Anders’ hobby of collecting pennies started as a fun activity but grew into an obsession. He believed every penny he found was a sign from God to be grateful.
“I became convinced that spotting a lost or dropped penny was an additional God-given incentive reminding me to always be thankful,” Anders told USA Today. On days he forgot to pray, a penny would often appear, reminding him to be grateful.
For 45 years, Anders saved pennies, guessing he had collected hundreds of thousands of dollars. The bank employees spent five hours cutting open the jugs and counting the coins.
In the end, Anders had saved $5,136.14, averaging about $114.40 per year.
Anders used the money to settle a dental bill, sponsor a family trip, and make donations to his church.
But the story didn’t end there.
When local news picked up the tale of “The Penny Man,” people were moved—not just by the patience of his saving, but by the deep meaning he had attached to something so small and often ignored.
Soon, letters began pouring into Anders’ mailbox. Strangers sent him stories of how they, too, had started noticing pennies—and how it made them pause and feel thankful in their busy lives.
One woman wrote:
“My father died last year. I was having a terrible day when I saw a shiny penny on the sidewalk. I picked it up and thought of your story. I smiled for the first time in weeks.”
Moved, Anders decided to start something bigger. He launched a small nonprofit called Pennies of Purpose, collecting pennies—not just for savings, but to fund small kindness projects. School lunches for kids, surprise grocery deliveries for struggling families, care packages for veterans.
Within a year, over $18,000 in pennies had been donated by people across the country, along with notes of gratitude and stories of hope.
Anders, now in his seventies, often says:
“It was never about the money. It was always about the message. If God could use a penny to change one life—just imagine what He could do with thousands.”
And sometimes, even now, when he’s out walking, he still finds a single copper coin lying quietly on the sidewalk…
And he still says “thank you.”
