Reports of a theft of hobo nickels marred the 2006 Florida United Numismatists convention in Orlando.
According to a report on the Original Hobo Nickel Society Web site, on the night of Jan. 7, a robber broke into the car of Archie Taylor and took an entire collection of hobo nickels. Taylor?s car was parked at Chevy?s Fresh Mex Restaurant in Kissimmee, Fla.
Also stolen were 2-1/2 years of carvings by Keith Pederson from New Jersey, as well as works by Owen Covert of California.
Pederson and Covert are modern carvers who attended the FUN show to meet the members of the OHNS.
The Orange County Sheriff?s office is conducting a search for the coins and carvings. Missing are more than 800 original carvings by Pederson and Covert, and up to 50 or more other modern and original hobo nickel carvings.
According to reports, many of the coins were purchased that morning. The coins are expected to be easy to identify through pictures and the carver?s initials: KP, OC, CdA, AA, GW, WE and JA.
Also missing is an 83-coin collection of Wabon Eddings. The majority of the newer coins are signed. The older ones are in a DANSCO book. Gallery Mint Museum tokens were also taken.
Police believe the culprits followed the car from the Orange County Convention Center. They took only the coin cases and left all personal belongings in the trunk.
For more information, contact Joe Warren of the Orange County Sheriff?s Department at (407) 737-2400. Or contact Taylor by calling (863) 603-7514 or e-mailing rollieshobos@earthlink.net. Go to www.hobonickels.org/news.htm #onedozen to view the stolen hobo nickels.
