Tonight 50 years ago, CBS aired "The $100,000 Nickel" – S06E14.

Everyone is chasing an elusive 1913 nickel worth $100,000. A convention in Honolulu is showing it off and it arrives under a police escort!

International criminal Eric Damien (Victor Buono) wants it swapped with a counterfeit made by local engraver named Andecker. Damien gets his slimy paws on it through his hit man Anthony (James Grahlmann) when he kills Andecker at a meet.

Damien isn't done as he has the perfect person to pull off the feat. Arnie Price (Eugene Trobbnick) is a carny sleight-of-hand artist. His wife Millie (Hildy Brooks) wants out of the carny life and Arnie sees this as the perfect opportunity to do so. Damien offers to pay Arnie $10,000 to make the swap.

What ensues is "chase the nickel" throughout town. Arnie and Millie wind up with it and pass it onto to Damien, who then makes a run for it.

Before the break though, Damien tries to blow everyone up in the Lincoln Continental they've all been riding in. Damien gets out before/during a chase that puts the car into the ocean.

Damien, of course, is caught by our favorite State Police. Duh.

Mr. Mike's review is so much better. https://www.fiveohomepage.com/5-0log6.htm#134

I like this episode but again, not one of my favorites. It's enjoyable and I find myself rooting for Arnie and Millie even after the newspaper guy is shot because the guy wasn't killed and the pair aren't malicious. Damien, on the other hand, can rot in hell for all I care.

As I'm writing this, it occurs to me that Andecker used a 1903 nickel to forge the counterfeit 1913 nickel. I find myself wondering if that isn't a step backwards. Wouldn't the 1903 be more valuable? I realize there's only five 1913s in existence, but I would think the 1903 would be even more rare due to age. But that's me.

Happy 50th, "The $100,000 Nickel"!!