Very very few. I work on antique furniture and I can count on one hand the coins I’ve found in 25 years. 2 were in desks. A full red 1959 cent and a well worn 1910. The best I found was in a deal 25 years ago. A guy bought a huge safe at an auction. About 6 feet tall for the scrap in it. It had a beautiful fitted interior which I bought from him for $20. He said he gets to keep all the gold coins I find. Well I didn’t find any but did find a vf common date ihc. I think 1889. I gave it to him. Now the story of the document box a friend had from her husbands family house attic. She could tell there was stuff in the till it rattled around but it wouldn’t open. I practically had to take the box apart. But omg the stuff in it. Her husband’s great grandparents wedding rings. A solid gold watch. Tons of jewelry the latest coin was an au 1929 Lincoln and a nice 1882 $5. Which I bought it graded au 58 cac
while at the dump, up in Copake, or Craryville, NY, with me gra ma, found a purse in a pile of rubbish, she yelled at me not to touch it, but looking inside i found a 1893 Columbian expedition half dollar in au condition, all i remember was it was pouring that day, i was 11 or so and that utterly amazed me, and started me on a lifetime of antique finding and dumpster diving to this day, lol
Nice 'find' Joy! I was also with my grandmother at the time of this find. Wasn't in furniture but it was in an old pocketbook of hers. The year was about 1975. She and I were just rummaging through her closet when we came across some old purses of hers. Upon opening one of them we stumbled upon the two buffalo nickels shown below. As common as these coins are I cherish them and will never part with them. They will be passed down to her great great grands. FYI, the '35 reverse, line is on the holder.
