“It certainly is, it’s at Oak Hill Country Club, but it’s already sold out and there are no hotel rooms within 90 miles. Of course, you can stay with us if you decide to make it.”

“Larry, I’m not worried about a ticket, I’m sure I can find one, and I appreciate the offer.” I was back at work the following week when a co-worker mentioned he had a 3rd PGA round ticket he was given from a supplier but couldn’t use and I was welcome to it. So now I had all the bases covered. And after discussions with my wife, I was packing and heading out on the 300-mile northbound journey.

I arrived Friday evening and enjoyed a light dinner with Larry and his wife Susan. During dinner, Larry mentioned he had brought home his entire Indian Cent Collection for me to study and photograph if I desired. After dinner we hit Abbott’s, Rochester famous ice cream store—I hit the place especially hard. Upon returning home we strolled a campground across the street from their home. Before retiring Larry and Sue showed me their collection of antiques, including their pride and joy, a fine sampling of antique bird’s-eye maple furniture. Especially eye-catching was the fireplace mantle and frame Larry purchased out of a Catholic priest’s rectory in Pennsylvania. He hauled it home and retrofitted into his living room. They are fine hosts and I enjoyed their most gracious hospitality.

On Saturday morning I went to the tournament to catch the third round activity. I followed Tiger Woods for a short while as he struggled to his worst finish in a major championship. He was playing so poorly on the front side I walked back to the clubhouse to follow someone else. Tiger wasn’t the only one who set an ignominious record; on my way back I also set a personal record-- highest price paid for a hot dog and a Coke… $11.00. I then followed a couple of my favorite players, Fred Couples and Phil “Lefty” Mickelson. But both finished in the middle of the pack. As I write this I am amused as I read about Mickelson getting a tryout to pitch for the Toledo Mud Hens baseball team (my hometown). It prompted one of his PGA friends to tell a reporter, “I think Phil will do real pitching in the majors—those guys have never seen a 68 mile-an-hour fastball before.”

On Sunday we headed straight from breakfast to Larry’s coins. His collection consists entirely of errors and a few counterfeits. He only pursues off-center struck coins and over the past 30 years he has put together a stunning collection consisting of over 200 examples, about 100 of which are Indian cents. I took up four rolls of film in order to photograph a few choice examples so we went into his backyard to set up my camera in the sunlight.

The Rausch residence is out in the country where the deer and the antelope roam. About 50 feet behind his house Larry dug a small pond with a freshwater stream feeding it. As we were setting up the camera a massive red-tailed hawk came flying by us chasing a kingfisher crossing the pond. I was ready to duck and head back in. “Don’t worry,” assured Larry, “that’s not unusual out here. An owl almost got our dog one evening.” Why go to the zoo, I asked myself.

I had the pleasure of photographing a dozen or so of his choicest pieces and am showing one of my favorites here—an 1864 Bronze issue struck 70% off-center with a 90-degree reverse die rotation in Mint State 62 condition. Find another one of these! In addition, please see this issue’s “Whatizzit?” column. Larry has a 3-cent silver piece, another of Longacre’s designs, with what appears to be overstruck by a genuine contemporary die of some nature. He has studied the piece long and hard and compared it to Civil War tokens, as well as some foreign issues and has yet to figure out the overstrike issue. If any member can do so Larry is offering a one-year paid renewal to the Fly-In Club.