I would save for him," he said. AREVIK 25.12.2022 1.1k. He cashed in the coins to the Ruston Origin Bank, in Ruston, La. Anders' coin collecting habit started when he found a penny on the street decades ago. "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. When Anders picked up his very first penny, he had no idea that hed continue picking them up for 45 years. But why? 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. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? I would break a dollar before giving up a penny.. In the early 70s, Ota Anders took up an unusual hobby: he began to collect coins in denominations of only 1 penny. Louisiana man cashes in penny collection to the tune of $5,000. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. 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. October 28, 2015 at 10:29 pm EDT. NEW YORK DAILY . — -- 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. Ultimately, Anders went out of his way to stop spending pennies and made sure that after every purchase, his change contained at least 3 to 4 pennies. He explained to the outlet the coins hold meaning for him. Anders worried they would turn him away. How would they be able to count all these pennies? I never allowed anyone, not even my wife nor children, to give me pennies without being compensated. And that he did, he paid them for the pennies they gave him. 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. 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. 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 ! 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. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. When he finally took his collection over to the bank, tellers were staggered by the amount he had saved. 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. NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Benjamin Franklin once said a penny saved is a penny earned, but he probably didn't think of saving over a million of them. Anders had put all the pennies he found into water jugs. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. "Anders will inform us on where he wants the cashed-in money to be placed," she said. He watched suspended kids and loved his job.