The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-08
THE STORY OF 4 COIN.
Rejected by n Bartender. II WA sold TO .
Collector Tor 800.
From hr philadelphia Inquirer

From Mc Philadelphia Inquirer.
From being turned down when offered in pay
ment for a kettle of beer TO being purchased by
II numisnlRtist for 500, is in brief the recent
history of an ancient coin found by some laborcrs
the other dav. The details between the time ~
finding of the coin ana the disposition of il arc
interesting, A. showing how. after changing
hands several times and being the subject IT
several proposed bargains. but not consuu-
mated. the coin ,sprang from the drpths Of IL
nolmlny-spurncd by the bHrtcndur-tu its proper
place rs "a recognized treasure.
II was discovered by lahorcrs who were max
streets. It WAS II disrcpu,ablc Thing 70 call u
coin. having been so Ions covered with dirt that
able, The man who picked it NJ looked at it
81 don'i know what ii, l." he said. or how
much it is worth, but guess lis good for a
And 30 the long buried coin started on its
journey to prominence, II was thrown on the
bar of II nearby saloon, offered in exchange for
II cold. frothing kettle Of lager. The bartender
no GOOD. vas his verdict, uttered in the
cold and ~Unsynpilhetic tone which only 2 bar
tender can 1lo"' Is he sees coins and apologies
for coins of all sorts thrown before him by
Thclndrro Of the coin was disappointed. He
wanted the beer. lie began TO argue the case
and attracted the attention OF another man in
the slloom, who took mp the coin.
moment il was in his pocket, the Hinder OF tho
coin paid for his. beer, disappeared, came back
am llhu me kclllt lpllllcu. aus appeared again.
and 50 on till the half dollar was gone. lie and
his irIrnis thought II MAS a great piece OF luck
to ind n coin worth half a dollar.
Then GaInc II rapid changing OF hands so far rs
the coin Was concerned. The man who paid 10
cents for IL showed it to n friend, who offered
him II dollar Tor IT. The deal was promptly
closed. Then the man who paid the do lar
found a man who was willing, to give him - Tor
it, aud again the coin changed owners.
Rut here The lOClst-stOry phase Of the coin =
history ceases, The next chapter was one ~
bidding nhd the refusal Of bids. The ~ mon
took II to u coin dealer. who offered him $50 tWr
it. The - man said he'd think il over, aud
went to another dealer.
"rwontv-tivc dollars was the figure Offered
bN dealer M, ., but the - man stil hclu on 20
the coin. IF one man offered $50 aud VOW .r'
willing TO pay S95. - he said to The coin Il .,l.r,
thu next one ! strike may make it S3O."
The dealer thercupon offered to take the coin
ana ma a buyer at once, getting the mos, o."
could for II, ana dCducting "A per cent. comm
sion. The owner agreed, and the coin WAS i'h,r
10 Il Wctl-knOwn numismati5t, who saw lln' 4.
wa" no everyday find. II was an old fuE'.H
com, containing about $40 worth OF gold, Nu'
valued nj many times that much money. lee
cause there are, it Is said, only four Of thr N'i
in existence.
Tho coin was purchased for 500. ana m"
bu!ci Is not expected to lose money. even a.
that, iagurc. Indeed. the other three coins u
ne kinI ara said 10 have sold for ~ hign -
FlOO apiece.