Friday, 27th July 2007 (3662 views)

A rare gold coin believed to have been given to the first president of Panama by former US premier Theodore Roosevelt has been returned to its rightful heir.

Phyllis Childers of Florida believed the $20 coin - which had been in the family for a century - was lost after the death of her mother seven years ago, leaving the family clueless as to the location of the 1907 gold coin.

The gold coin had been discovered in the state's unclaimed property programme, after Ms Childers' mother, Terri Claiborne, deposited it into a safe deposit box before she died and forgot to inform her relatives.

"Oh gosh. Oh my goodness, oh my goodness. Excuse me, I'm speechless - that's it," Ms Childers exclaimed after Florida state officials returned the gold heirloom to her.

The gold treasure has been valued at between $25,000 (£13,000) and $90,000.

Ms Childers told the Associated Press that her mother was on her way to a bridge game when she deposited the gold coin and neglected to fill out any paperwork, adding that the coin would now reside in her sister's safe deposit box with two names attached.

 

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