This episode of the television program "Matlock" shows some United States coins including a St. Gaudens $20 gold coin, a Morgan silver dollar, and a simulated 1936 US Mint proof set. Also shown is a 1980's green and black computer coin inventory program screen. "Matlock" was a one hour television program which ran on the NBC television network from 1986 to 1995. Andy Griffith plays Ben Matlock, a criminal-defense lawyer based in Atlanta, Georgia. Most of the time he is able to get his clients acquitted by locating the real perpetrator. He charges a fee of $100,000 for each client. This episode is titled "The Thief", it was a two-part episode, and was first broadcast on March 28, 1989 and on April 4, 1989. In this episode Matlock indicates that he is also a coin collector. A respected coin dealer and owner of a rare coin shop confronts an employee who has stolen $40,000 worth of coins. He threatens the thief with prosecution if he doesn't refund the money. The thief is found murdered and the coin dealer becomes the chief suspect. Matlock becomes the man's defense attorney and later uses a rare coin to expose the real killer.

Ben Matlock (Andy Griffith) is shown in a courtroom scene. The episode opens with a coin store, Koskoff Coins.

The coin store advertises "Rare Coins and Precious Metals", indicating that he is a bullion dealer also. Michael Koskoff, the owner, has hired Linda Hansfield, a private detective, to watch his employee Rob Casey, whom Koskoff suspects of stealing from the store.

Michael Koskoff and Linda Hansfield act a scene where she is buying a present for her husband.

The holders "slabs" are early green Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) holders, which PCGS used from 1986 to 1989 to encapsulate graded United States coins. The left coin is a St. Gaudens $20 gold coin dated 1924 and graded at MS-63 (Mint State) and the right is a Morgan silver dollar dated 1881-S (San Francisco Mint) graded at MS-65.

She can not decide which coin to buy and asks whether the store sells gift certificates. Michael talks to his employee Rob Casey.

Michael then goes outside while Rob commits another theft.

Rob makes an entry that a coin has been sold then opens the safe to remove the coin.

Ron then puts the coin into his pocket. Outside the store, Linda meets Kosloff and tells him she saw Rob steal a coin. Kosloff then goes back inside and confronts Rob with the total of his thefts being $40,000. Rob's is a gambler as Kosloff knows from calls from a bookie (horse race gambling). Kosloff demands the return of the $40,000 or he will turn Rob over to the police. The next scene shows Linda finding the body of Rob Casey.

Kosloff is arrested for the murder and meets with Matlock who he knows as a customer.

Matlock is upfront with his high fee and asks for a 1804 silver dollar, a 1836 Gobrecht proof dollar, and a set of Liberty Seated dollars coins through 1851. All of these are very rare collector coins. Matlock hires Linda as an investigator to get her information on Rob Casey. The two return to the crime scene.

A "Red Book" appears on the floor. The "Red Book" is A Guide Book of United States Coins by R. S. Yeoman, which has been published yearly since 1947.

For a large part of the program there is nothing numismatic. Matlock, Linda Hansfield, and Tyler Hudson, another investigator, discover that in 1985, four people, Rob Casey, Nancy Proctor, Mitchell Sands, and Jeffrey Barr broke into a jewelry store and stole $2,000,000 worth of jewels. The four were never arrested and the jewels have not been found. The four were able to get some money for them and separated. Rob kept some items that would prove the guilt of the other three and began blackmailing them when he lost all of his money gambling. Matlock believes that one of the thieves is the killer.

Matlock says hello to Nancy, Jeffrey, and Mitchell. Matlock and Linda had to leave the crime scene after a gas explosion and fire, then, after the fire was put out, they revisit the scene.

Matlock picks up a 1936 US Mint proof set in a plastic case, then states off the coins and values: "that penny, $200, that buffalo-head nickel, $700, dime, about $400, and fifty cents, $2,000." Linda finds a quarter but it is a 1987 and both look for the missing 1936 quarter. Matlock finds that the two men, Jeffery and Mitchell, have alibis but that Nancy's is false. Matlock finds that while her son was taking a piano lesson at her house, she used the time to drive over to Rob's place and shoot him. Back in court, Nancy is on the witness stand and Matlock asks her what she did after the piano lesson. She states that she took her son to an ice cream store. Matlock informs her that the store clerk kept one of the coins she paid him with, a 1936 proof quarter.

Michell Kosloff is acquitted and Linda Hansfield joins Matlock's investigator staff.

Andy Griffith as Ben Matlock
Nancy Stafford as Michelle Thomas
Kene Holliday as Tyler Hudson
Cindy Morgan as Linda Hansfield
John Harkins as Michael Koskoff
Tom Henschel as Rob Casey
Frances Fisher as Nancy Proctor
Henry G. Sanders as Mitchell Sands
Madison Mason as Jeffrey Barr
Director: Harvey Laidman
Writers: Dean Hargrove, Gerald Sanoff, Joyce Burditt