Home U.S. Coin Forum

The oldest coin you've found in general circulation.

MaywoodMaywood Posts: 1,864 ✭✭✭✭✭

What's the date and grade of the oldest coin you've found in general circulation, finds from "change" used for actual commerce?? Certainly some of our more "Senior" members might have a slight advantage and even the roll searches have found older coins, but we all tend to look at the coins we get while shopping. Pictures would be nice if you have them.

For me, I think my oldest change find was a 1919 Lincoln Cent in VF. Thanks and enjoy.

Maywood

«1

Comments

  • ndeaglesndeagles Posts: 309 ✭✭✭✭
    edited August 5, 2022 6:51AM

    1903 IHC that was when I was a kid in the 80s, it's still in my album today

  • WillieBoyd2WillieBoyd2 Posts: 5,034 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited August 5, 2022 7:09AM

    In 2010 I received a 1912 cent in change from a grocery store change dispenser.

    image
    US Cent 1912

    :)

    https://www.brianrxm.com
    The Mysterious Egyptian Magic Coin
    Coins in Movies
    Coins on Television

  • rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭

    This year, a 1919 cent and last year a 1913 cent.... Of course, as a kid, there were IHC's, Buffs, liberty nickels, the occasional Barber dime, a couple of Columbian halves...Back in the early fifties there was still a lot of old coins around in change. Cheers, RickO

  • The_Dinosaur_ManThe_Dinosaur_Man Posts: 834 ✭✭✭✭✭

    For me it's likely a 1910 Lincoln. I did get an 1896 India 1/4 Anna while CRH a few years back.

    Custom album maker and numismatic photographer, see my portfolio here: (http://www.donahuenumismatics.com/).

  • erwindocerwindoc Posts: 4,925 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I found a barber half roll searching in the past. I think it was from the late 1890s. Probably my coolest CRH find ever!

  • MaywoodMaywood Posts: 1,864 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I think that Cents get found the most because Americans have a habit of saving in the "Penny Jar" almost every Cent they receive. With the advent of "CoinStar" they just keep circulating after a rest on somebody's bookshelf.

  • johnny9434johnny9434 Posts: 27,411 ✭✭✭✭✭

    i got a 1909 vdb years ago. the guy at the store saved them for me and there was one in the pile. that brought some smiles for sure

  • BuffaloIronTailBuffaloIronTail Posts: 7,401 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Found a AU-58 1911-D Lincoln in a coin jar my Aunt Barbara had. It immediately went into my Lincoln Book.

    It was 1967.

    Pete

    "I tell them there's no problems.....only solutions" - John Lennon
  • SanctionIISanctionII Posts: 11,660 ✭✭✭✭✭

    In the 1960s i received in change cents from the 1890s and dateless Liberty nickels.

  • MarkKelleyMarkKelley Posts: 1,749 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Got a 1907 IHC a couple years ago from a Sam's Club food court. The oldest CRH find is my icon photo which came up as an ender in a half dollar bank box.

  • HydrantHydrant Posts: 7,773 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Lots of IHC when I was a kid.....About year ago, a 1900 IHC in midAU. Nice penny!

  • ernie11ernie11 Posts: 1,899 ✭✭✭✭✭

    When I was a kid in the 1960's I got a 1905 Liberty nickel while coin roll hunting.

  • GaCoinGuyGaCoinGuy Posts: 2,715 ✭✭✭✭

    The coin that got me checking my change.....an 1859 IHC that is beat up, scarred, and ugly. Found it in change back in 1986 or so.

    imageimage

  • BJandTundraBJandTundra Posts: 383 ✭✭✭✭

    @ricko said:
    This year, a 1919 cent and last year a 1913 cent.... Of course, as a kid, there were IHC's, Buffs, liberty nickels, the occasional Barber dime, a couple of Columbian halves...Back in the early fifties there was still a lot of old coins around in change. Cheers, RickO

    What he said about the 50's. Dates from 1870's through early 1900's including an occasional Morgan or Peace silver dollar.

  • seatedlib3991seatedlib3991 Posts: 446 ✭✭✭✭

    About ten years ago I was refinishing the floors at a convenience store. There was a ice cream freezer for Schwan's ice cream I had to move. Underneath was a very worn but clearly dated 1909 Lincoln cent. I put it in a 2x2 and labeled it profit from Lake Wilson C-store.

  • BillJonesBillJones Posts: 33,427 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I have never been as lucky as some people in this regard. The only thing I ever found in commerce was a 1909 Lincoln cent, and that was many years ago.

    Retired dealer and avid collector of U.S. type coins, 19th century presidential campaign medalets and selected medals. In recent years I have been working on a set of British coins - at least one coin from each king or queen who issued pieces that are collectible. I am also collecting at least one coin for each Roman emperor from Julius Caesar to ... ?
  • rheddenrhedden Posts: 6,567 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited August 5, 2022 10:27AM

    My friend removed a round metal plug from the floorboards of a bar that was being renovated in State College, PA somewhere around 2005. Thousands of people had walked on it over the years, and it was embedded in the wood from the trampling. The reverse of the coin was worn slick - but the obverse was an 1853 Arrows Seated 10c. He gave it to me as a gift, and I still have it somewhere. I guess it counts as a circulation find?

    Another friend in State College bent down to pick up an odd coin in the dirt around one of the small town post offices in the area. The parking lot had been dug up for paving, and it was lying there in the dirt. It turned out to be an 1825 Half Cent. I have that one, too!

    The real question is why I don't find any of these coins with my metal detector!

    A coin dealer friend of mine got a BU 1931-S Lincoln in change in the 1990s at a coffee shop in Ithaca, NY. Someone spent Dad's wheat cent folder....

    As far as circulating pocket change goes, my Dad has plucked three Indian cents out of the cash register at his place of business since the year 2000. One of them is an 1898 in really sweet XF45. I never once found an Indian searching coin rolls as a teenager, so how does he get so lucky?

  • alefzeroalefzero Posts: 863 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited August 5, 2022 10:25AM

    1876 20c in 1970 in change from an A&P store. It most certainly was nicked from a coin collection and not continuously circulating. Got it graded, I believe, as MS62 by NGC many years later.

  • lkeneficlkenefic Posts: 7,741 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Probably a 1910 Lincoln Cent as a kid...

    Collecting: Dansco 7070; Middle Date Large Cents (VF-AU); Box of 20;

    Successful BST transactions with: SilverEagles92; Ahrensdad; Smitty; GregHansen; Lablade; Mercury10c; copperflopper; whatsup; KISHU1; scrapman1077, crispy, canadanz, smallchange, robkool, Mission16, ranshdow, ibzman350, Fallguy, Collectorcoins, SurfinxHI, jwitten, Walkerguy21D, dsessom.
  • Glen2022Glen2022 Posts: 840 ✭✭✭✭

    @ricko said:
    This year, a 1919 cent and last year a 1913 cent.... Of course, as a kid, there were IHC's, Buffs, liberty nickels, the occasional Barber dime, a couple of Columbian halves...Back in the early fifties there was still a lot of old coins around in change. Cheers, RickO

    In addition, before they took silver out of the coins in 1964, Silver $s could frequently be obtained from any bank for $1. Could find well worn Morgan $s from the 1880s .

  • semikeycollectorsemikeycollector Posts: 923 ✭✭✭✭✭

    In 1969, found a 1909-VDB cent.

  • ElcontadorElcontador Posts: 7,412 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Found some worn IHCs, Liberty Nickels and Barber coinage as a kid in the early 1960s. This year, my best find was a worn 1907 D Barber Dime that looks like something tried to take a bite out of it which I wrote about here several months ago.

    "Vou invadir o Nordeste,
    "Seu cabra da peste,
    "Sou Mangueira......."
  • BenVBenV Posts: 67 ✭✭✭

    Pulled this from a roll a couple years back, definitely the oldest I've ever found in circulation.

  • oih82w8oih82w8 Posts: 11,868 ✭✭✭✭✭

    A 1912-P (i believe) Lincoln cent found in the cash till at work.

    oih82w8 = Oh I Hate To Wait _defectus patientia_aka...Dr. Defecto - Curator of RMO's

    BST transactions: dbldie55, jayPem, 78saen, UltraHighRelief, nibanny, liefgold, FallGuy, lkeigwin, mbogoman, Sandman70gt, keets, joeykoins, ianrussell (@GC), EagleEye, ThePennyLady, GRANDAM, Ilikecolor, Gluggo, okiedude, Voyageur, LJenkins11, fastfreddie, ms70, pursuitofliberty, ZoidMeister,Coin Finder, GotTheBug...
  • keyman64keyman64 Posts: 15,452 ✭✭✭✭✭

    In the 1980s, an AU 1909 VDB.
    Also in the 1980s, a beat up 1874 Indian Head Cent.

    "If it's not fun, it's not worth it." - KeyMan64
    Looking for Top Pop Mercury Dime Varieties & High Grade Mercury Dime Toners. :smile:
  • jesbrokenjesbroken Posts: 9,152 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Don't know the exact one, but in the 50's I ran across quite a few 1800 coins of most values.
    Jim


    When a man who is honestly mistaken hears the truth, he will either quit being mistaken or cease to be honest....Abraham Lincoln

    Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.....Mark Twain
  • AllentramAllentram Posts: 92 ✭✭✭
    edited August 5, 2022 12:56PM

    In the 1990s, within a couple of weeks of each other I got in change a 1927 cent and a 1958 dime.

    A friend recently found a Liberty Head Nickel in change, forgot what year.

  • OAKSTAROAKSTAR Posts: 5,676 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited August 5, 2022 1:12PM

    During one of my coin roll pick-ups a few months ago, a teller had this in her draw and didn't know what it was.... If that counts as general circulation.

    I told her what it was and gave her 50¢ for it.

    Disclaimer: I'm not a dealer, trader, grader, investor or professional numismatist. I'm just a hobbyist. (To protect me but mostly you! 🤣 )

  • 291fifth291fifth Posts: 23,898 ✭✭✭✭✭

    In recent times the earliest coin I have found is a 1916 cent in VG. The earliest coin I ever found was an 1882 Shield Nickel, though it took a bath in Nic-A-Date to read the date. That was back in 1962 when I was roll searching as a new collector.

    All glory is fleeting.
  • Cranium_Basher73Cranium_Basher73 Posts: 2,751 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Rummaging through my mom's purse as a kid looking for lunch money for school, found a 1910 1c. Found a 1912 1c another time.

    Found a nickel near a wooden fort in a field when I was 10. Couldn't tell what it was until I cleaned it up. It had several layers of paint and was porous. It was a 1926 buffalo, that was in the elements for decades.

    For silver, a 1934 quarter I got along with 6 other silver quarter including a 1936 out of a change machine at a hole in the wall pool hall in Honolulu. $3 in quarters, 7 silver.

    Throw a coin enough times, and suppose one day it lands on its edge.

  • cladkingcladking Posts: 28,307 ✭✭✭✭✭

    In about 2012 I found a 1919-S cent (93 years old).

    The oldest I found in the old days was an 1892 half dollar in 1958 (66 years old).

    Today it's not too hard to find a 1939 nickel (83 years old), but you can still turn up an early wheat cent once in a while.

    Tempus fugit.
  • CoinMeisterCoinMeister Posts: 642 ✭✭✭✭

    I found a 1912-s (fine or slightly better) Lincoln cent back in the late 80’s early 90’s. It was a shock at the time. I still have it too!

    I happen across the occasional wheat cent or 1930’s/40’s nickel from time to time.

    "What we are never changes, but who we are ... never stops changing."
  • DBSTrader2DBSTrader2 Posts: 3,444 ✭✭✭✭

    My childhood friend's mom worked at a bank, so on occasion we'd ask her to bring us home some penny rolls to search. This was back in the early 1970's, I believe. You should have seen my friend's face when I pulled out a worn 1876 IHC from one of MY rolls!! Still have that in my collection! :)

  • SaorAlbaSaorAlba Posts: 7,466 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Found both of these 1858 FE cents in roll searches in April 2014, one was a CRW roll, the other a bank wrapped roll and came from different banks.

    In memory of my kitty Seryozha 14.2.1996 ~ 13.9.2016 and Shadow 3.4.2015 - 16.4.21
  • 7Jaguars7Jaguars Posts: 7,228 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Wish I had pictures to share but in the late '60s my dad used to play penny ante poker and so had a bag of pennies (cents) that was continually changing (like the pun?) over. I used to look them over and even though this was on the West Coast found so many 1909 and 1909 VDB Lincolns that I stopped saving them. No IHCs but plenty of Lincolns from the teens and twenties, nearly all Philadelphia minted coins however as many seemed to realize at that time that "S" minted coins seemed special and saved them out.
    I finally took out a BTW 50c (1950 S) after it had rolled around a while as this was a lot of money to me at the time - it is an AU coin now, started out better. The other odd bit was a 1953 S Washington quarter they shot at some distance with a 30-06.

    Love that Milled British (1830-1960)
    Well, just Love coins, period.
  • Che_GrapesChe_Grapes Posts: 1,851 ✭✭✭✭✭


    Gotta love any change from 1921 - I also found a barber dime from 1899 but it was heavily worn…

  • BikingnutBikingnut Posts: 3,365 ✭✭✭

    1938 Jefferson. Amazing you can still find Jeffersons from the 30's and 40's in circulation, with the exception of the silver ones of course. I have used dateless Buffalo's and dateless liberty head nickels in vending machines.

    US Navy CWO3 retired. 12/81-09/04

    Looking for PCGS AU58 Washington's, 32-63.
  • coinnutcoinnut Posts: 1,432 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Got this 1892 Indian head Cent earlier in change at a McDonald's drive thru. Got an 1896 Indian Head Cent last year at a Dunkin' Donuts.

  • ambro51ambro51 Posts: 13,580 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited August 6, 2022 7:27AM

    While working as a toll collector in the mid ‘70s a three cent nickel showed up when I counted the days take. 1865, I think....probably mistaken for a dime. ••••••. I’ll admit to being a “seeder” for awhile, spending off a roll of cull grade Liberty nickels at the Wawa.

  • Joe_360Joe_360 Posts: 1,592 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited August 6, 2022 8:23AM

    Found both of these in a Coin Star machine
    1774 Spanish Reale Silver Coin (1/2?) and a 1889 US (Seated) One Dime

  • RichieURichRichieURich Posts: 8,359 ✭✭✭✭✭

    1879 Morgan in VG many years ago.

    An authorized PCGS dealer, and a contributor to the Red Book.

  • silverbulsilverbul Posts: 139 ✭✭✭

    i was 13 and i picked up a penny.

  • Early 1900's Indian Head Cent, don't remember the exact date. Gave it to a friend I was trying to get interested in coin collecting. Oldest roll find was an 1868 Shield Nickel. Badly corroded.

    Member of LSCC, EAC, Fly-In Club, BCCS
    Life member of ANA
  • joeykoinsjoeykoins Posts: 14,787 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Lol.
    It's funny you would bring this up?
    Just yesterday, while at the bank. I always check the coin exchange machines and the trash can next to it.
    Well, this is what brings my post to your thread. lol
    My Oldest coin find in the wild.
    A beautiful
    1895 Barber Quarter!
    Yep, in the trash!


    "Jesus died for you and for me, Thank you,Jesus"!!!

    --- If it should happen I die and leave this world and you want to remember me. Please only remember my opening Sig Line.
  • ChangeInHistoryChangeInHistory Posts: 3,004 ✭✭✭✭✭

    1910 wheat cent years ago.

  • kruegerkrueger Posts: 799 ✭✭✭

    In the early 1960s I received a 1902-S barber half dollar buying a half gallon of milk. I was 12 or 13.

  • dbldie55dbldie55 Posts: 7,717 ✭✭✭✭✭

    1887 Indian Cent

    Collector and Researcher of Liberty Head Nickels. ANA LM-6053
  • AUandAGAUandAG Posts: 24,515 ✭✭✭✭✭

    1878 Morgan. But, I grew up when these circulated and was in college and working when silver rose in price so as to end silver coinage. Perhaps older but can't remember for sure.
    bob :)

    Registry: CC lowballs (boblindstrom), bobinvegas1989@yahoo.com
  • drei3reedrei3ree Posts: 3,430 ✭✭✭✭
    edited August 6, 2022 6:17PM

    Bought a wrench from Monkey Wards in the mid-1960's and got this nickel back in change. Still have it!

Leave a Comment

BoldItalicStrikethroughOrdered listUnordered list
Emoji
Image
Align leftAlign centerAlign rightToggle HTML viewToggle full pageToggle lights
Drop image/file