More Than Common Cents

By: John Ross Amigh || Intern

While everybody is busy tracking their latest meme crypto coin, Venmo payment or online transfer, Coins of the Pines in Carthage is all about old money. The collectible coin and precious metal shop deals with all kinds of historical currency, especially American coins and dollar bills. Some date all the way back to the 1800s. Pennies aren’t being made anymore, heck, a lot of places are cashless, yet somehow coins are far from obsolete. What gives?

Owner Caleb Chalfinch said the shift toward online financial services has actually had the opposite effect, driving more people to collect physical currency. “It’s the idea that you can’t physically touch your money. Yes, you have a card. Yes, you have a balance you can look up, but you can’t physically hold an item. That is driving people to gold and silver.”

Caleb opened Coins of the Pines in 2025 to follow his passion. He said that the history behind each piece is his favorite part of the job. When working with collectibles, the saying is, “you never know what might walk through your doors.” For Caleb, the saying has held true.

Even if you’re not into collecting, he says it’s worth taking a a closer look at any coin. Any nickels, dimes or quarters made before 1964 contain 90% silver, making just a dime worth $4 in melt value. “You could have a coin sitting in a sock drawer worth a thousand dollars. So it’s pretty interesting, that part of it. It’s kinda like a treasure hunt all the time,” says Caleb. Find it next to Moore Coffee in Carthage. Cash in on more info here.