Recently, I organized an “Ask J. Money Day” where people could send in any questions, and I would provide answers. One participant shared a question about valuing paper currency, which I’ll explore in another post. After chatting with this reader, she told me about a gold coin from her family’s history.

I thought you’d find it intriguing, so I’m sharing that part of the story first.

I have a passion for coins and currency — fitting for a CPA, right? Back in the 1950s, my mom worked as a bank teller and often “bought out” older currency that came through the bank. She’s held onto her “collection” all these years, but I’ve decided to buy it from her at a fair market value. She needs the money, and it would be a fantastic start for my own collection.

Currently, my collection mostly revolves around one coin: a 1913 gold Indian Head $2.50 piece, along with some random items that probably don’t have much value. I’ve even thought about investing in a metal detector to search for more coins as a hobby!

What a remarkable coin to have! I mentioned to her that those Indian Heads could be worth $300 to $1,000, depending on their condition, especially from the year 1913. Judging by its appearance, it’s likely in the $300-$350 range, and her response was priceless.

It seems the coin might have originally been in mint condition, but most of her cousins tucked it into their shoe at their weddings. Some of them weren’t exactly small! It’s a wonder the coin hasn’t flattened to a paper-thin size like a quarter.

This is exactly why I’m passionate about collecting — you never know where these coins have traveled! Discovering their stories, both historical and personal, adds to the enjoyment. Who would have imagined it was used as a wedding good luck charm? And in a shoe, no less!

The yellow marks on the note are remnants of old cellophane tape, illustrating its age. It reads: “I purchased this $2.50 gold piece for $5.00 while working at 1st Nat’l BK., 1958.”

What a smart mom!