The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1899-12-09
FORTUNES FOR PENNIES
That Were Recently Purchased
ut High Prices.


A short time ago Queen Anne far
thing dated 1913 was sold at Christie's /
for e % los. In view of the fact that the
coin had seemingly augmented in value
to such an enormous extent it is inter-
esting to note that had it been invested |
at rather less than So per cent. on the
day it was issued and the interest that
accrued had also been invested year by
year, the compound interest, plus the
original capital, would now equal the
sum the coin has been sold for.
Early in February last firm of
American lawyers offered reward OF
$500 (about 1907 for an American
dime, or ten-cent piece, whose face
value is fivepence. The coin, which ac-
cidentally passed into circulation in De-
cember last, is wanted, and evidently
badly wanted, in an important will
case. Descriptions and illustrations OF
the coin appeared in many newspapers.
This mysterious coin, which has been
heard of in several places, but always
evades capture, has already had novel
and exciting melodrama founded upon
its history. If it had been invested
upon the very day it was struck, and
the interest that accrued had also been
invested, its owner would have had TO
purchase with it some security bearing
interest at the rate of 1913 per cent, per
annum to allow of the principal and
accumulated interest to equal the re-
ward offered.
Another valuable American coin is
the perfect silver dollar (face value
about four shillings) of 1904, which
would have had to have been invested
at 7% per cent. on the day it was struck
to allow of it and the compound inter-
est to date to amount to the highest
price given for it at coin auction
namely, 6 200. The cause of its pop
ularity among collectors lies in the fact
that only 10 fac-similes exist and each
has record of ownership.
This national hunt for particular
coin recalls similar search. upon a
large scale in France, the coin in ques-
ton being a five-franc piece. The le-
gend that was the foundation of so
much assiduous search AYERS that Ma
poleon Bonaparte, finding that par
ticular issue of fve-franc pieces was
hanging fire, let the report be freely
circulated that he had caused an as
Segment of 100000 francs { 4,oOo) to
be concealed in one of the new coins
and had afterward had the coin remint-
ed in order TO make it exactly resemble
its fellows before it was issued to the
public.
AS the search necessitated the split
ting open of the coin and as the value
of the coin when split was but the mar
ket value of it's weight in silver, the
pursuit of the assignment cost the pur-
suer considerable sum every time
he experimental.
Of expensive pennies there are large
number. A silver penny OF William the
Conqueror's reign sold some time age
for 6 32; Stephen and Matilda penny
for 80; a Matilda Oxford penny fol
Sc, ard golden penny of the thir
J teenth century realized at the famou!
Montagu sale no less than $3.50.
, But all these pence sink into insig
nificance when compared to the famous
7 Lee penny, which suggested Sir Waltel
: SCOTS ''Talisman." This emblem, con
sisting of transparent blood-red col
ored stone of trefoil shape, set in al
t ancient silver coin, supposed to be
l shilling of Edward Us time, is an heir
loom of the Lockhart family and wa
obtained by former member of tn
e family from captive Saracen chief a
Y part of his ransom.
n 1t is supposed to possess certain mag
ical properties and at the time of tn
s cattle plague at Newcastle-on-Tyne i
+ the reign of Charles III. it was lent
4 that city, guarantee Of $4,000 bein
e given for its return.
Perhaps, however, the most expensiv
coin ever sold was the first of til
souvenir silver half dollars coined
1892 at the Philadelphia mint, at ii
d time of the Columbian exhibition, fc
It which before it was struck a great typ
writer manufacturing company bi
Is $4,000. This at the time was said to
Il ''the highest price ever paid for an
e coin, modern or antique. "-Londo
Mail.