Convenience Store Finds

Nice finds!

You might be doing better being off the beaten path -- fewer collectors perhaps?

The 1967 Canadian penny features a rock dove on the reverse and was issued to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Canadian Confederation.

You're off to a good start on a collection.

I worked a cash register (over 40 years ago) and I still have the coins I found then.

You've done pretty well for just pulling those finds over the past 6 months. It seems smaller convenience, or party stores, get more than their fair share of collectible coins in payment. I have a buddy who is friends with the local party store owner and the shopkeeper gave him over $600 face value of silver coins to look through. It was two milk crates full of coins; my friend screwed his back up lifting them.

However, if you really want to find some good coins, try liquor stores or tobacco stores (smoke shops). The customers there are always more desperate and will use whatever money is available to buy their 'goods'. I'm going to try to befriend some of these local store's owners and see if I can score some silver.

For an example, last night I found a 1941 penny and a 1972 Ike. Some nights I won't find anything interesting and sometimes I'll find a V nickel or 10 silver dimes. It's totally hit and miss and completely random. It's kind of like that show about the pawn shop - you never know what the customer is going to pay with.

The oldest wheat I've found at the store is a 1910.

I agree with your theory that the bad economy has caused many to spend their coin collection at face value

I had a customer spend 2 Franklin halves in one transaction, and another spend 2 clad JFK halves and a Franklin half in the same transaction. I've gotten several siver dimes in one transaction, and some other oddities. The great thing is that I'm getting these coins at face value.

Back in the mid-80s, I worked in a convenience store. I was there for about two years, and aside from some wheaties, I never found anything of note. So you're way ahead of the curve!