“Trick’s Nickel”

A Short Story

By Mike Ramsey

Weeks before the public announcement was made that a special limited strike of a new design of the nickel, Samuel W. Brown, a numismatist and an employee at the Philadelphia Mint, found an internal memo that had the date official sales would begin. Realizing the opportunity for personal gain this represented, he bought the entire run of 1913 Liberty Head newly minted nickels.

Knowing the rarity of the coins, he is now in the middle of his plan to corner the market on these coins, having already distributed advertisements, ostensibly offering to buy the total run of five coins at a premium price. Brown knows that the hunt for the exclusive coins will drive up the price, allowing him to greatly profit when he decides to sell his coins to other collectors.

There are actually six coins; Brown’s design is to hold on to the remaining one for greater profit, after the market believes all available coins are in private collectors’ hands. No one else knows about the sixth coin.

After depositing the five in a safe deposit box at the bank, Brown wraps the sixth coin tightly in a monogrammed handkerchief, and sticks it in his pants pocket. “I can’t tell anyone else that this coin even exists, not even my wife”, he thinks to himself.

On the way home, dreaming of his big plans, he stares absent-mindedly straight ahead, and fails to notice that the intersection he is approaching has a blinking red light. A car flashes in from his left, smashing into the driver’s side door, killing Samuel Brown instantly.

Samuel’s personal property, including his clothes, is presented to Dorothy, his widow. She places the coins in a coin purse, deciding to keep them with the rest of her husband’s personal items, in a drawer in the desk in his office.

Dorothy often takes the coin out of the purse to look at it and remember her husband. After a long while, she carefully wraps it back in the handkerchief, gently places it back in the coin purse, pushes the drawer closed, and locks it. As she does each time, she opens his journal to the day of the last entry, rests the key in the crease, and closes the book. The office remains locked and unoccupied as long as Dorothy lives in that house.

Dorothy Brown’s son inherited the desk upon her death, and stores it in the back corner of his garage. He can’t bear to get rid of it, but his wife doesn’t think that it fits with any of the rest of the furniture in the house. He considers refinishing it, but just never gets around to it. He is curious about what might be inside, but the drawer is locked, and the key has never been found. He thinks about prying it open, but doesn’t want to damage the desk.

The family sells their house to move to another city. The desk is sold at their garage sale, along with a box of old books, including Samuel Brown’s journal. Gordon Banks, who makes a second income buying and reselling old furniture and antiques on weekends, takes his new purchases to his workshop, to see what treasures he can uncover.

Picking up the dusty, old journal, the key falls out. Not knowing what the key opens, Gordon compares the key to the desk drawer lock, and notices that it appears to be a possible match. When he tries the key, it fits, and unlocks the drawer.

Hunting through his new treasure chest, Gordon discovers the coin purse, and finds the nickel. Curious about the nickel being wrapped up in the handkerchief, and still in such good condition, Gordon takes it to a local coin shop to see what it is worth.

John Abraham, the coin shop owner, studies the pristine coin carefully with his magnifying glasses. “It’s in great shape for such an old coin. It must have been wrapped up like this for a very long time.” Looking up the coin in his official price guide books, reads that all five of the officially reported 1913 Liberty Head nickels have been in collections since they were first made public. “This must be a fake”, he reports to the disappointed Gordon. “There were only five minted, and all five have been held since they first hit the market. The last one sold for over $4 Million. There’s no way this is legitimate.”

“I’ll give you a hundred bucks for it, since it is interesting. If nothing else, I can show it off to my numismatist buddies at the next convention.” Gordon accepts the five twenty dollar bills, and thinks about where he will take the family for dinner on this unexpected windfall.

As he does with all the coins he trades, Abraham photographs it for use in ads and promotional materials, and catalogs it. He marks this particular coin as having questionable authenticity, and packs it with other coins he plans to exhibit at the upcoming convention.

Nicholas Slater has always been fascinated with coins, but not in the same way that most of the other attendees of the numismatic convention are. While they are obsessed with the grade, rarity, and price of the thousands of coins displayed by the shop owners and exhibiting collectors, Nicholas simply enjoys their simple beauty. He likes to collect “pretty” coins, or ones with dates that are significant only to him.

Stopping for a moment at John Abraham’s booth, Slater pans the selection laid out in front of him on the table, each coin in its own little plastic coffin, marked with letters and numbers, and of course, a price tag. Hoping for a sale in what is turning out to be a slow convention, Abraham points out a few of his more interesting coins. “You like Morgan dollars? I just picked up this proof set that you might like.” Never looking up, Nicholas wiggles his mouth a little from side to side, saying without saying.

“What about this coin? The 1913 nickel”, the older Slater asks. The shop keeper, seeing an opportunity, tells his version of the story of the coin. “Picked that up the other day from a guy who found it in an old desk. At first, it looks too good to be true, one of six 1913 Liberty Head nickels. Trouble is, there were only five of them made, and all five have been in the hands of collectors for decades. So I guess if it looks too good to be true, it is. It’s probably either a really good copy, or a really good alteration.”

“How much you want for it?” asked Nicholas. “Well, it’s priced at $250, but since I’ve only got $150 in it, and it’s slow today, I’ll let you have it for what I paid for it.”, Abraham shrugs. “I’ve got fifty bucks on me”, counters Nicholas, with the corner of his mouth pulled over to one side and his arms crossed in front. John Abraham glances at his cash box, and realizes he needs the fifty more than he did that fake coin. “Deal. You got me on this one. Even fake, it’s got to be worth more than that, but thanks for your business. Just to satisfy my curiosity, what made you want that particular coin?”

Slater describes why he chose the coin. “I was born in 1913, and I think this would be something I’d like to give my grandson when I visit him this weekend. I give him unusual coins that I find. He saves them and treats them better than most of you guys would if you had a real one of the five coins. He likes it when I bring him coins, and tell him a story of what happened the year it was minted. I can tell him about it being when I was born.”

As Nicholas III, Trick as his family calls him, listens to his grandfather tell the stories about how he came across this coin, the history of the other five coins, and more of the stories he tells about his boyhood, he holds the coin in his hand, still leaving it in the handkerchief with the initials “SWB”. He is careful not to touch it with his fingers, having learned from his grandfather that touching coins can tarnish them and make them less interesting. Trick thinks to himself that this is now his favorite coin of all time. He really enjoys these times with his grandfather, and on rainy days, when he can’t go outside and play, he will spend hours and hours simply looking at the coins and remembering the stories.

No one knows that the grandfather has given the coin to his grandson, not even Trick’s parents. No one knows it exists, except Trick. He no longer tells his parents about any of the other coins his grandfather had gives him either, since they seem to think he should sell the valuable ones and put the money in his college fund.

Two weeks later, Trick is quietly sitting with his family at his grandfather's funeral. The youngest Slater was not even sad. He had so many stories and great times to remember of his grandfather, and had spent the whole day before carefully looking at all the coins, remembering all the times he and his grandfather had shared. Young Nick vowed to himself, “I’m never going to get rid of any of Gramps’ coins. I’ll keep them forever, no matter what everybody else thinks I should do with them.”

Gordon Banks was going through the rest of the old things he had picked up at the garage sale recently, and started reading through the old, leather bound diary. After the key to the desk fell out of it, he had put the diary down, and had not looked at it since. He reminds himself that there might be a market for such an old book, and flips through the pages.

As he reaches the final entry, he notices that there is a reference to a coin purse, and in particular, a detailed plan to build up the value of one coin, a 1913 Liberty Head nickel, by making it seem as if it was discovered by chance. Banks reads Brown’s plans to offer to buy the original five coins, despite the fact that he already had all of them, to drive up demand, all the while, secretly retaining the sixth one, which would become even more valuable when it was brought to light.

Gordon’s head spins and he has to sit down. “My God, that was the coin”, he says as he grabs his keys, popping back up and out the door. “I’ve got to get that coin back from the dealer. Calm down, Gordon. You can’t let him know what it really is. Just offer him his $100 back, and don’t seem too eager.”

Banks’ heart is beating so rapidly as he enters the coin shop, he is certain John Abraham can hear it. As casually as he can muster, he asks “Do you remember that 1913 nickel I brought in a while back, the one that you said was a fake? I wanted to know if you still have it, and if I could buy it back from you.”

Expressing little interest in his voice, still remembering that he lost fifty dollars on the deal, he answers, “No. I sold it to a guy at the numismatic convention a few weeks ago. I didn’t even get what I paid you for it. Why?”

“Nothing, really.” Gordon says. “I found the diary of the guy who had originally owned the coin, and it seemed to be important to him. I thought I would try to combine the diary and the coin into a package, to make it more valuable as a collectible.”

Suspecting there is more to the story than he is being told, John Abraham starts to dig a little deeper. “Just what’s in that diary? Maybe I can help you figure out what it’s worth.” The dealer is beginning to get a funny feeling in his stomach; as if he has blown a huge opportunity.

“I’ll make you a deal. You show me the diary and split the profits with me, and I’ll go look up the name of the guy I sold it to at the convention.” He has no inkling that anything big can come of this, but he thinks to himself, “I’m only out $50 so far, so what have I got to lose?” Gordon, realizing that he needs the dealer’s help to find this potential treasure, agrees. “OK. Fifty, fifty deal. Here’s the diary. Look at the last few pages.”

Abraham slowly reads through the diary, his eyes opening wider as he reaches the end. He closes the book, places it on the counter, and mutters “I’m going to look up the old Philadelphia Mint records for 1913, and see how many were really made. If this guy was for real, the record will show six were minted, not five. If this is all true, that coin is priceless.” Both men sit down at the same moment.

Gordon Banks and John Abraham are standing on the front porch of the Slater residence, waiting for an answer to their knock. Mary, Nicholas Jr.’s wife and Trick’s mother, answers the door, “May I help you?” Abraham speaks first. “Good afternoon, Mrs. Slater. I am John Abraham, and this is Gordon Banks. I sold a coin to your husband’s father a while back. Would you mind if we asked you a couple of questions about it?”

“Of course, come on in.” Mary gestured toward the recently recovered couch that the elder Slater had passed down to his son. “Please, sit down. What can I do for you?” As the two sit down, Abraham begins, “Mrs. Slater, your father-in-law liked to collect coins, and he recently purchased a coin from me at a convention. Did he mention it to your family at all?”

Mrs. Slater answered, “No, he never talked with me about coins. I know that he would often give a coin to Trick when he visited, but I don’t think any of them were valuable at all. They were mostly odd coins that he picked up here and there. I can’t imagine any of them being what you are looking for.”

“Mrs. Slater”, Gordon replies, “Did he visit recently? Do you think we might be able to talk with your son and find out if he was given a coin that last visit? If the coin is what we are looking for, we will make it very much worth your while.”

Trick Slater, listening at the top of the stairs, realizes that he has to hide the coin. “If they find the nickel, they’ll make me sell it. I have to hide it.” He takes it out of the box he stores his coins, keeping it in its original handkerchief. He carefully places it in an old film canister, and screws the lid on tight.

Long ago, Trick found a small area in the attic over his bedroom, where nothing is stored, and no one ever looks. He often goes up there to be alone, no longer thinking of it as his fort or tree house, but now just his place that he can call his own. He takes the film canister, and places it up behind a rafter, completely out of sight, and returns the access panel in his bedroom ceiling to its proper place.

“What we are looking for is a 1913 nickel. It is in very good condition, very shiny, almost new looking.” Abraham continues, “If you and your husband will look through your son’s coins, and let us know if you find it, I think you’ll be very satisfied with what we will be willing to pay for it. You can reach me here at the store”, the dealer says as he hands his business card to her.

“Nicholas”, Mary begins as her husband comes in the back door, “I had a visit from two men today. They were looking for a coin that they think your father may have given Trick. Do you know if he gave him a coin that last visit?” Nicholas grunted, “How do I know? He gave him coins all the time. You’d think that he would have said something if it was worth anything, though. Let’s go ask Trick.”

“I don’t want to sell any of Grandpa’s coins”, the youngest Slater protests. “Do you mind if we look through your collection, just to make sure you don’t have the one they’re looking for?”, his mother asks. “Sure, go ahead, but I don’t think it’s in there”, Trick says, carefully not telling a lie, but not wanting his parents to know about the coin.

Coin by coin, Trick’s parents examine each one, and satisfied that the men were mistaken, “Sorry Trick, I guess it’s not here. Too bad, they seem to think that coin is worth a lot. You could have really used a boost to your college fund.”

Relieved, Trick waits patiently until after dinner, and while his parents are reading, he takes a flashlight up into the attic and looks over the coin that he has rescued. “I’ll never let them have it, Grandpa. Don’t worry.”

“Mr. Abraham”, Nicholas Slater calls the store to report the bad news, “I’m sorry, but that coin isn’t in Trick’s collection.” The coin dealer asks “I’m sorry to hear that. Would you mind if we took a look ourselves, just to make sure that you didn’t overlook it?” A little bothered by the man questioning his attention to detail, the father replies “Mr. Abraham, we looked through every coin very carefully, and there is nothing like the coin you described. I’m sorry, but no, it isn’t here. Our business is finished.”

Gordon Banks and John Abraham are having coffee, discussing their options, and John offers his opinion, “I think they’re hiding it. They know what it’s worth. The news stories have reported that the sixth coin has been discovered missing. It’s only a matter of time before they figure it out.” Gordon quickly responds, “I agree. We have to take the matter into our own hands. Leave it to me.”

The next day, while the Slater family is at work and school, a van pulls up in their driveway and a man gets out with a crowbar. In one motion, the door is pried open and he goes inside. In minutes, he returns with a wooden box, gets in the van, and drives away.

“Yes officer. Here is where the door was pried open.” Mary Slater is walking through the house with the police investigator, discussing the burglary that day. “I can’t find anything missing, but the house has been ransacked. They were looking for something, but I can’t figure out what.”

“Mom!” came a panicked scream from upstairs. “My coin collection is gone. They took the coins Grandpa gave me”, the boy sobs as he runs down the stairs to his mother’s arms. “Officer, I think I may know who is responsible for this”, and she proceeds to recount the story of the two men who were so interested in her son’s coins.

Gordon Banks and John Abraham were arrested for the house burglary. A neighbor had spotted Banks’ van’s license plate, and the coin collection was found in Abraham’s store. The newspapers all interviewed them about the rare coin, and the story of the missing coin dominates the news for weeks. It eventually dies out, with most experts denying that the coin actually exists, but the official record now shows that six were minted, and that only five are in existence. All the big collectors secretly hope they will be the one to find it.

Trick Slater goes into the attic almost every day, and no one ever finds his hiding place. He carefully unwraps the coin, looks at it and remembers his grandfather, then carefully wraps it back up, returns it to the film canister, and places it behind the rafter.

Weeks, months, years go by. When he goes to college, he leaves it at his parents’ house, but returns for holidays and summers, and continues to remember his grandfather when he looks at the coin. He goes up into the attic less often, visiting his parents less frequently, and the last time he visits, he doesn’t even go up into the attic. He thinks about the coin, but is in a hurry to pick up his date for the movie.

Trick graduates from college, starts a career, gets married, builds his own family, and rarely even thinks about the coin. He knows it’s there, but it somehow seems appropriate to leave it in the attic. It would be too tempting to take it out now, to spend it, or to make it public. He long ago sold the other coins in the collection to pay for school, for the down payment on his house, for braces for the kids.

One day, after both of his parents have died, Nicholas Slater III inherits the old house he grew up in. His own children are grown, and he has a grandson. Like his own grandfather did for him, the new grandfather gives his grandson a coin each visit, and they discuss stories about the coins or the times they were produced.

During one visit to the elder Slater house, Nicholas takes his grandson up to his old bedroom, and shows him his hiding place. “I have something to give you. But, you must promise to keep it here, and carefully put it back here each time you visit.”

“My grandfather gave me this coin. I’ve kept it here since then, and nobody else knows it’s here. Can you keep that secret?” The boy nods his head, “Yes, Grandpa. I promise.” The old grandfather says “Some day, you will give this coin to your grandson, too.” The boy beams a smile, and the two chat for a long time, up in the secret attic hiding place.