This episode of the television program "The Waltons" shows a United States Liberty Head $20 gold piece. The CBS and Lorimar Productions television program "The Waltons" is about a large family living in the Appalachian or Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia during the 1930's economic depression. John and Olivia Walton are a married couple who live near the (fictional) town of Walton's Mountain. They have seven children, John-Boy, Mary Ellen, Jason, Erin, Ben, Jim-Bob, and Elizabeth, but not all of the children appear in this episode. This episode is titled "The Journey" and was first broadcast on September 13, 1973. John-Boy Walton, the oldest child, drives an elderly woman, Mrs. Maggie MacKenzie, to a seashore resort so that she can relive her honeymoon visit 55 years before in 1879 before she dies. Mrs. MacKenzie shows John-Boy a United States $20 gold piece dated 1879 which was given to her as a wedding present.

The program opens with John-Boy, an aspiring writer, giving an introduction.

The Waltons live in a large house on a farm or ranch. Some members appear in this scene.

John-Boy has been trying to get a date with the local beauty, Marcia Woolery, for a school dance. She hasn't given him a direct answer, but John-Boy, hopeful, goes to the general store to buy a pair of new pants.

Inside the store John-Boy looks at clothing.

Marcia happens to be in the store when John-Boy tries on a pair of pants. Later at school he asks her again for a date.

She plays with him and then agrees to go with him. John-Boy heads to the store to purchase the "imported wool" pants for $2.35. The price illustrates the 1930's depression value of clothing. Dr. Vance, the town doctor, visits Mrs. Maggie MacKenzie, an elderly woman with a heart problem.

Dr. Vance tells her to stop driving (she owns a 1920's Model A Ford). John-Boy's grandmother knows her and she asks John-Boy to come over for a visit and to fix her car.

She shows him a picture album with photographs of her husband and the ship on which she arrived from Scotland in 1879.

Mr. MacKenzie, already in America, met the ship and the ship captain married them.

Mrs. MacKenzie shows John-Boy something else.

She produces a US $20 gold coin dated 1879 which was given to her as a wedding present by the ship's captain.

Mrs. MacKenzie tells John-Boy that 1879 was also the year of her marriage, that her husband died a long time ago, and that the next day would be her 55th wedding anniversary.

John-Boy asks her "she is in mint condition, isn't she?" Mrs. MacKenzie replies "aye, and I'll never spend it. Even last year when President Roosevelt said we had to hand in all our gold coins I just couldn't bring myself to part with it." John-Boy replies " I'm sure Mr. Roosevelt would understand" and Mrs. MacKenzie answers him with "If not, I'm sure Mrs. Roosevelt would."

Actually she would not be breaking the law as the 1933 Roosevelt gold recall order had exemptions for $100 worth of personal souvenir gold coins and coins of numismatic interest. Actor Richard Thomas keeps a finger on the coin's date and it is possible that the prop coin used in this episode was not dated 1879. There also appears to be an 'S' on the lower reverse indicating the San Francisco Mint.

A United States $20 gold piece of the period:

The San Francisco Mint produced huge quantities of these coins at the time.

Mrs. MacKenzie asks John-Boy to drive her to the seashore the next day which would be a full day drive. After some thought he agrees and then goes to the store to return the pants.

He receives his $2.35 and tells Marcia that he can't take her her to the dance. The next morning, Saturday, he meets Mrs. MacKenzie and they use her car to drive to the seashore.

Mrs. MacKenzie tells John-Boy that 55 years ago she and her husband visited a restaurant called "The Mermaid" and find that it is still there.

John-Boy and Mrs. MacKenzie have lunch and she tells him that it looks like it did in 1879 and that even the pianist is playing the same song that was played at her wedding. (Writer Earl Hamner, Jr. previously wrote episodes for the "Twilight Zone" program).

The couple have lunch and then dance to the music. Mrs. MacKenzie starts seeing her deceased husband in place of John-Boy. John-Boy then drives Mrs. MacKenzie back home and as they near her house she has a heart attack. Later he visits her and the doctor at her home.

She thanks him for driving her and hands him the $20 gold piece.

He refuses the coin but she convinces him to take it.

The coin here looks a little different than the one in the earlier scene. John-Boy keeps a diary and writes up the events

The final scene of most episodes is of the Walton house at night.

Richard Thomas as John-Boy Walton
Linda Watkins as Mrs. Maggie MacKenzie
Tammi Bula as Marcia Woolery
Ralph Waite as John Walton, Sr.
Michael Learned as Olivia Walton
Director: Harry Harris
Writers: Earl Hamner Jr., Nigel McKeand