An observant crew member at work repairing the exterior masonry at Farber Hall recently prevented a piece of the past from accidentally landing in the trash.
The plan has won public support in Buffalo, including in its sizable Irish-American community, and the backing of leaders such as Congressman Tim Kennedy.
The coins stayed in their casings and sat on a shelf, their true value never realized, at least not until Kiernan recently reexamined them and had experts verify their authenticity.
