Man Saves Pennies For 45 Years and Rakes In a Fortune
For 45 years, Otha Anders collected every penny he found, viewing each one as a divine reminder to practice gratitude. A school supervisor from Jackson, he believed that on days he forgot to pray, a penny would appear as a signal from God to be thankful.
What began as a meaningful ritual gradually grew into a dedicated hobby. Unlike those who make wishes on pennies, Anders offered a prayer each time he discovered one.
He stored all these coins over the decades in large five-gallon plastic water jugs. Supported by his family, he amassed what he estimated to be a small fortune.
Recently, he finally brought all the jugs to a bank to be counted. The staff had a unique experience cutting open the containers with tools like hammers and axes to free the coins.
After five hours of processing the pennies through a coin-counting machine, the total was revealed: Anders had saved $5,136.14 over 45 years—averaging about $114 per year.
He decided to use the money to pay a recent dental bill, a practical expense that brought him satisfaction. The remaining funds were used for a family trip and donations to his church.
Anders was pleased that his lifelong habit of collecting pennies—a practice rooted in faith—could ultimately help cover important costs and support his community.
