Hardest Coin To Pull From Circulation

If you add the following constraint

"currently circulating modern coin" and exclude the outdated compositions such as silver

Then I think that the 1950D nickel would have it.

eaglefoot I actually have pulled a large cent from circulation

i pulled it out of the coin machine where I work
theres pics and more details here
https://goccf.com/t/28691

Well thats obvious!

Just going by regular opening of rolls for the cash register, and in the "other change" section of the drawer, at work:

-wheat pennies are fairly common (earliest found was a 1917)
-A few S-mint Lincolns from the 1968-74 era. (10 in total)
-Just one Buffalo nickel (a dateless one which turned out to be a 1914-D! Thanks to Nic-A-Date.)
-A few silver dimes, earliest is a 1946.
-Silver quarters are almost nonexistant in rolls, I only get them when people pull out spare change to pay for purchases. (Had a guy pay with a well-worn SLQ yesterday!)
-Only two Ikes.

Good question! I rarely seem to find anything of note in day to day change. I cant even remember the last time I found a silver dime or quarter, and really dont even remember finding any wheat cents in regular change lately. I would have a tiny coin collection if I didnt do coin roll searches or buy coins at shops, on ebay and at shows.

I don't think the silver War Nickels would be the toughest type coin to find in circulation. It seems that most non-collectors know that the dimes and quarters from '64 and earlier are silver and worth keeping, but not nearly as many people seem to even know that there ever were silver nickels. That being said, I've probably found about the same number of silver quarters, silver dimes, and silver nickels in circulation over the years. By the way, for you beginners, the silver nickels are easy to identify, because all of them have a mint mark above the dome of Monticello.