Several of coin dealer George O. Walton's heirs pose with the legendary Walton 1913 Liberty Head nickel minutes after experts from Professional Coin Grading Service authenticated it as the long "missing" fifth known specimen. Seated left to right: Gary Myers (Cheryl's husband), Ryan Givens (Walton's nephew holding the coin) and Cheryl Givens (Walton's niece) with the other four known 1913 Liberty nickels in front of them.

In the background, Associated Press reporter Sarah Brumfield interviews PCGS authenticators, Fred Weinberg and John Dannreuther.

This is one of Donn Pearlman's proudest moments. It occurred at the American Numismatic Association World's Fair of Money convention in Baltimore at about 12:30 a.m., July 30, 2003. Earlier that summer, Pearlman's publicity campaign about a minimum $1 million reward for the coin resulted in a nationwide search that actually led to its "re-discovery" after 41 years off the hobby's radar. After Walton was killed in a 1962 car crash, his heirs were erroneously told the 1913 Liberty nickel recovered from the crash was fake. The family kept it in a Virginia closet for four decades!

Photo credit: Donn Pearlman