Coin sale leads to priceless life lesson

When you are 10 years old, the world is small. Happiness is easy to come by, and on this particular day I was ecstatic. I am sure I grinned from ear to ear as I returned to the car where my mom patiently awaited, no doubt planning her next stop on a long list of errands.

She had dropped me off at the local shopping mall to sell my pre-1964

silver coins to a coin dealer, a bounty collected from my paper route during the past year. As I counted out the money in front of her, the $20 bills smelled new and were as crisp as the December air.

Twenty dollars, $40 ... $60? Wait! Something was wrong! This wasn’t the correct amount.

I am sure I calculated my gain over and over as I agonized over my decision to sell, and this was ... too much. I finally realized that the crisp new twenties must have stuck together as Ralph, the grumpy numismatic who always patrolled

his wares behind the locked glass counter, dealt out the money.

My heart raced as I thought of how I could use the extra cash to buy even more Christmas gifts for my family. My head swelled at the possibilities. My mouth dropped in excitement.

But my mother’s words were swift: “Chris, you go right back there and return that extra $20. That is not rightfully yours.”

She was correct, of course, but I was 10. Even as I reluctantly made the short trip into a long journey, I tried to rationalize keeping the money — the extra Christmas gifts, the fact that the coin shop would sell my silver dollars at a profit anyway. If my mother hadn’t been waiting, the devil on my shoulder might have won the day.

I eventually made my way down the long stairs to the lower level. Ralph looked surprised to see me. I explained to him what happened and handed him a $20 bill. A surprised “thanks” was the only word that

stumbled from his mouth.

My gait slowed as I walked out of the store. Would I get a reward? Perhaps an Indian Head penny or a Buffalo nickel for my collection? Only deafening silence bid me farewell as I slowly pushed through the double doors to the long hallway.

Life lessons are not always apparent at the time they occur. It is only with reflection and maturity that their true value becomes clear and understood.

Besides the obvious lessons provided — be honest, do the right thing — this experience taught me to look beyond instant gratification. It’s bloomed into a philosophy based on building long-term relationships, whether it’s with friends, family, faith or finances.

The memory of the

Christmas presents both given and received that year has long ago been erased. The extra money that would have been spent on the gifts would not have changed that lost recollection. The memory of the life lesson provided a much more meaningful experience.

I still own some silver coins from those paper route days. They have continued to appreciate in value and are worth 12 times face value. Although I will keep these for the memories, the coins I sold as a 10-year-old provided a much greater return.