Heartbreaking Rare Coin Theft Near Philadelphia

[Schatzy]

By Lauren WilsonDOVER, Del. - March 19, 2009 - (WPVI) --

A Delaware business owner is out thousands of dollars worth of coins.

 

But his loss goes much deeper than the value of the collection that was stolen.

 

70-year-old Dan Marks, a retired Air Force vet, sells mostly die-cast planes at a popular Dover flea market. But last year his 42-year-old son, a coin dealer, died, and Marks was left with boxes of old coins.

 

That was until someone broke into his home between Monday night and Tuesday morning to steal two cases filled with 469 coins, valued at more than $8,300.

 

"I was just trying to settle everything he had, and put a closure to him, but they wiped me out," Marks said.

 

On a good day up to 1,000 people mill about Spence's Bazaar looking for bargains. Dan Marks suspects it was one of those days that a common thief cased the place, and spotted his valuable coins.

 

"I think they were druggies looking for drug money," said Marks.

 

The robbery itself was hurtful enough for Marks, who lives on a fixed income. But worse is the pain of knowing his son searched high and low for those coins, like a 1926 Peace Dollar, valued at $300. Marks' son planned to sell them and leave the proceeds to his mother, who was battling cancer.

 

"It wiped my wife out. Like I said, she didn't last much longer. She died of cancer," Marks said.

 

Dover police are checking with local pawn shops for the stolen coins. Meanwhile, Marks says he'll try to sell what's left of his deceased son's collection, knowing it won't come close to his $8,300 loss.

 

 

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