Unexpected Harvest in the Inland Empire

I operated a coin shop in Spokane, WA from 1974 to 1978.  The shop was located right across the street from Riverside Park where a major event was held the year I arrived:  Expo ’74.  

Stamp design by
Peter Max

The Expo ‘74 World’s Fair was noteworthy in several ways. Spokane was the smallest city to ever host a World’s Fair and this was the first environmental themed fair (“Celebrating Tomorrow’s Fresh Environment”).  The IMAX theater made its debut at Expo ’74.

Spokane is primarily a farming and light industrial area, serving as a major commercial hub for inland regions, including western Montana, Idaho and northeastern Oregon.  The area is also known as the Inland Northwest or the Inland Empire.

Spokane coin clients are extremely fond of Silver Dollars, so I was right at home there.  I bought lots of Dollars in the coin shop, as well as other interesting things.

One day in 1977 a gent walks in to the shop; he’s a farmer from an area close to Spokane.  He wonders if I’m interested in Lincoln Cents.  Sure am!