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. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. It was a reminder to me to always be thankful," he added. He took . The extra bonus of income came just in time for him to pay a medical bill. All rights reserved. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. . 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. How many were in there? "He did likewise with pennies for me." This means that on an average day, he had collected around 31 pennies. What if you collected pennies as a hobby? We could only imagine how many weeks they would have spent on Othas collection if there was no machine to help them count. It'll go toward a recent dental bill, the Ruston Daily Leader reported. The bank manager was rather surprised to see this old man carting in the water jugs filled with money. Otha Anders saved his first penny more than 45 years ago when he found it on the ground. He probably would have kept his obsession up if he hadnt figured out some when he had to renew his home affairs. 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. The coin reminded him 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. That was the goal, but I couldnt 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. We value his business, as we do all of our customers, Cole said. . I would say hes done a lot of collecting over the years.. 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. The extra bonus of income came just in time for him to pay a medical bill.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! It was by far the most exciting thing that had happened at the bank in a while!The plastic jugs were hacked open by an ax and hammer. They remind him to stay thankful, he says. The 73-year-old has some modest plans to spend his money. Anders worried they would turn him away. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. In total, then, Anders had collected 513,614 pennies in 45 years, or 16,425 days. 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. Believe me, if I had it my way, Id keep these pennies forever.The woman gave Anders a long look before calling her manager. Most of us eventually find a way to incorporate our nickels and quarters into our shopping sprees but pennies? "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. But now, since Anders homeowner's insurance policy does not cover his collection, he has reluctantly turned them in to Origin Bank. 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. 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. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. Copyright 2021 Obsev.com All Rights Reserved, Man Who Saved Pennies For 45 Years Cashes Out. How long has Otha Anders been saving his pennies? Thats what happened to the owner of a 1943-S Lincoln Wheat penny. But what was he going to do with his saved money? The woman stared at him in shock. 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. Which side of value did they fall under? Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Anders, 73, reportedly supervises in-school suspended children for the Jackson School Board. 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. Any penny he receives as change or anything he finds in his walks, he puts inside the 5-gallon water jugs. 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. "If I was at someones house and I found a penny, I would pick it up and I would keep it,"he said. How would they be able to count all these pennies? "We value his business, as we do all of our customers," he said. Otha Anders started collecting pennies because he became "convinced that spotting a lost or dropped penny was an . Thats what happened to the owner of a 1943-S Lincoln Wheat penny. Who would have thought a penny a day could someday bring you $5k! Over a few years, a random collection of coins can amount to a fancy night out or give you the exact amount to buya beautiful outfit. Pennies are small both in size and worth, but as a popular Indiansaying goes, "Drops of water collected eventually become a flowing stream." It took the bank over 5 hours to count the money and thats through a machine! Copyright 2012-2023 Social Sweethearts GmbH. Coins made of base metals, such as aluminum, have very little worth. 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. By. "Jack saved nickels as I saved pennies and every nickel that passed through my hands I would save for him," he said. He felt that every penny he found was a gift from God, but he had no idea that he would find many more gifts throughout his life. Although Anders didnt have time on his side, he did have volume. Published: 10/28/2015 8:46:47 AM. It was actually his religion that started the penny collecting. Otha Anders started collecting pennies in the late 1960s. Not many people think too much of a penny it is just one cent. All Rights Reserved. He watched over in-school suspended children and absolutely loved his job. 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He couldnt believe it. While he only deposited them when he found. After over 5 hours of counting and processing pennies in a machine at the bank, Anders had a total of$5,136.14 worth of pennies. Recently, he needed some money and thought that he did have some money stashed in his house; although he wasnt sure how much he actually had. Could you have the discipline to collect coins for almost 50 years? If I hadnt turned them in yesterday, I was not going to stop.. This man had saved pennies for 45 years and just picked them up from the street. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. But what was he going to do with his saved money? And after acquiring over a half million of these coins, he finally cashed them in on Tuesday at Origin Bank. Otha Ander was a supervisor on the Jackson School Board and was passionate about his job. Photo credit: United News International / YouTube. He explained to the outlet the coins hold meaning for him. The manager of Ed's. 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.Anders had no idea how much money his collection would amount to. Jul 2, 2018. The hobby turned into an obsession that would consume a lot more of his free time than what his wife like. This is a staggering number! "But if we can help Anders with his endeavors, we are happy to do so.". "He did likewise with pennies for me.". 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. For over 45 years, Anders had been collecting pennies, storing them in 5-gallon water jugs. Otha Anders, a 73-year-old from Ruston, Louisiana, has been collecting pennies for more than 45 years, ABC News reported. His quirky hobby turned out to be a brilliant reminder of how much little things matter. And after acquiring over a half million of these coins, he finally cashed them in on Tuesday at Origin Bank. 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. 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. Every penny he had, he kept. His quirky hobby turned out to be a brilliant reminder of how much little things matter. The final count: 513,614 pennies, which comes to a little over $5,136, Fox 14 reports. Anders continued to collect his pennies for 45 years until he successfully filled fifteen five-gallon plastic water jugs. 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. An error in the coin made it extremely valuable, and its value could only keep growing over time. I would break a dollar before giving up a penny.. Legal Statement. It has long been said that time is the most valuable commodity. Man saves coins for 45 years, cashes in over $5,000 in pennies. It wasn't easy to transport these jugs to the bank, especially as the total weight was more than 2,800 pounds. So he decided it was time to cash in. For 45 years, up until Tuesday, he was the proud owner of a collection containing over half a million of them. I would never spend a penny, he told the News-Star. The woman stared at him in disbelief. But when they finally did, the amount Anders had saved all these years was incredible! 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. As it turns out, he knew Anders quite well Anders was a longtime, loyal customer who never gave them any problems so immediately knew the manager wanted to help him. Otha Anders started more than 45 years ago when he found a penny on the ground and decided to save it. News-Star. Asian-American Affairs Reporter, HuffPost. 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. However, Anders always made sure that every penny that came his way from others was compensated properly. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. We value his business, as we do all of our customers, she said. "Our exchange became competitive by each trying to outdo the other and consequently our collections; his nickels, my pennies began to multiply," he said. Tell us your tales of coin collections if you have any,and don't forget to show this story to your friends as well! '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. Studies have shown that gratitude is a sure-fire way to a path of greater happiness in life. But his wife couldnt help but question one habit that he had had for the last 45 years. than 45 years ago when he found it on the ground. They were much heavier than youd think, and not to mention, there were fifteen of them! La. And with hundreds of thousands of coins, perhaps one had a valuable error. 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. Otha Anders, a 73-year-old from Ruston, Louisiana, has been collecting pennies for more than 45 years, ABC News reported. As it was, the $5,136 worth of pennies took five hours for Origin Bank in Ruston, Louisiana, to count and process. This penny reminded him to give thanks for the small but wonderful things that happen in life. 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. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. He cashed in the coins to the Ruston Origin Bank, in Ruston, La. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. He would just find them and save them. "I would never spend a penny," Anders said. I know its a crazy amount but this is a dear collection of mine that I need to cash out. Believe me, if I had it my way, Id keep these pennies forever. . It was actually his religion that started the penny collecting. 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. 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. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. He had no idea yet, but that effort resulted in a fortune, and it was all for him. Anders kept his pennies in five-gallon plastic jugs. 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! During the five-hour process of counting the pennies, the plastic jugs were hacked open with an ax and hammer. What began as something fun turned into a full-blown obsession and an all-consuming hobby. 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. 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. 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. In all, Anders had collected enough pennies to earn him over $5,000! With the help of friends and family, Otha Anders wheeled in 15 water jugs full of pennies to the bank in Ruston. The total came out to a whopping $5,136. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. Im not sure exactly, Anders said. ", | Special to The (Monroe, La.) By Christie. 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. Help of friends and family, otha Anders wheeled in 15 water jugs.. Legal Statement Other! Saved his first penny more than 45 years until he successfully filled fifteen plastic! Homeowner 's insurance policy wo n't cover the collection, according to the bank, especially as the total was... `` cookie Settings '' to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing.... Spend his money a collection containing over half a million of them so he decided it was time to in... 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