Moral Dilema.......Opinons Needed

Patton

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The General encountered a situation today that I need some input on. Once in a while I watch some of my neighbors kids when needed. Today, it was Hannah, my 9 year old next door neighbor. Hannah had a tough day at school and was feeling blue. So I said lets go get a pop and a cookie at the new Kwik Shop.:yes: (Note: This is a convience store that just opened Tuesday. It is the largest one in the state of Kansas.) Anyway we get there, and as I walk in I see all these kids gathered around this one young man on the floor. I asked what was going on, and the kid stood up and said he had just found a half dollar. My interest was piqued and I asked him if I could see it. Lo and behold it was a 1964 Kennnedy Half!:shock: Now, I have hit about a dozen of these Kennedy Halfs including 6 at one place. But, none of them were Silver. I told him I collected these and I asked him if he wanted to sell it. "Sure, he replied." How much I asked. "I will take a dollar for it he replied." I bit my tongue and said ok. He then proceeds to tell me he has a Morgan Silver Dollar worth $17,000, two $20 Gold pieces, and dozens of other coins. Really, I said. This kid can't be more than 10 or 11. Don't know whether to believe him or not. I gave him my card and said if he ever lost any coins or wanted to sell some, to call me. I don't know if he's full of it or some of what he says is true. Who knows? Later when my wife got home I told her the story. She feels I should give the coin back or pay him more dough. She wants to see what the other members on here thinks. I do feel bad, but he FOUND the coin! Its not like it was in his collection. (If he really has one.:roll:) So, what do you think? Slap on the wrist for the General and return the coin, if I can even find him? Or, go on down the street and be happy for my good fortune? I am torn about this. Pulltabminer wants to know if I'm going to add it to my Silver total for the year.:laughing: I am not. There you have it. What sayeth thee? Yea or nay? I will abide by the majority decision. Would appreciate any comments/input. Thanks! Patton
 

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I don't think I'd feel too good about that one. Maaaaybe if it was bought from an adult (but even then I'd feel a bit bad) but from a little kid? Nah. I say give it back or at least offer the little guy fair value. Just my opinion. :D
 
Look at it this way. Someone else may have offered him 75 cents....It's not like the kid lost out on anything. If you told him the real value he'd want melt for it....that's not getting a deal. Kids won't remember little things like that anyways. Enjoy the half. If the kid knew so much about coins he wouldn't have sold it so cheap.
 
It's worth what, $12? The child would probably have spent it seconds later on candy anyway. It's not like it's a rare coin, other than being silver. To be lost in a new store like that, would mean it was going to be used at face value anyway.

I've had silver and assorted coins, a 'collection' since I was young as well, but I'm no collector. I just know some are old, and silver isn't in circulation much, and has a higher value than face.

You did kind of pull on over on that kid, but probably wasn't such a bad thing. It was found money, and most like would have been spent and forgotten. Had you given more, the kid would have had some explaining to do at home, and his parent would have wanted to know more. If his dad was the collector, he might have wondered if there was a much higher value than melt. The kid doubled his money, and was probably happy for that, lucky find, and lucky exchange, no hassles. Doesn't seem all that bad for both parties.
 
He offered the dollar, you paid his price with no hassle. Both customers were happy.
 
What you did is fine because you gave him exactly what he asked for it.

Women think too much! :laughing:
 
I would have told him what it's worth and tell him to save it. It sounds to me like he is raiding dads or grandpas coin collection. Your dealing with a minor and if he took someone's coins you would be the one in trouble. Don't justify it by saying the next person would have done the same. If you have to think about it than it's probably wrong. Remember it's just a coin worth a few $$ Take the high road, you will like yourself more later. I buy and sell stuff all the time and I buy stuff really cheap knowing the people don't know what it's worth but I deal with adults that are just too lazy to do the research on their items. I have dealt with minors but always with their parents there. I'm not judging you I am just saying what I would do because I have done things like that and years later I still feel bad about it.
 
When I was younger, my brother raided my coin collection and bought candy for face value of the coins. The candy shop owner refused to give them back to me.

Does the saying "taking candy from a baby" mean anything to you? I'll bet the coins you got were taken from an adult collection. I'd contact the boys family.
 
In KT's mind this is fair and square and here is why....you asked him a price. He could have said $10 or $2 but he said $1....BUT if you back in that store and see that kid, ask him if he would like to have a slushy or candy bar or whatever. He will be happy and you will feel better. In fact, make that a habit until you are within a couple of dollars of salvage silver value.....then you will have squared it all with him, AND made a new friend! You could then ask him exactly WHERE did he find it! LOL Could lead to more!

I ran across this same situation when I was in college, I was working along a railroad track when to 10 year olds walked up to me and said, Look mister! We found a gold ring! I looked at it with my lens and it certainly was...a mens ring...pretty large...14 K and no initials in it...had a large synthetic ruby stone in it...my birth stone.

I said, you want to sell it? They said yeah! They said, how much? and knowing that all I had that day with me was 2 5 dollar bills, I said, 10 bucks, 5 for each of you!

They pounced on it. I later took the ring to a local jewelry store and was offered 50 bucks for it and i took it....gold was hovering at around $40 an ounce at the time so I knew he was not going to scrap it but polish it up and put it in his retail stock....and to a college kid whose school stipend was $60 a month, that $30 profit was a God-send!
 
probably wont be the last time ya see the kid..so I say keep the coin and buy him some candy now and then when ya see him.
 
To a kid with a $17,000 Morgan....he doesn't need more for the Kennedy.

Are you really bothered by this????

If so take him some recently dug brown quarters. Those cost you a little time/effort/gas? and might make you feel better!

Have you ever run a stop light/stop sign?

This should be some good reading!!!:D

Then again, I'd think about that $17,000 Morgan and trade one of your F2's for it!:shock:
 
I can't believe some of you are saying it's cool to rip off a kid simply because you paid the price he asked (when obviously he has no idea what he's talking about) :no: We ain't talking about an adult here guys... Is it really worth making 15 bucks to take advantage of some little kid? I would have taken the opportunity to teach the kid a bit about coins and make him keep it...or at least give him melt value if he was determined to sell. I'm not judging those who would have taken the coin for a buck but surely money isn't the most important thing going is it?

And by the way, your interest was piqued not peaked (sorry, one of my English pet peeves). :D:D:D
 
And when you see him, work into the conversation his Dad's collection and see if you sense him raiding it. Maybe a chat will help him realize what he's doing.
 
I can't believe some of you are saying it's cool to rip off a kid simply because you paid the price he asked (when obviously he has no idea what he's talking about) :no: We ain't talking about an adult here guys... Is it really worth making 15 bucks to take advantage of some little kid? I would have taken the opportunity to teach the kid a bit about coins and make him keep it...or at least give him melt value if he was determined to sell. I'm not judging those who would have taken the coin for a buck but surely money isn't the most important thing going is it?

And by the way, your interest was piqued not peaked (sorry, one of my English pet peeves). :D:D:D

Thank you for the grown up perspective. Of course you are right. The child is in no position to barter intelligently with an adult.

If I know my friend Patton, and I think I do, he will do the right right thing. I have seen him deal with stuff like this before and he always does what's right.

Of course, he could always take my offer of $2... :lol:
 
My advice is this...


...put the entire situation in reverse, think about it and do whatever you would feel to be correct in the end of the situation. That way you don't need our advice, you would make the decision on your own.
 
He then proceeds to tell me he has a Morgan Silver Dollar worth $17,000, two $20 Gold pieces, and dozens of other coins.

Tends to make me think he knew what he had or else he was selling of his dad's stuff. I would be on the fence about that . Maybe call up his dad and find out for sure. I would probably just keep the coin and chalk it up to good fortune
 
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