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 Replies: 26 / Views: 3,712 |
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Moderator
 Australia
16842 Posts |
Old coins (say, pre-1965) are unlikely to still be kicking around in circulation in America, in terms of "continuously circulating". They're much more likely to have been sitting in a hoard or collection for most of the intervening time, only to be broken out and banked or spent. Sadly, not all such "broken collections" have a happy origin story. Spiteful spouses, ignorant children or grandchildren, and outright thieves, are all quite probable sources for finding collectable coins in change. Flying Eagle cents are made of a dilute cupronickel alloy, rather than standard coinage bronze, so they are a "different colour" to a regular bronze cent. That, plus the "odd design", plus the extra thickness, means that everything about them is "wrong", so they stand out like the proverbial sore thumb; it is effectively impossible to find one just floating about "in the wild". Any you might find in circulation are 100% as a result of somebody's collection getting dumped, or a coin collector deliberately wasting money to spend one just for funsies. Don't say "infinitely" when you mean "very"; otherwise, you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite. - C. S. Lewis
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3848 Posts |
We can first talk about what coins are almost physically impossible to circulate. That would be the large cent of 1857, Half Dime of 1873, dime of 1828, quarter of 1828, and half dollar of 1836. All of these have had a change in diameter so it is almost impossible to find one of these circulating (unlikely anyway). Suffering from bust half fever. Want to learn how to attribute early half dollars by die variety? Click Here: http://goccf.com/t/434955Shoot me a PM if you are looking to sell bust halves. |
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Valued Member
 United States
397 Posts |
@CarrsCoins @jacrispies I would love to find a large cent in circulation, whether it's US or Canadian. The size difference is definitely an obstacle, which is why I only went as far back as the Flying Eagle cent. Even though I most likely won't find a large cent in penny rolls, would it still be possible (0.000000001%) to find them in a nickel or quarter roll? |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
756 Posts |
a large cent would have to be in a half dollar roll. they are too big for quarter rolls.
i think the chances of that happening are vanishingly small. the only chance would be if someone was having fun and trying to spend them or if a collection was stolen by someone who didnt know what they were doing. they wont make it through coin sorting machines.
i know a guy who used to try and spend fractional currency for giggles so its not impossible I suppose.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4233 Posts |
I'll add that I find early 1960s and 1950s nickels in change fairly often, which have clearly been continuously circulating. I pause to think "that's cool", and then back into circulation they go.
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Valued Member
United States
397 Posts |
@CarrsCoins Wow, I didn't know large cents were that big. Hmm, half dollars may be too rich for my blood. I don't actually roll my discarded pennies back up - I just exchange them at the local Coin Star for Amazon gift cards (no fee). The wife has been complaining lately that we have too much money tied up in Amazon gift cards, so a box of half dollars is definitely a no go for me at this point. On a side note, has anyone been able to find any Wheat cents from the teens lately? I just have not been any find any. I've found a couple of 1909s, some from the twenties and thirties, but nothing from the teens for some reason. I guess the mintages were smaller, but nothing from even 1918 or 1919. I'm also trying to find KG5 and KG6 Canadian pennies, having found only one of each so far. Based on what I've seen, boxes from the Northeast seem to be better for older Canadian pennies, or Canadian pennies in general, but I unfortunately do not have access to those boxes. Also, has anyone noticed that it's getting harder to get circulated boxes of coins? I know banks don't usually like it, but I had been able to get them. Now even if the bank is willing to give me boxes, they tend to be uncirculated instead. Is anyone else running into this? Cheers! |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3652 Posts |
Quote:
i think the chances of that happening are vanishingly small. A couple years ago I dropped a damaged large cent into a tip jar. It was holed, slightly bent and scratched. However, it wasn't badly worn so the design and date were clear. Other than a situation like this, I think the chance of finding a large cent is basically zero. |
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Valued Member
China
141 Posts |
@AllSeasons I would love to find a large cent in circulation, whether it's US or Canadian. The size difference is definitely an obstacle, which is why I only went as far back as the Flying Eagle cent. Even though I most likely won't find a large cent in penny rolls, would it still be possible (0.000000001%) to find them in a nickel or quarter roll? Hahaha    |
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New Member
United States
6 Posts |
When I was in Berlin in the late 1980's, I'd go to the open air markets (i.e., like a flea market). There was one vendor who had a boatload of old coins in large cannisters. You'd pay 5 Deutche Marks (at that time, just about $2) to dip your hand into the cannister and grab a fistful. After doing that about 4 or 5 times, I found some old European coins dating back to the 1600's, two US 2-cent coins, and an old Seated Liberty dime in really decent shape, in the coins I pulled out. I wonder now if you can still find a vendor like that in the huge open air markets in Europe, such as in Paris, Berlin, Brussels, or Amsterdam. |
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Moderator
United States
189010 Posts |
 to the Community, Helotian! |
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Valued Member
United States
366 Posts |
Quote:I guess my question is what are the oldest coins I can reasonably still find in circulation? Is it still possible to find pre-1880 IHCs or even a Flying Eagle cent from circulation? What's the earliest cent you've ever found in circulation? I guess more recent examples would be good, since it was easier to find older cents back in the 1960s or something. I think a better question would be, "what coins won't you find in circulation". You won't find large cents, Half Cents, Two Cent Pieces or Three Cent pieces, or anything else dated before 1857 for that matter. Most other coins from 1857 on is possible. With most coins after 1857 other than 1C, 5C and maybe10C coins, the probabilities of finding them in the wild is very, VERY slim at best. Several years ago a friend got a well worn Shield nickel in change from a vending machine at work. So it can happen. |
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Replies: 26 / Views: 3,712 |
First Page
Posted 01/16/2023 9:06 pm
