Rare Coins Discovered at the Grotto
Rare coins worth over $40,000 discovered at Mount St. Mary’s University – National Shrine Grotto.
A local woman leaves her life savings with a statue of Mary at the Mount instead of trusting it to a bank
Emmistburg, MD - Two very unusual events recently stirred excitement at Mount St. Mary’s University, first a double rainbow appeared over the school during a rainstorm but it’s the second discovery that has people talking.
A few days after the double rainbow a worker discovered a pot of gold, literally at the end of the rainbow.
A worker at the university uncovered two bags of gold and silver coins in what appeared to be a donation to the shrine at first glance.
“We’re in the process of trying to raise the money to build the Pilgrim Center here at the Mount and when I saw the gold and silver coins, I immediately thought our prayers were answered,” says National Shrine Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes Director Bill Tronolone. “The Grotto is where people come to pray and maybe this was someone’s way of thanking God for their blessings.”
The coins of various denominations said to be worth over $40,000 were in two bags tucked under some leaves a worker accidentally uncovered while raking Fall leaves. The discovery of the rare coins, was reported to the local Frederick County Sheriff’s Department.
Since the discovery, a claim was made for the small treasure and after an investigation, the coins have been returned to its rightful owner.
“The owner just wanted to a safe place to keep her life savings while she left town and in her thinking, what better place than the Grotto, right next to the statue of Mary,” says Tronolone.
The National Shrine Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes is the oldest known replica of the revered French shrine, dating to about 1875 (the original Lourdes apparitions were in 1858). The Grotto has been in use since 1805 when Fr. John Dubois founded it as a place of prayer and devotion.
Contact: Christian Kendzierski kendzierski@msmary.edu 301-447-5366 or 917-882-1358
