unilad homepage
unilad homepage
    • News
      • UK News
      • US News
      • World News
      • Crime
      • Health
      • Money
      • Sport
      • Travel
    • Music
    • Technology
    • Film and TV
      • News
      • DC Comics
      • Disney
      • Marvel
      • Netflix
    • Celebrity
    • Politics
    • Advertise
    • Terms
    • Privacy & Cookies
    • LADbible Group
    • LADbible
    • SPORTbible
    • GAMINGbible
    • Tyla
    • UNILAD Tech
    • FOODbible
    • License Our Content
    • About Us & Contact
    • Jobs
    • Latest
    • Archive
    • Topics A-Z
    • Authors
    Facebook
    Instagram
    X
    Threads
    TikTok
    YouTube
    Submit Your Content
    Man collects pennies for nearly 50 years before cashing them in for incredible amount

    Home> News> US News

    Published 17:43 27 Nov 2023 GMT

    Man collects pennies for nearly 50 years before cashing them in for incredible amount

    He started collecting the pennies and never spending them, and ended up with barrels of them

    Kit Roberts

    Kit Roberts

    google discoverFollow us on Google Discover
    Featured Image Credit: YouTube/watchJojo

    Topics: Money, News, US News, Good News

    Kit Roberts
    Kit Roberts

    Kit joined UNILAD in 2023 as a community journalist. They have previously worked for StokeonTrentLive, the Daily Mirror, and the Daily Star.

    Advert

    Advert

    Advert

    There are many unusual things that people can collect, ranging from the quirky to the downright bizarre.

    Whether it's the classics like stamps or the more recent trends like vintage Pokemon Cards, humans have always liked gathering things together.

    And while one man's collection might not be the weirdest out there, it's certainly a noteworthy one.

    Advert

    You might remember your gran having a big jar of pennies in the house, saved up over years and years.

    Did you ever wonder just how much money was actually in that mountain of coins?

    Well, Otha Anders does not have to wonder any longer after he cashed in the collection of pennies that he spent some 45 years putting together.

    The 73-year-old from Louisiana amassed thousands of pennies over the years, explaining that he would always keep hold of them and never spend them when he was out.

    Eventually, just one jug to keep them in was no longer enough and he had to start a second, and a third, and a fourth...

    Otha's assembled pennies.
    YouTube/watchJojo

    In fact, in the end Otha ended up filling a whopping 15 jugs with pennies over the course of 45 years.

    He told News Star: “I became convinced that spotting a lost or dropped penny was an additional God-given incentive reminding me to always be thankful.

    “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.”

    Explaining how he amassed so many pennies, he said: “I would never spend a penny. I would break a dollar before giving up a penny.”

    Not only that, but students at the school where he taught would come and give him pennies.

    Otha finally cashed in his pennies after 45 years.
    YouTube/watchJojo

    However he never accepted donations, always swapping out other coins for the pennies.

    Otha finally decided to cash out his collection when he discovered that they would not be covered by his insurance.

    So, he loaded up the 15 bottles of pennies onto his truck, and took them to the bank.

    But just how many pennies did he manage to assemble over the years?

    Well, those 15 jugs ended up containing more than half a million.

    Now, before everyone gets too excited, remember this is not half a million dollars, it's half a million pennies.

    Eventually, Otha assembled some 513,614 pennies.

    This added up to a whopping $5,136.14. Not bad for just popping pennies in a jar when you get the chance!

    But what did Otha spend the money on the end? He used it to pay off a dental bill.

    Choose your content:

    3 hours ago
    6 hours ago
    10 hours ago
    11 hours ago
    • Aaron Schwartz/CNP/Bloomberg via Getty Images
      3 hours ago

      Donald Trump refuses to wear bulletproof vest over fears of looking heavier

      The US president expressed his concerns over the life saving equipment adding 20lbs to his appearance

      News
    • Rick Friedman/Corbis via Getty Images
      6 hours ago

      Jeffrey Epstein’s cellmate claims to have read his suicide note that's been sealed from the public

      The note was allegedly left with Epstein's cellmate, Nicholas Tartaglione, according to a new report

      News
    • Joseph Okpako/WireImage
      10 hours ago

      Influencer claims she poisoned herself by eating one common food every day

      The content creator said doctors called to tell her she had 'dangerously high arsenic levels'

      News
    • State Department
      11 hours ago

      New passports with Donald Trump's face are raising huge concern for Americans

      The face of President Trump could be on your passport long after he leaves office

      News
    • What to do if you find a tick bite as ER visits for them hit the highest level in nearly a decade
    • US Olympic ice skater performs once-illegal move that was banned for nearly 50 years
    • Man who bought physical Bitcoin bar 13 years ago finally sells it for unbelievable amount
    • Costco officially changes its iconic hot dog combo for first time in 40 years