In the early 1980's we were visiting St Louis and I went to an estate sale. I managed to buy a $5000 Southern Traction Co bond, an old railroad. The bond and coupons said they were payable in gold coin and the best part - after lots of investigation I found out that they were still valid up to 2 years before I got them since the railroad had been bought out several times. Sure would have been nice to be able to cash them in and get those gold coins.