Man Digs Up Box Filled With Depression-Era Money

sweet east pearl, What a found... here more on this story.

With the money, he found scraps of newspaper with amounts written on them of $1,200, $300 and $200, but he couldn't tell exactly how much was there because of its condition.

Silver certificates were redeemable for an ounce of silver, but in 1968, the federal government changed the law and the certificates in good condition are collector items, but not redeemable for silver. Deming said if the certificates were still redeemable for silver and with the price of the precious metals he would have a major find.

Deming does not even have the money anymore. After checking with a bank and some research on the Internet, he turned over to the U.S. Treasury's Bureau of Engraving and Printing. According to the bureau's Web site, "The Department of the Treasury, Bureau of Engraving and Printing, redeems partially destroyed or badly damaged currency as a free public service. Every year the U.S. Treasury handles approximately 30,000 claims and redeems mutilated currency valued at over $30 million. The Office of Currency Standards, located in the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, uses experts to examine mutilated currency and will approve the issuance of a Treasury check for the value of the currency determined to be redeemable."

Erwin Crothers, a long-time New Haven resident, said Mylrea was a bachelor and he thought he remembered the man as having locks on everything. He had an apple orchard on his farm. "Lots of people back then didn't trust banks," Crothers said, noting it was not unusual to bury it in the backyard, hide it under a mattress or find another site for hiding it.

via wiscnews