Coin Collecting In The 1960-S

I started actively collecting US coins in the Spring of 1960 when I was 13 years old. The "boom" in coin collecting had not happened yet.
My home town was small. about 15,000 folks but we had a large Air Force Base nearby. We had no coin club and I knew ONE other kid that collected. I think I can safely say that the circulating coins in my area could be called "unsearched".

Like most newbies, I knew little about coins and started with a Whitman Lincoln Cent folder. There were two folders for Lincoln cents...the first was 1909 - 1940 and the second was "Starting 1941"
which had the holes dated to, I think, 1963.

My father managed a fairly large 5 & 10 store...eight cash registers across the front of the store and one at the rear door. There was about $200 in coins in the office cash and the registers were picked up at 4 PM and again at 9 PM, so, if I wanted, I could search three times a day, for a total of usually around $500 in rolls and loose coins. The strictly enforced rule was that I must replace any coins I removed from rolls and loose change. I kept a small jar of coins in the office for this purpose.

There was also two kiddie rides out front of the store (10 cent rides) and a penny weight scale all of which were emptied of coins every month. I could search those if I would agree to roll the coins.
The penny weight scale sat out in the weather, and the pennies (three or four hundred every month) were always wet. But I thought it was worth it!

Some of you "younger-than-I" collectors may be wondering what was out there circulating in early 1960.
Well, folks, compared to today...it was magnificent!

I'll try to give you an idea:

CENTS

In early 1960 a circulated roll of cents would be about 90% or more wheat cents and 5% to 10% memorial cents.
1943 steel cents were commonly found. I would have been surprised if a roll didn't have at least one "steelie". ALL dates and mints were out there. I collected a COMPLETE set of Lincolns out of circulation in about a year and a half.

NICKELS

The mix, as I remember, was about 60/40 Jeffersons and Buffaloes.
Wartime silver nickels were easily found and in a lot better condition than the ones that show up today. A roll of nickels usually had one or two warnicks.
Buffaloes before 1916 were almost always dateless. Type I buffaloes were fairly frequently encountered but...were usually dateless.
Buffaloes from 1917 to 1926 usually had one or two date digits showing. 1928 and later usually had full dates and were Fine or better.

DIMES

All silver and about 35% Mercury dimes. A lot of Mercs in the forties
still had a little mint luster. Mercs dated in the teens were usually AG to G, twenties dates were G to F, thirties usually F or better. ALL dates and mints were out there. I found all but the 16-D.
Found several 21, 21-D, and 26-S. For some reason, I frequently found 1945 micro S dimes. Also found a lot of the "small S" pennies and dimes...what was the year? 1941? Can't remember.

QUARTERS

All silver and a roll would usually contain at least 3 or 4 Standing Liberty quarters. Those with the date recessed usually still had full dates. Most others were dateless. Dateless Type I quarters were fairly frequent.

HALVES

Lots of Walkers still in circulation. Almost all walkers had readable dates. Once or twice a week I found a Walker with obverse mint mark. Found several 38-D and all other dates and mints except 1919 and 1921. Frequently encountered 40s walkers with mint luster.

SILVER DOLLARS

People actually spent silver dollars. The store took in about 5 or 6 a week. I didn't collect 'em and didn't look at 'em.

More later.

Steve