One day last April, Verne Warner and his wife Diane had been antique store hunting along the south coast of California all day. It was getting very near closing time for the antique stores when Verne found one last piece he wanted to check. Diane, on antique jewelry lover, could see that the jewelry had already been removed from the windows so she wasn't interested in going in. Verne went in anyway for one last look before going home.

As he entered the store he looked to the left and saw what appeared to be an insulator sticking up out of a pile of stuff. As he dug the big purple beauty out of the pile he saw the price tag of $45.00 which he subsequently paid. Upon returning home he showed the piece to close friend and fellow collector Richard Dawson. Richard instantly fell in love with the piece and commented to Verne that the only way he (Richard) would ever get one would be if Verne left it to him in his will.

About three weeks later, Diane wanted to return to the same store to look at their jewelry. When Richard found out, he told Verne to pick-up one of the insulators for him. Well, the next day Verne went into the store a second time and lo and behold, another identical insulator was sitting in the same place in the carpet !!!! Verne then talked to the store owner who said that a 90 year old woman had sold the pieces which had been made into crude electrical lamps. The insulators had been in the woman's family for many, many years and there were no more.

Upon returning home, Verne called Richard and asked him to come over as Verne had something for Rich at the house. When Richard arrived, he found a paper sack sitting on the table. When Richard opened the sack he saw the insulator he had wanted so badly but he thought Verne had put his own piece in the sack just to taunt him. Richard didn't believe it was a second piece until Verne brought his out to show that there were, in fact, two specimens ! So now Richard had his own special find and he didn't have to wait to get it from Verne's will.

Oh yes, what were the insulators you ask ? TWO MINT PURPLE UNEMBOSSED CD 244 CROSS TOPS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thinking of making these guys an offer on one of these jewels? Well, think again. I already tried and was turned down....they aren't for sale. The proud owners ore pictured with their treasures below:

Verne Warner and Richard Dawson show off their identical jewels.

CD 244 purple Cross-Tops

West Coast Correspondent Mike Guthrie sure is 
in the running with his story of the two CD 244s 
for "the find of the year."