Does anyone have old coins handed down from your ancestors?

Question

I have an 1843 half penny token for New Brunswick (Canada) that was handed down to my father from his mother's side of the family.  It's pretty beat-up, measures an inch across and has a bent edge but I am fond of it. So I wondered if any of my fellow WikiTreers had a similar experience. 

Comments

Yes, a Seated Liberty half dollar. These were minted from 1839 to 1891.

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That's a pretty coin, George.

Answer 1

I have given away ("bequeathed") the coins handed down from my ancestors. My cousin now has the 1803 penny that came from our great-grandfather's store. My son has the 1853 half dollar that my grandmother's grandmother gave her. However, I still have the penny "handed down" to me by my son. 

Comments

Beautiful, Joyce.

Answer 2

My mother's maternal grandmother gave her a nickel minted in 1911 which was my mother's birth year. I now have it. Also, I have a few silver dollars from the 1800's and some gold coins my grandparents kept and handed down. I plan to hand down down those to my children.

Comments

I like the idea, Virginia, of keeping a coin minted the same year as a child's birth.  That may have been the reason for the family keeping my 1843 coin as there was a family member born Dec 1842.