CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) — The final treasures of a quiet man who collected a fortune in gold coins will be auctioned off Tuesday in Nevada.
The body of Walter Samaszko Jr. was found in his Carson City home in June 2012. After his death, a cleaning crew hired to tidy his modest, ranch style home where he had lived for four decades came upon a stunning discovery —
boxes and boxes full of gold coins and bullion collected over an unassuming lifetime. It was enough to fill two wheelbarrows.
One batch, mostly bullion, was sold at auction in February for $3.5 million. Tuesday's auction at the Carson City courthouse
includes more than 2,600 coins to be sold in six lots.
"These are the rated coins; the collector types," said Alan Glover, Carson City Clerk-Recorder who is charge of handling Samaszko's estate, on Monday. "It's a little more complicated on the pricing that it is on the bullion."
He
estimated the value of the collection at $3 million, though the final tally will depend on the condition of the coins as assessed by bidders.
The fortune, after taxes, will go to Samaszko's only surviving cousin, Arlene Magdanz of San Rafael, Calif.
A substitute teacher, Magdanz has shunned media attention and not spoken publicly about her new-found riches. Officials were able to track her down using a funeral bulletin at Samaszko's home that led to his father's service in Chicago in the early 1960s. Newspaper clippings listed survivors.
Glover said he's never met Magdanz, a substitute teacher, but has talked with her by phone.
"She was just overwhelmed by all the publicity," Glover said.
The first lot set for auction is silver coins. Lot 2 contains more than 300 $10 U.S. gold pieces. The remaining four lots are comprised of $20 U.S. gold pieces, including more than 1,200 Saint Gaudens gold coins.
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