Dear Editor,

On Sunday, June 23 The Selma Times-Journal published an article concerning the fate of the penny. Those interviewed for the article commented on their ideas about how or if you should pick up a coin.

This article caught my attention, since I believe I was married to the ultimate coin finder of all time, at least the best I ever knew.

It seems that since my wife Martha went to heaven on Dec. 31, 2012, there have been constant reminders of things we did and laughed about over almost 49 years together. Finding coins was one of those things.

I thought it might interest readers to know some of the results of those coin findings:

Total amount found: $247.94

Total weight of findings: 26 pounds plus

Bill findings included: one $20 bill, two $10 bills, six $5, one $2 bills and 20 $1 and a Canadian penny worth .30 in a collectors market.

We found numerous Canadian and Mexican coins.

Many coins added to my collection that are worth more than face value.

Coins were found in 35 states, Mexico, Canada, Puerto Rico and the Cayman Islands. She found coins in San Fransisco, Miami, Hollywood, Disneyworld, Disneyland and many other places we traveled during my work. I was almost run down in Brooklyn stopping in the street to get a penny.

Martha was special in so many ways, her coin searching is just another of my great memories.

As soon as I can part with the collection, I am going to donate it in her memory to her favorite charity, St. Jude’s Children Hospital.

I am sure that if there really are pennies from Heaven, she is now finding them.

 

Russell Alsbrook

Former Selma resident