What would be your first thought if you saw someone with gallons full of pennies at the bank? Sounds interesting, or maybe even comical, right? This was probably what other customers and staff thought when this man first walked in. He seemed like a regular customer, but he had a different kind of transaction to process.

All eyes were on this unusual customer, rolling in his gallon of treasures. It was an interesting sight to behold as he made that day memorable for everyone in the bank. There's definitely something that can be learned at the end of this story.

 

Meet Otha Anders, the Penny Collector

 

This story wouldn't be complete and worth sharing without meeting the collector himself. The man in this story is Otha Anders, a 73-year-old who was a supervisor on a school board for most of his life. Being a supervisor meant watching over kids that had been suspended from school.

These children seemed to love Anders just as much as he loved them and his job. He was very good at his job and was known for it, as well as being a family man with a wife and children of his own. One could see that he was an all-grounded man but had an uncanny habit.

More Than Just a Hobby

While Anders had many admirable virtues, he had a unique habit of collecting pennies. It wasn't unusual to have such a hobby as some people collected stamps while others preferred art. The preference for what could be collected is wide and could vary based on the individuals.

For Anders, pennies were his object of choice. He gained an interest in collecting lost pennies and began to do so just for fun. Soon after, his collection of pennies grew and so did his desire to collect more pennies. What started out as a fun hobby quickly turned into an intense obsession that was almost beyond control.

How It Started

It all began when Anders would spot a drooped penny and pick it up. To him, it felt like a small gift from God and served as a reminder for him to be grateful. According to him, he would find a lost penny on days when he forgot to pray.

This served as a reminder that God was always looking after him no matter what. A penny a day remindead Anders of God's goodness and to be thankful for the little things. This soon became a daily habit for him as he needed to be grateful to God every day for the many gifts bestowed on him.

Praying on a Penny

While most people wish on pennies to get their hearts' desires, Anders had a different method. He prayed on pennies and believed in them fervently. He wasn't new to the faith and had always been religious. However, the penny-finding habit simply solidified his faith with time.

In Anders' case, his faith started his whole penny obsession to begin with. For Anders, the pennies symbolized a divine gift that God threw his way each day. He would one day be the recipient of these countless gifts that were sent his way each day. Who knew a faith could start an obsession and that obsession would solidify the faith?

Staying Consistent

It's not so easy to remain consistent and devoted to a particular hobby. No matter how much one may like such a hobby, being consistent for decades won't be an easy thing. However, Anders had remained devoted to his penny-finding habit from the very first time he picked up a lost penny.

He stuck to this hobby and would hardly miss a lost penny if his eyes stumbled on one. Like every other tangible thing, his pile of pennies grew with each day. As the pile grew, so did his obsession with this habit. He didn't just pick up the pennies for fun but began to save every single one.

From Being a Collection to Being a Savings Account

Many people collect various objects for different reasons. Some collect these treasures as a collection to marvel at while some others, hope to make a bank from their collection one day. Anders' obsession went from just collecting these lost pennies to saving them.

While he loved his precious pennies, saving them for a rainy day wasn't a bad idea either. He never missed a penny he saw and saved them carefully. His penny collection was no longer a collection but was now a saving for the future. Being devoted to this meant being able to cash out big one day in the future.

Being Persistent with the Habit

Anders became very persistent with his penny-collecting habit. It got so bad to the point where he insisted on getting a few pennies as change whenever he bought something. To everyone around him, this first seemed like a silly habit that they thought he would grow out of. While they found it a bit strange, they let him be.

Time went by, and Anders didn't show signs of ending the habit any time soon. So, everyone got used to his penny-collecting habit and accepted it as part of who he became. Whether or not he would eventually stop collecting pennies, no one knew.

An Unknown Outcome

Those around Anders didn't know when this obsession would end. Another unknown was what he intended to do with all the pennies he had collected. Maybe they had asked themselves, and even Anders, this question. Maybe even Anders wasn't yet aware of what he would do with all his pennies.

It also looked like he hadn't fully grasped how many pennies he had collected over time. Collecting at least a penny every day for more than four decades would surely have amounted to a lot. These were unknown questions that Anders couldn't quite answer yet. It wasn't like he started out collecting pennies with a plan in mind.

A Principled Hobby

Not many people have their hobbies governed by principles. Anders, on the other hand, was a man of principles, which also governed his hobby. Anders would rather split a dollar note than let go or spend one of his pennies. His students were aware of this habit and thought to surprise him one day.

They wanted to do something kind out of the love they had for him and so often came to class with a lot of pennies. But, Anders never collected these pennies based on his strict policy that due compensation was offered before he would collect any penny from anyone.

A Large Collection

Going forward 45 years later, Anders had collected an insanely large number of pennies. He had managed to fill up 15 of the five-gallon water kegs he could lay his hands on. This was a large collection indeed. Imagine having 15 kegs filled to the brim with pennies. It was truly amazing to behold, especially considering his devotion.

The collection became so large that the pennies couldn't be counted by hand. Based on Anders' estimates, each keg contained thousands of pennies. Knowing the actual number of pennies was almost impossible, as Anders too had lost count a long time ago.

Knowing Their Worth

Anders had indulged in collecting pennies for so long that he didn't know how many there were or how much they could have been worth. The habit of collecting pennies had become second nature to Anders, it had become part of who he was and his daily routines.

He had collected about 75 gallons' worth of pennies when he suddenly ended the hobby. It was time for him to put an end to the huge collection he had acquired over the years. Left to Anders, he wouldn't have stopped collecting pennies and would have done so for as long as he could.

Pennies for an Emergency

It was time for the devoted old man to put an end to his obsession with collecting pennies. The decision to give up his collection was not one he wanted to make. As far as he was concerned, he could have done this forever. Sadly, Anders hit a roadblock and had to call it quits abruptly.

He was in a certain situation that prompted him to end his collection. Anders had an emergency situation which made him take his precious pennies to be valued. He needed money urgently to sort out the emergency.  At least it was time to truly know how much they were worth.

The Unforeseen

It was tough for Anders to let go of his large collection of pennies. This was because his hobby was strongly tied to his faith, which made it even more difficult. How could he let go of all the many gifts God had given him over the years? Sadly, no one can predict the outcomes of life, including Anders.

There was no way he could have known that an emergency would come up in the future. Although he couldn't count all the pennies, he knew they had to be worth something. So, he covered the pennies under his house insurance. He, unfortunately, couldn't renew the coverage.

No Insurance Coverage

Anders had gone to many insurance providers, but no matter where he went, they weren't willing to cover the pennies he acquired throughout the years. To his dismay, he had to settle for a plan that didn't include his penny collection. This further reinforced the decision to give up his beloved possession.

He had hoped that his diligent habit had earned him a small fortune in pennies. He was further encouraged by the story he had read of a man who made a fortune from his own coin collection. The only way Anders could know what his pennies were truly worth was at the bank.

An Increase in Worth

Anders could have been lucky, and his collection could have been valued at millions of dollars. However, he mostly had modern pennies, but he remained hopeful that they could be worth gold. After all, there wasn't anything that couldn't be possible. There had been a case of a man who had a 1943 S Lincoln Wheat penny.

That coin had been worth a lot over the years, with an appreciating value. For such rare coins, time only makes them even more valuable. Maybe Anders had a hidden treasure in his 75 gallons of pennies, but no one could say for sure.

Having a Coin Fortune

Certain assets and commodities increase in value over time. This is why time is regarded as the most valuable asset. Sadly, that's not the case for every type of coin out there. Quite frankly, not many people can get their hands on something truly worth a lot.

However, there are a few ways to spot a coin that could be worth something. A simple way is to look at the materials they were made from. Coins made from precious metals like gold, copper, platinum, or silver tend to be worth more. The value may not always be stable, but they are mostly on the high side.

There's Another Side to a Coin

Not every coin increases in value. While some tend to increase, others may be on the decline. These coins are made of base materials such as aluminum that aren't so precious. Another thing to consider is that if these coins are not issued by the government anymore, their value is going to decline drastically.

Hence, the big question was if Anders had a fortune in gallons or if he just had coins that depreciated in value. Anders possessed a fairly modern collection, so the possibility of him having a highly valuable coin was low. However, the volume of the pennies could hold something very valuable.

Calling the Crew for Help

Before he could get his coins evaluated and counted, he had to get them to the bank. To get them to the bank, he needed a lot of help. Anders recruited the help of some people to get his gallons of pennies to the Rustom Original Bank located in Ruston, Los Angeles.

Anders loved that some of his friends had volunteered to help him transport his 15 gallons into a truck. There were 15 jugs, and they all needed to be transported to the bank. The jugs were quite heavier than they appeared but his friends helped move them to the bank either way.

Not Getting the Right Approval

Anders arrived at the bank and somehow hauled his gallons of coins one after the other onto the premises. Of course, people noticed and began to stare in amazement. Both customers and staff were intrigued by what they saw and were about to witness. It's not every day one sees an old man with jugs full of pennies anywhere.

Anders sensed the apprehension just by looking at the bankers. He was afraid that they would turn him back and that he would have had to go elsewhere. It took a lot to get them to that bank, and Anders dreaded the thought of moving them all over again.

Taking a Guess

He approached the front desk but the cashier was so stunned that she could only mutter the question, "How many are there?" The presence of Anders and his precious gifts had turned an ordinary day at the bank into an interesting one. The spectacle drew so much attention and Anders had many questions to answer.

The first question he was asked was how many pennies he had saved up. Of course, he wasn't sure and couldn't provide a straight answer to the question. He told the clerk just as much but estimated the number to be about a million. Her next reaction was unexpected.

Speaking to the Manager

The clerk was short of words, so she laughed at Anders. She then asked if he thought they had the time to count his pennies. Being a lighthearted man, Anders laughed with her and pleaded with her to consider the request.  He mentioned that the pennies were quite dear to him, but he urgently needed the money, hence his presence at the bank.

The clerk finally agreed to call the manager since Anders insisted. It wasn't going to be easy for the staff to handle such a large volume of pennies. The decision rested in the hands of the manager at that point.

A Familiar Face

Anders hadn't expected that the manager would be someone he knew. The manager walked out, and he was delighted to see the familiar face of the old man. Apparently, the manager and Anders were very acquainted. This came as a huge relief for Anders and made everything better.

Now they had to get to the task at hand. How would they count all of Anders' pennies? It would have taken an incredibly long time for the staff to count all the pennies by hand, and they didn't have much free time. While it could take them a long time, Anders would be deeply grateful for their help.

Taking the Time to Count

The manager knew Anders because he had been a devoted customer at the bank. This was why the manager accepted his request and agreed to help him out. That was a good thing for Anders since the bank gave preference to their long-time customers.

The manager was all too pleased to help Anders since he had done business with them on multiple occasions. They also had excellent customer service, which was why they didn't turn him away immediately after he stepped in. Anders would finally know the value of all the pennies he had spent all those precious years collecting.

The Backstory

A man had been indulging in a habit for 45 years of his life. That's a very long time to devote to a particular habit. What started out as just a hobby and something of interest quickly turned into a lifelong habit. In the end, it eventually made him famous on the internet.

What habit did he indulge in, you may ask? Pennies. He liked to collect pennies and did so for 45 years without fail. Now old and grey and have kept up the habit for so long, he decided it was time to cash out and see what his diligence had earned him.

A Reason to Be Excited

Anders and his buddies were given the okay to bring in the rest of the water jugs. It was truly something to look at for many of the customers and staff at the bank. A peculiar task like this provided some relief from the boring routine of the day. A small crowd gathered to witness some jugs being counted.

First, the plastic jugs were broken to get the contents out. An ax and a hammer were the tools for the task. The pennies were then put into a coin counter until every last one was counted. The whole process took a total of five hours.

Summing up The Total

All the pennies had finally been counted and it was time to reveal how much Anders had saved up all those years. The grand total came to $5,136.14 from 45 years of collecting pennies. Based on this sum, it means Anders had saved up an average of $114.14 a year.

For a few people, this may not seem like much, but it was something to Anders. One also needs to remember that Anders got all these by just picking up lost pennies on the street. It was tough for him to part with his precious gifts, but he got something larger in return.

Settling Bills

The money came in the nick of time as Anders had a few bills to pay, including his dental bills. He took full advantage of the cash and paid off a few pertinent bills. Without the money, it may have been difficult to settle all the large bills he had.

The whole situation could have been a sheer coincidence because Anders was able to pay his bills without any issues. He was able to pay the bills and still had some money left, which came in handy for the family trip he arranged after. Whatever was left was donated to the church.

Symbolizing your Faith

Anders displayed a strong belief in his faith by collecting small pennies. The habit further strengthened his belief in God and His goodness. He had a pure motive behind collecting pennies and saw them as a divine gift from God. For Anders, it reminded him that someone was looking after him.

The total sum may not have been much to many other people, but for this man, it was substantial. Saving a penny a day might one day amount to something huge, like around $5k. It also goes to confirm the saying that little drops of rain could make a great river one day.

Call it Fate

Years of hard work and dedication to a habit resulted in something more than what Anders could have imagined. Getting as much as $5k at once must have been nice. He was able to pay off his urgent bills in due time and even planned a fun trip for his family.

Some things we experience in reality are stranger than fiction sometimes. The story of Otha Anders served as a reminder that being devoted and having good intentions can take you far. With these, the rewards can be beneficial for the future. All that is required is a little faith and devotion.

A Blissful Ending

As the saying goes, all good things come to those who wait. Anders had devoted 45 years of his life to the habit of collecting pennies. His collection grew so large that he didn't know what to expect from it. Alas, his devotion and good deeds were compensated with a $5k reward.

Truly there is nothing that can not be achieved with patience and diligence. Putting in the hard work over a certain period will yield great results. This was the case for Anders, and even his family got to benefit from it as well. We also must remember to be grateful for the little things, like Anders was.