Imagine walking into a bank and turning heads as the sound of coins rolling along with you fills the air. This was the experience of Otha Anders, also known as the coin master. As a supervisor on the Jackson school Board, children who were suspended were sent to him and they all loved him.
Anders was a family man, with a supportive wife and kids. But he had a hobby that some might find questionable. What started as a fun task soon grew into a hobby, and eventually, an obsession.
Anders believed that every penny he found was a sign from God, a reminder to be grateful. On the days when he forgot to pray, he would almost always find a penny. According to him, this was God’s way of sending him a message to be thankful. Unlike most people who simply make a wish on a penny, Anders, a man of faith, would say a prayer.
“I became convinced that spotting a lost or dropped penny was an additional God-given incentive reminding me to always be thankful,” Anders shared with USA Today. “There have been days where I failed to pray and more often than not, a lost or dropped penny would show up to remind me.”
For an incredible 45 years, Anders diligently collected these pennies and stored them in five-gallon plastic water jugs. He estimated that he had amassed hundreds of thousands of dollars, but there was no way of knowing for sure… until now.
With the help of employees at the bank, Anders finally had the opportunity to count his collection. It was an exciting day for everyone involved. After five hours of cutting open the water jugs with hammers and axes, and then feeding the pennies into a coin-counting machine, they arrived at a final number.
The total amount that Anders had saved over those 45 years was an astonishing $5,136.14! Can you believe it? That’s an average of $114.4 per year. Who would have thought that collecting pennies as a hobby could amount to an “old car” in just a few decades?
But Anders didn’t keep the money for himself. Instead, he decided to put it to good use. He used the funds to settle a dental bill that he had recently received. And with the remaining money, he sponsored a family trip and made donations to his church.
Anders’ story is a reminder that sometimes the small things in life, like a penny, can hold great meaning. It’s a lesson in gratitude and finding joy in the little blessings that come our way. So, the next time you spot a penny on the ground, perhaps take a moment to appreciate it and say a little prayer of thanks. You never know what it might bring.
Please SHARE this heartwarming story with your friends and family on Facebook!
