A case of possible burglary and arson of the coin store Tecumseh Coins and the florist Grey Fox Floral is currently being investigated in the small town of Tecumseh (Michigan). As was reported by several news sites and the Numismatic Crime Information Center, suspects are believed to have entered the building in the early morning of April 8, 2019. In a press release published the following day, the Tecumseh Police Department stated that “[d]uring the investigation into the cause of the fire […], it was determined that valuables were missing from the business(es).” It has not yet been determined whether this was a targeted theft or a crime of opportunity. The building that housed both shops has been completely destroyed by the flames.
In an interview with NBC24 News immediately after the incident, coin dealer and store owner Gary Fox said that while he first thought maybe the fire had broken out accidentally in the old building, he knew that couldn’t have been the case after he learned that numerous coins had been forcefully removed from the safes. The Daily Telegram quoted him saying that the fire could have either been deliberate arson or the “result of a torch used to remov[e] the safe’s locks.” He immediately began doing an inventory to determine what items had been taken.
The Numismatic Crime Information Center has published a partial list of stolen coins:
- 29 red trays with coins stacked 2-5 deep
- 1857 flying eagle cents thru 1958 wheat cents complete minus 22P
- V-nickels, buffalos, and Jeffersons including 2 three legged buffalos
- Bust dimes thru mercs (no16D)
- Bust quarters thru Washington
- Bust halves thru Franklins
- Morgan and Peace dollars
- Complete Peace dollar set
- Mint sets beginning in 1951 complete from 1958 to 2018
- 30 early Commemorative halves-Maine, Pilgrim, Stone Mountain,California Jubilee,Lexington Concord, Oregon, Daniel Boone, Long Island
- 15 Modern Commems
- 5 rolls Canadian silver quarters, 4 rolls Canadian dimes
- 2 slabbed PCI 1909S VDB’s
- 5 slabbed gold coins
While Grey Fox Floral has now found a temporary home in a different building in Tecumseh, Tecumseh Coins’ store remains closed. Gary Fox does, however, keep his customers updated on his Facebook page and conducts business to the extent possible at this point.
Anyone with information, please contact:
Officer Tom Gilbert
+1 517-423-7494
or
Doug Davis
+1 817-723-7231
A few images of the fire have been posted on Facebook by The Daily Telegram. Photos of the aftermath can be found on this website.
Visit the Numismatic Crime Information Center website or Facebook page to get updates on future crimes and other numismatics-related incidents.
