Thursday, December 6, 2012

I am my father's daughter.

Me and my daddy. 
In my father's will he left a coin to T.  Only 215 of these coins had been minted.  Last week I took the coin to a dealer to have appraised.

The conversation went as follows:

Dealer: (checking internet) I see only a few were minted. Very interesting coin.  How much do you want for it?

Me:  I don't want to sell it, I need to know a value for insurance purposes.

Dealer: (takes coin and throws it back on the counter towards me) This is a re-strike.

Me: How can you tell?

Dealer:  The 8 is larger than the 9

Me: Could I use your magnifying glass to see? (hands me glass) I don't see any difference.

Dealer: It's not a re-strike, it's a re-pour.  This coin has no value.

I left the coin dealer and as I drove home I wept.  I wept for my father who was once again duped by someone he helped financially.  I wept for my father who would give the shirt off his back to those that needed it.  I wept for my father and for how many times people continued to abuse his kindness and love.

Something made me stop at another coin dealer in town.  I took it in and it so happened that there was a coin dealer from New York who was very familiar with South African coins.  I asked him to look at the coin as I was told that it was a re-strike or re-pour.  He looked at the coin and he told me that is was genuine.  It was the real thing. His advice was to send it into NGC for appraisal.

The relief that washed over me was immense.  Finally someone had not duped my father.  When my father was murdered and I was going through all of his things I came across a wooden box.  I opened the wooden box and was in disbelief.  There were hundreds of pieces of papers of IOU's that people had signed of money they 'borrowed' from my father.  There were promises of paybacks and dates.  The amounts were incredulous. To this day not one of those people have come forward to repay the loan. We as a family made a decision not to approach those people.  That is not what my father would have wanted.

I am my father's daughter.  I give of my heart too freely.  I love too deeply and I trust blindly. I am the first to be there to pick someone up when they have fallen.  I am the first to be someone's cheerleader when their depression engulfs them.  I am the one that gently pushes and helps people towards their dreams and goals.

My mother reminded me today that I will always be who I am.  That I will always be my father's daughter.

And that is something to be proud of.

13 comments:

  1. i'm so glad you stopped at the second shop & got another opinion.
    it's a good character quality to be able to give without expectation of repayment. it might not make you rich in monetary terms, but you'll live a better, gentler, happier life.

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  2. Very beautiful blog. You are truly one of the most generous and open people I have ever known.

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  3. I'm glad you went and got a second opinion. Maybe he was genuinely mistaken, but sometimes there are the unscrupulous types out there who try to convince you something valuable you have is worthless. That way you'll give it up to them for next to nothing. You're a good soul. Don't let anyone ever make you think that isn't priceless.

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  4. Thank you for sharing. I am glad you went to the second coin dealer.

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  5. As I read, I thought, no, no, no, don't take that guy's word for it. He sounds like a con artist. So glad you're smarter than that!

    You have so much to be proud of. Good for your mother for speaking the truth!

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  6. Good for you Lydia. So glad that turned out like that. Very moving post. Thanks for sharing it. xx

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  7. This was beautiful. Beautiful story, beautiful writing. Thank you for sharing.

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  8. Ohh... What a wonderful legacy he has left for you! And the ones you touch with your love and kindness.

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  9. This is a moving post. While, on one hand you can look at it as if he was duped a lot, I think it's a much better legacy than that of someone who made a lot of money for himself but never helped anyone else out. :)

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  10. Very moving and thank you for putting human back into humanity.

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  11. Lidia, you are wonderful! Love and hugs lady.

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  12. Great post Lidia! You are a sweet person and your dad raised you right =)

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