Interesting Tidbits From 1950-S Mint Director

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Through his job, Brett encountered some "puzzling situations" concerning the distribution of coins, the newspaper article noted. Coins had a penchant for accumulating in certain areas of the country, the writer explained.

A lot of nickels were found in Cincinnati, for example. Dimes, to the chagrin of Republicans there, accumulated in San Antonio. Quarters piled up in Minneapolis.

"We think we know the explanation for the quarters in Minneapolis," Brett told the reporter. "There are a lot of cereal companies there, and people are always sending them box tops, with quarters."

A few other facts about coins that Brett offered:

n Buffalo nickels didn't stand up as well as Jefferson nickels, which might be why the latter still is being minted and the former no longer is in circulation.

n Half dollars lasted the longest of coins, while dimes wore out the quickest.

n Most coins have a life of about 30 years, compared to paper, which often isn't usable after a year.