USA Coins Out Of Circulation

In America there is, however, a difference between "able to be used in circulation" and "actually commonly found in circulation", which is what Sheencrofter is probably more interested in. Ike dollars from the 1970s, for example, aren't commonly seen in circulation, and never really have been - but with minimal effort you can still obtain them for face value and use them (and there are forum members who like to go out and spend them, just to see the look on people's faces).

So, for "not commonly seen in circulation", you've got:
- cents prior to 1959, though pre-1982 (copper) cents are getting harder to find too
- 5 cents prior to 1960 can be hard to find, but you won't get much of a premium for one unless it's a silver wartime coin (1942-1945).
- dimes and quarters prior to 1965 are silver.
- half dollars are never seen in circulation anymore; they've stopped making them except for collectors.
- all kinds of dollar coins are rarely seen in circulation, though it's not too hard to get the post-2000 issues for face value.

People that actually live in America, please feel free to correct me.

No one in the U.S. could have explained this any better!

U.S. Light Rail mass transit systems use $1 coins for fares, so in areas with light rail service, those coins may be slightly more common in cash registers. Note that U.S. cashiers will never hand out $1 coins in change to customers, unless specifically requested. Therefore, I regularly ask cashiers if they have any $1 coins (if they do, they are always happy to trade them for paper notes.)

Part of your problem is not knowing a lot of the mintage details of our coins. I suggest you look into the purchasing of the Red Book by Whitman Publishing. A book like that will give you quantities minted and a sort of value. Although most would say the prices in that book are very excessive.

Sheencrofter, I'm a cashier and I feel the need to correct a couple of things:

--SOME clerks will hand out dollar coins (I do). However, many people will not accept them, so their circulation value is nil.

--Half dollars are, in fact, seen in circulation. I bought four of them from my drawer to re-use just this week. They're just not common.


And finally, I spotted a 2006 Red Book on the Bay yesterday for five bucks. You might want to pick it up if it's still there.

I think most Ikes are sitting in bags at the Fed. And it is frustrating because as a roll searcher it is pretty much impossible to order them. Try ordering a bag of dollars from your bank and you will always get a bag of small dollar coins. There is no way under the current financial exchange system to get the point across that you want to order LARGE dollar coins. I have heard of a few people here in the Forum that have succeeded at this, but I know I never have. Many tellers understand what you mean, but "The Fed" does not.

Thanks for the info Ninamason

DNA, occasionally I get people who wrinkle their noses and ask for "real" money. The rest are split pretty much evenly between charmed fascination, "What's this?" and then acceptance upon explanation, and tucking the coins neatly away without a second glance (these aren't all regulars, either--there are apparently folks out here who just know and accept the coins as well as the bills).


. . . oh. Also a small but significant set of older folks who remember the last days of readily-circulating Peace dollars and silver certs, who are actually outright happy to get these coins because it reminds them of "the good old days."

I'd love to get Ikes, but my bank never has them