He keeps it in his wallet in a coin holder with a small cellophane circle. It’s an Indian head penny, in great condition, dated 1897. “This is the first penny I ever earned. When I showed it to my father, he told me that he was born in 1897, so that made the penny even more special, so I kept it safe from that day on,” said Tom Shire, a Marion resident. Photo By Joan Hartnett-Barry
