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 Replies: 36 / Views: 5,463 |
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Valued Member
Canada
81 Posts |
It might seem silly, but I was born in the early 70s in NFLD and I never seen many 50 cent coins or one dollar coins. When I did it was a rare thing. When I was a kid it seemed like a special coin. wow! look at this! These coins were made of nickel composite and minted in the tens of millions (all together) yet I never seen them. I never got them in change, I never spent them. I'll give you an example of what is pondering; 1979 50 cent coin ; mintage was 3.4 million. Where are they, who used them, or did everybody hide them away because it was rare to see them. Like me. Were they popular spending coins for you? Where they common in Ontario or other places as spending money? Did the RCM melt them? I'm Curious. This is the reason I don't buy 1960 and up coins. I think there may be millions of Mint State coins out there, and of course , where are they. |
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New Member
Canada
24 Posts |
Very good question, something I have wondered about as well. So don't look to me for a very good answer.  |
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Valued Member
 Canada
81 Posts |
Thanks G in NF, For a while there I though maybe it was a really weird question, like I didn't get the memo about what was going on. Everybody is reading it, but nobody will answer. Personally, my collecting style is affected by this. I have picked up just the PL sets only in those years just to have a copy of the coin and it's affordable. Were they popular spending coins? Did the RCM melt them? Are they all still out there somewhere? Any opinions guys, thoughts etc... |
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Valued Member
Canada
117 Posts |
I dont know much about using them back before I was born (im 22) but I've tried using them several times and have succeeded at tim hortons and at a pizza joint but every other time I get stared at like I'm a terrorist holding them up and they look at me and just put all the money I give them back in my hand and ask for something else, no matter how many times I tell them that it says Canada right on the coins.
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Valued Member
Australia
138 Posts |
I was born in 1977 so almost before my time but I do remember that the old nickel $1 coins were not used frequently, nor were the 50 Cent coins.
The mintages of these coins are quite low compared to the other denominations. Looking at the 70s the mintages for the $1 and 50 Cent coins are around 2-4 million while the 25 Cent coins went as high as 252 million in 1975.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4870 Posts |
I always thought it odd minting coins by the millions but never or rarely seen them circulate. Half dollars here in the US are just issued to collectors but you can still spend them anywhere. Though generally you don't get them in your change. The older cashiers at stores are pretty familiar with the old style coinage while young people aren't too sure. Try spending an Ike dollar at McDonald's and see what happens. I will say though the Canadian half dollars are my favourite coins! |
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New Member
Canada
24 Posts |
I'm glad someone brought this up again. I read two of the posts before leaving for work and thought I would try something.  I took a ratty old $1.00 bill, a 1969 $.50, and two 1953 nickels and headed to Tim's for my morning double double. When I got to the window I handed the young girl my money. Well the look I got was like I had two heads, and she said "We only take Canadian and US money here". When I told her it was all Canadian money she called her supervisor over. The supervisor said "I'll take it this time, but don't bring this stuff in again." The last time I looked everything I gave her is still legal Canadian currency. I'll see what I can come up with for tomorrow.  |
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New Member
Canada
48 Posts |
As a kid in the mid-80's I used to deliver the Toronto Sun. Every now and then we'd go on canvassing duty, looking for new subscribers. They'd reward our efforts with cash or silver (nickel) dollars. I'd always go for the silver dollars as I viewed them as a rare and special item. To me they were always meant for collecting, not circulating.
As for the 50 cent pieces. I never once in my life came across them in my change. You would think in these days as we phase out the penny and look at the possibility of phasing out the nickel as well that we'd be seeing bigger denomination currency like the 50 cent coin gain popularity.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4870 Posts |
G in NF, that is a fairy typical response you got at Timmy Horton's I believe. That happened to me at the local McDonald's when I paid with a $2 dollar bill, an Ike dollar, an SBA dollar, and a Kennedy half. The girl didn't know what it was I handed her and she had to call over a supervisor. Though they didn't tell me not to spend that junk there though. It's really unfortunate places of business will refuse legal currency. Until the US and Canadian governments demonitize old currency everything should be accepted without question. |
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Valued Member
Canada
81 Posts |
awesome stories guys,
@ the force, : I sure hope they never demonetize old currency to no value; man that would be a sad day.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
593 Posts |
As a boy in Ontario in the mid 60s 50 cent coins were common ( Mostly KGVI & QE2 ) however we occasionally found KGV ,Edward and even Queen Victoria halves ( very rare ) As for Voyaguers you could buy them at any bank I dont recall them as circulating coins. My dear grandmother and father would give me one or two Voyaguers every so often.My father was an early coin roll hunter who often found nice coins for me on his bank stops
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Valued Member
Canada
173 Posts |
Quote:
It's really unfortunate places of business will refuse legal currency. Until the US and Canadian governments demonitize old currency everything should be accepted without question. I'd bet a 50 cent piece we will see businesses refusing pennies this year (in Canada), which one will decide they want to make the news? |
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
650 Posts |
My Mom always kept all the halves that came to the bar, she collected thousands and we were given the task of piling them up in stacks of 10. She rolled them and Dad took them to the bank . Propably 5-6 thousand coins got face for them. Sad because I think this was in the mid 60s. All silver for sure.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2734 Posts |
Three times in recent years, young fast food cashiers have handed me SBA Dollars as if they were Quarters. At the very same places where I regularly pay those same cashiers with Sac/Pres. Dollar coins... |
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Valued Member
Canada
117 Posts |
I miss living by the border. My weekly routine would be getting gas and groceries but before that I would empty all the banks in the city and spend $2 bills every place I could. Sometimes I would go just to empty the banks of the bills then come home. Border guards don't like to believe that's all I was doing
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Pillar of the Community
921 Posts |
Quote:
These coins were made of nickel composite and minted in the tens of millions (all together) yet I never seen them. I never got them in change, I never spent them.
They werent popular in Ontario either... |
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Replies: 36 / Views: 5,463 |
Posted 01/03/2013 11:56 am
