Oldest coins you've found in circulation

[JayKay]

I was about 10 or 11 years old, back in the early '60s. My mother was getting change for a purchase and the clerk said something like "oh wait a minute, I almost gave you a foreign coin". I looked at it and said "I don't care, I'll take it!!!" The 'foreign' coin was an 1849-O Seated Liberty half in VG/F condition.

 

About the same time I convinced my grandfather to let me go through the cash register in his store whenever I came to visit. He was in an old Polish neighborhood where many of the residents didn't trust banks so coins and bills tended to simply circulate from one shop to the next. I pulled out Indian cents back to the 1870s (however no '77 ), bunches of Barbers, even a couple of shield nickels. Nothing to match that half, though.

[tabbs]

Same as trantor_3 ... before early 2002, the oldest pieces in circulation in Germany were dated 1948, and once in a while I came across one. Coins dated 1950 were common as dirt even in the late 90s. In the Netherlands I also got 1948 Wilhelmina coins in change several times. These days the oldest coins around here are dated 1999 :-)

 

Christian

[daggit]

1926 wheatie

[thedeadpoint]

I feel like I've come across an Indian head with my dad or something but I think 1910's is most likely.

[Scottishmoney]

1910 cent in a box search back in December.

[just carl]

This also has a lot to do with the age of the collector so maybe you should add that to the poll as well....

I have to agree with that. Since I'm really up there in age some of the coins people find in the last 40 years were commonly used in change when I was a kid. Heck, there wasn't even a Red Book, Roosevelt Dimes weren't invented and I remember people complaining about those new Quarters that came out recently called Washington Quarters.

[thedeadpoint]

I have to agree with that. Since I'm really up there in age some of the coins people find in the last 40 years were commonly used in change when I was a kid. Heck, there wasn't even a Red Book, Roosevelt Dimes weren't invented and I remember people complaining about those new Quarters that came out recently called Washington Quarters.

 

[jtryka]

1910 cent.

[Mr Lee]

I've known people who have received coins from the 1800's in circulation but the oldest I've ever found was a 1913-S Lincoln cent.

 

A couple years back, while at a gas station, the attendant showed me a Morgan Silver Dollar someone had just used to purchase gas. He didn't know what it was but he wouldn't part with it either.

[coinmanic]

I remember going through our coppers counting it up into pounds,

pre decimal there was 240 pennies to the pound that`s 480

half pennies.

We found this Copper/Bronze coin, small, very thin and worn,

a neighbour told us it was a Roman coin!

 

Thinking back now, it was probably a farthing, but we`ll

never know? It went missing!

[Eagleeye]

Found an 1892 and an 1893 IHC in a roll from the bank a few months back. Third in line was a 1912 wheatie back in 2000.

[basicbob101]

The oldest I ever found was the one that initially got me into coin collecting many years ago...around 1956 or 57 I found an 1864 Indian Head Penny in change, took it to a coin store and he gave me $5 for it...must have been the "L" variety and it was in really nice condition...nothing with that much of an age spread since though last year I got a 1916 Barber dime in change, in about G condition, very worn.

[tommyd]

Some of you have some uncanny luck.................

[basicbob101]

Some of you have some uncanny luck.................

 

 

Talking about luck, last summer my wife and I were at a garage sale and some lady just bought a purse for 50 cents, as she walked away she discovered a very shiny full luster Peace Dollar in a side compartment! Since then I always check out purses at garage sales!

[Scottishmoney]

It is not a lot of luck, but a lot of effort. Since last summer I have been buying up $25 boxes of cents and going through them for the pre-1982 bronzes, all the other finds are welcome surprises, here are my results from last weeks search:

 

About 1,000 pre 1982 bronzes and the following treats:

 

USA

1912 -Another early birdy:)

1919

1941

1944

1945 x 2

1945-D

1946

1947-D

1951 x 2

1951-D

1952-D

1955

1955-D

1956-D x 2

1956

1958

1969-S x 2

1970-S x 2

1973-S x 2

1974-S x 5

1992 10% clip on the right side.

 

The first roll I opened up had a 1955 cent in it. The 1912 came near the

last roll of the 100 I opened. Last month I got a 1910, it amazes me that I

can still find 90+ year old coins in circulation.

[Vfox]

1860's trade token in with some pennies at work. Other than that, a 1904 indian head cent and a 1898(i think) V nickel.

[thedeadpoint]

Bump for our new members.

 

 

 

There... that should liven up the forum for a bit.

[TreasureGirl]

I can't believe I hadn't replied to this before...

 

I got a 1917 wheatie from the self-service checkout at WalMart once.

 

A friend of mine once found an 1868 IHC in the parking lot at Schnucks.

[just carl]

As I said a few posts ago. I'm so old that when I was a kid many, many sitting Liberty coins were common in change. Mercury Dimes were the norm except for numerous Liberty Heads. I remember when they stopped making the Walking Liberty Halves and everyone thought What Now? Indian Head Cents were as common as Lincoln Cents.

I really have no idea what the oldest coin I pulled out of circulation but probably many from the 1800's since so many were always around.

AHHH, if I only knew then what I know now.

[Uncle Charlie]

A 1944 wheat cent..... *sigh* I wish I did more roll hunting, but it just doesn't ever seem to light my fire.

[Nightwing]

I haven't been collecting for very long and I only recall seeing last year when I'd check my change a 1954 Nickel. Ho hum.

[cestrin]

At the bank I worked at last summer I found a 1911 Liberty V nickel... it's the reason I'm here today

[acanthite]

1897 Indian Head Cent. Condition AY (AboutYuck)

[Delta]

1971, and I get them every day

 

I guess before 1990 I would have handled a fair few 1968, but none which I collected at the time.

[echizento]

A 1909 Indian Head Cent in VF condition.