Otha Anders, a Louisiana teacher, collected pennies for 45 years as a personal practice of gratitude. He saw each penny as a reminder to stop and say a prayer. His collection became a source of inner satisfaction between him and God.

Anders did not accept pennies as gifts, even from family, to maintain the personal significance of his collection. Over time, the practice of saying a prayer whenever he found a penny became essential to him, especially on days when he needed a reminder to be grateful.

Anders filled giant water jugs with the pennies he collected, aiming initially for five but eventually filling 15 five-gallon jugs. When he decided to cash in his collection, it amounted to 513,614 pennies, totaling over $5,136. The collection held both personal and financial value for Anders.