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 Replies: 14 / Views: 4,417 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5839 Posts |
Every once in a while (and by this I mean three times over the last 5 or 6 years) I have found what I at first thought to be a shiny new penny in my pocket change, only to discover that it was actually a wheat back from the 1930s or 1940s:  [The scan doesn't show how bright and shiny they really are.] I realize these coins aren't particularly rare, but I'm amazed at the condition they are in. They don't appear to have been cleaned (as I said, they have plenty of luster and they have remained in pretty much the same state since I found them), and I just can't imagine how these coins could have remained in circulation for so long without turning dull and brown. I suppose they could have come out of newly discovered (at the time) bank rolls that had been hidden away for years or something... Anyway, I was just curious how common it is to find examples like this in your pocket change? Did lightning just happen to strike three times for me, or are there gobs of old wheaties in this condition circulating around and I just haven't really noticed most of them? |
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Valued Member
United States
439 Posts |
Wow nice. I couldn't imagine they were actually circulated. they were probably sitting is someone collection of wheats since they were minted. I am sure someone with a little more experience will chime in.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
5839 Posts |
Well, they were certainly circulated at some point, because I got all of them as change from grocery stores, cafeterias, etc. The only question, I suppose, would be how long they had been in circulation before I got them...
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5854 Posts |
Wow! That is a nice find! They couldn't have circulated long without turning brown. I remember a cent that someone had given me which I kept in my pocket for the day. It was red when it started and after a few hours of touching it it about 1/3 to a 1/2 of the surface had turned brown.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
19935 Posts |
Incredible finds! I very, very rarely find BU wheat cents and the couple I have found were from the 50's.
Lincoln Cent Lover!VERDI-CARE™ INVENTOR https://verdi.care/
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Pillar of the Community
United States
543 Posts |
While they are not rare, it is rare to find a Wheat in that kind of shape in circulation! Generally if you see one that has any luster whatsoever, its from the late 1950s.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4867 Posts |
Some kid probably got into their parents jar of coins and just spent them... :P
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5839 Posts |
Well, you guys have certainly made me feel much better about my little finds! When I found each of the three coins, I just put them aside into a pile of other interesting coins I've found over the years. I recently put them into air tight "Lighthouse" capsules, but for years they remained exposed to the atmosphere. As a result, one of the three is now showing distinct signs of tarnish, but the other two are still amazingly bright.
Just goes to show that it pays to check all the coins in your pocket change and not just the ones that are obviously old...
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Moderator
 United States
187702 Posts |
Very nice!  I have always said that finding any wheat in circulation is a good thing. But finding them in this condition is an incredibly great thing. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5839 Posts |
I was finally able to take some better pics with a camera that shows how shiny these are:   There are a lot more imperfections seen under magnification like this than I noticed with my bare eyes, and the 1935 is certainly starting to show signs of tarnishing, but I think they're still pretty amazing considering how old they are. Would anybody care to take a shot at grading them? |
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Moderator
United States
187702 Posts |
Wow! Even nicer! |
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Valued Member
United States
406 Posts |
Congratulations on the find! But I suspect it's kind of like getting a Proof coin in change - someone got into a collection and spent them.
Still, those are amazing!
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Valued Member
United States
397 Posts |
I've found a few BU wheats in change or rolls, sadly I touched them and managed to do a little bit of damage to em. Nothing major though ,still awesome finds :D
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5839 Posts |
Oh, yeah -- as you can see from the pics, I wasn't exactly wearing cotton gloves when I pulled these out of circulation...
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New Member
United States
37 Posts |
Yup Lightning did strike three times for you!  Congrats, congrats, congrats.  Any that I find that are even remotely close to those are late 1950's. Sometimes a 1960's memorial but never any wheats that nice.  Edited by Dirty Finger Penny Sorter
08/16/2011 11:38 pm
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Replies: 14 / Views: 4,417 |
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Posted 08/12/2011 10:08 am
