Blake Rouleau has an article that best exemplifies just what happens when people come across items saved by family members over a long period of time.

    It seems a man in Pennsylvania a couple of years ago found a nickel his grandfather, a coin collector, had kept. The nickel, forged in 1913, didn’t look special in any way and frankly to the grandson, felt fake. But the grandson decided to have an expert look at it and see if there was anything significant about the coin. As it turned out, and to the amazement of the grandson, this coin was only one of five still in existence in the world and sold to a collector for $5 million!

    “I’m not saying that will happen Saturday but it could,” said Rouleau, who is a member of the Meridian Area Coin Club (MACC). “We get some people who look like they will faint after telling them the value of some coins they bring in but not to this extent.”

    Charlie Smith, also a member of the MACC, said beginning Saturday at the Best Western Hotel, located at 2219 South Frontage Road, people can bring their coins to the 48th Annual Coin and Currency Show to see what they are worth. He said many people don’t have any idea what they have until they get an expert to look at the coins.

    “We will have dealers and appraisers on hand to look at these coins so people will know what they have,” Smith said. “Some of the looks on the faces of the people is really priceless.”

    The show time for Saturday will be from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m., and on Sunday from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. People can come by and enjoy the show that will also include some collections of old paper money, jewelry, sports cards, tokens, gems, minerals, stamps and Civil War relics.

    “It will be something for just about anyone,” Smith said.

    Rouleau, who is the show chairman and who has been in the coin collection business for 58 years, said there will be about 26 dealers at the show and a wide variety of coins will be on hand for viewing. He said the latest market prices for gold and silver will be followed in determining the value of coins brought in for appraisal.

    Admission is $1 and anyone under 12 years of age is admitted free. Door prizes will be given away but the real winners will be those people who want to know if they have any hidden treasures in their possession.

    “For people who don’t follow the stock market of gold and silver, I think they will be surprised with what they may have in their possession,” Smith said. “Many people hang on to old coins because they have been handed down from generation to generation. But if you have some that doesn’t hold that sentimental value, then now may be a good time to have them inspected and appraised.”