Turning Pain into Purpose

In May 2021, a man in Richmond, Virginia, decided to make his final child support payment by dumping 80,000 pennies in front of his ex-wife and daughter’s home. Avery Sanford, who had just turned 18 years old, and her mother chose to transform this act of spite into an opportunity to spread kindness. 

The two donated every cent—totaling $800—to Safe Harbor, a local shelter for victims of domestic and sexual violence. “Turning around and donating that money to moms and children in need…turns the situation into a positive one,” says Sanford.

The story went viral and inspired multitudes of people to pay it forward. Safe Harbor reported a surge in donations from across the nation and even internationally, surpassing $47,000. 

This goes to show that a coin’s value isn’t always determined by its rarity, condition, or provenance. History you can hold in your hands certainly has its place in numismatics, but humanity you can hold in your heart has a place everywhere.