I was born in the late 50s, and began collecting when I was 6 or 7 years old. I never found an IHC in circulation, and I went through mountains of penny rolls my dad would get at the bank. Never found a single one. I'd occasionally find a wheatie from the 20s or 30s back in the day, but that was about it. I'm still looking!
Dave
Always looking for original, better date VF20-VF35 Barber quarters and halves, and a quality beer.
I started collecting in 1963. I remember finding an occasional Indian head cent in pocket change (very worn, usually from the 1900's).
I found an 1898 cent on the ground in some dirt in the alley behind my parents house.
Also after my dad moved into assisted living in 2012 my sister and I had to sell the family home. On the Sunday before the Monday escrow closing I had a metal detectorist search my parents residential property. The home and neighborhood was built in the 1920s. The search resulted in finding about 10 Indian cents and about 20 wheat cents.
I started checking change and some half rolls in the mid to late 50's and often would find Indian Head cents. I feel they were all from circulation and not savings as they were always worn out.
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
The husband of my mother's friend told me that he searched cent rolls for two years in the late 50s finding four. I recall he stated looking through $50/week but that sounds too much in retrospect.
We emigrated to the U.S. in 1976, from 1976 to now I have received 2 Indian head cents as change. My first was sometime in the 80’s, it was a 1890, I kept in the Whitman folder in place of the s-VDB. I got the 2nd in the 2000’s, I got change put in my pocket and when I got home I noticed one of the cents was an IHC, I think 1905 or 1907. That one was in good shape like XF so must have been a recent dump of someone’s collection. My dad in his stash had 5 and I doubt he purchased any so in the 70’s he must have gotten 5 in change.
@ziggy29 said:
I've read that IHCs started really vanishing from circulation by the 1930s, but as recently as the '50s a few could be found.
In some places it was later. My dad was stationed in Puerto Rico from 1961 to 1963 and he found quite a few IHCs in change down there, as well as Liberty nickels and Buffs, Mercs, SLQ, Walkers and a few Barber coins. It was filling out the Whitman albums from the change he received there which got him started collecting.
That is interesting. My father was also in Peurto Rico, although it was during the World War II years. He had at least a handful of Indian Head Pennies that he hung onto and they may well have come from those Puerto Rico days. In any event his coin collecting was primarily from pocket change so that alternatively suggests they were still circulating into the 1950s if he hadn't found them earlier. I first saw them in either the late 1950s or early 1960s.
I’m sure my GP packed them around in his pants pockets all the time. He was born in 1876.
I’ve gotten two in change I don’t remember the first one I just know I thought to myself that that was the second one I’ve gotten in change when I scored it about 15 years ago. It was a 1904.
Also didn’t some organization a while back put a bunch of old coins in change around the country. To peak interest?
Been searching change since I was a kid in the late 70's. Got my first indian cent maybe 3-4 years ago. Got home from a work trip to Maine and noticed it when I was emptying my pockets to the change jar. Low grade 1879
According to Harper Lee's famous novel To Kill a Mockingbird they were in circulation in Alabama in 1932.
Inside were two scrubbed and polished pennies, one on top of the other. Jem examined them. "Indian-heads," he said. "Nineteen-six and Scout, one of 'em's nineteen-hundred. These are real old."
Indian Head cents have a brief appearance in the 1962 film of the novel:
I have maybe half a dozen returned to me in change in my life since the late 70s. My uncle had a bag pulled (along with other obsoletes) from his restaurant in the 50 and 60s.
My guess would be that the Indian Cents disappeared in the late 1930s. My mother, who was born in 1915, said she saw them frequently when she was going up.
When I became a collector in the 1960s, you never saw them. Some people found them once in a blue moon during that period. They were usually messed up with a ring ding or corrosion.
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 ... ?
I suppose it depends on one's definition of "effectively disappearing", but my understanding is that depending on the area they were still being found with some regularity well into the late 50s, with occasional pop ups into the 60s.
My Grandmother (b. 1900) was a Very active collector with the full run of Blue Whitman’s. Her IHC folder had a few very worn 1800’s and most of the. 1900’s issue. She told me Indian heads were gone by WW2.
I started as a YYN in 1952/53. Indians only occasionally surfaced in change, so I would guess that they "effectively" disappeared much earlier. My little buddies and I were focused on the 31s and SVDB. Mercs and Walkers were an every day thing, SLQ's much less so. Buffs were common too but usually well worn and dateless. A Barber would pop up now and then, I often made some cool finds in rural areas, such as when we vacationed.
I started collecting in 1963. Never found an Indian Head in change. However, I made a regular trek a mile down the road to the local antique store to buy common date Indians for 25 cents each.
I was born in 1950. My Grandmother bought me a set of Library of Coins cent books in 1955 and I got to look through the whole families coin jars. My dad collected Indian Head Cents and Buffalo Nickles starting a year of so earlier than me. His best friend collected coins and would go to the bank and get rolls each week, on payday, of dollars and halves, quarters, dimes and nickels. They had the blue folders they were filling up and doing pretty well with them. Dad liked the idea but would go buy rolls of nickels and cents and he kept the Indian Head and Buffalo (even the ones with no date). When Dad died he had about $150 worth of Buffalo's and 3 or so rolls of Indian Head Cents. He stopped collecting around 1960 when his friend died and the couldn't hang out and talk coins.
My grandfather worked a soda fountain during the Depression and would put all the IHCs he got in circulation into a coffee can. So, by the 1930s there were still enough to fill 5 or 6 rolls worth from this one location in Upstate NY... this was the start of my Indian Head Cent collection in the early 1970s...
Collecting: Dansco 7070; Middle Date Large Cents (VF-AU); Box of 20;
My grandmother grew up in the 1930s and recalled that Indian cents were pretty scarce, but she did get a Flying Eagle in change once but spent it on candy.
In memory of my kitty Seryozha 14.2.1996 ~ 13.9.2016 and Shadow 3.4.2015 - 16.4.21
Early fiftys a few showed up very rarely. Collecting since about about 53-54
50's and especially in the 60's seems back then everyone was pulling coins from change and it was quite competitive. We were pulling , buying, trading and selling in high school 61-65. In 1958 going thru vegas you could get the store or restaurant clerks to go thru their siver dollars ( still in circulation there) in the till for older dates at face value. Still have those Morgan's nice Au's. I don't think alot of people liked carrying them around in their pockets, too heavy.
Those were fun times
When I was in middle school back in the early 70's, my friend's Mom worked as a bank teller. On occasion, she'd bring us home some penny rolls to search thru - - some for him & some for me. I was the lucky one who got the roll with a somewhat worn but still nice 1876 IHC in it!! Still have it!
I was pulling IHC and FE cents out of rolls in the late 50's into early 60's in Brooklyn. Also you could get Morgan's for a buck from the tellers. Thems was the days. Peace Roy
I was born in 1958 and started searching through bank rolls of pennies in 1963 when I was in the hospital for an extended stay. I’ve never found an Indian Head Cent in the wild.
Buffalo nickels and mostly dateless Standing Liberty Quarters were pretty common.
Comments
I was born in the late 50s, and began collecting when I was 6 or 7 years old. I never found an IHC in circulation, and I went through mountains of penny rolls my dad would get at the bank. Never found a single one. I'd occasionally find a wheatie from the 20s or 30s back in the day, but that was about it. I'm still looking!
Dave
I started collecting in 1963. I remember finding an occasional Indian head cent in pocket change (very worn, usually from the 1900's).
I found an 1898 cent on the ground in some dirt in the alley behind my parents house.
Also after my dad moved into assisted living in 2012 my sister and I had to sell the family home. On the Sunday before the Monday escrow closing I had a metal detectorist search my parents residential property. The home and neighborhood was built in the 1920s. The search resulted in finding about 10 Indian cents and about 20 wheat cents.
I started checking change and some half rolls in the mid to late 50's and often would find Indian Head cents. I feel they were all from circulation and not savings as they were always worn out.
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
The husband of my mother's friend told me that he searched cent rolls for two years in the late 50s finding four. I recall he stated looking through $50/week but that sounds too much in retrospect.
We emigrated to the U.S. in 1976, from 1976 to now I have received 2 Indian head cents as change. My first was sometime in the 80’s, it was a 1890, I kept in the Whitman folder in place of the s-VDB. I got the 2nd in the 2000’s, I got change put in my pocket and when I got home I noticed one of the cents was an IHC, I think 1905 or 1907. That one was in good shape like XF so must have been a recent dump of someone’s collection. My dad in his stash had 5 and I doubt he purchased any so in the 70’s he must have gotten 5 in change.
My current registry sets:
20th Century Type Set
Virtual DANSCO 7070
Slabbed IHC set - Missing the Anacs Slabbed coins
That is interesting. My father was also in Peurto Rico, although it was during the World War II years. He had at least a handful of Indian Head Pennies that he hung onto and they may well have come from those Puerto Rico days. In any event his coin collecting was primarily from pocket change so that alternatively suggests they were still circulating into the 1950s if he hadn't found them earlier. I first saw them in either the late 1950s or early 1960s.
My grandmother worked retail and would find them, occassionally, in the late 60s and early 70s.
I've been told I tolerate fools poorly...that may explain things if I have a problem with you. Current ebay items - Nothing at the moment
I’m sure my GP packed them around in his pants pockets all the time. He was born in 1876.
I’ve gotten two in change I don’t remember the first one I just know I thought to myself that that was the second one I’ve gotten in change when I scored it about 15 years ago. It was a 1904.
Also didn’t some organization a while back put a bunch of old coins in change around the country. To peak interest?
Martin
I never saw them in change growing up, early-mid70s baby.... nor do I now.
Ope, just saw it's a necro thread, 16 years since last posting.
That's wild, I never really saw them in circ, even years back. Years at a register I've got one quarter.
pretty wild the other things you've gotten, too. Must gave good luck.
Been searching change since I was a kid in the late 70's. Got my first indian cent maybe 3-4 years ago. Got home from a work trip to Maine and noticed it when I was emptying my pockets to the change jar. Low grade 1879
Two from circulation about 1955. A bit scruffy.
According to Harper Lee's famous novel To Kill a Mockingbird they were in circulation in Alabama in 1932.
Inside were two scrubbed and polished pennies, one on top of the other. Jem examined them. "Indian-heads," he said. "Nineteen-six and Scout, one of 'em's nineteen-hundred. These are real old."
Indian Head cents have a brief appearance in the 1962 film of the novel:
To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) film title
The Mysterious Egyptian Magic Coin
Coins in Movies
Coins on Television
I have maybe half a dozen returned to me in change in my life since the late 70s. My uncle had a bag pulled (along with other obsoletes) from his restaurant in the 50 and 60s.
11.5$ Southern Dollars, The little “Big Easy” set
My guess would be that the Indian Cents disappeared in the late 1930s. My mother, who was born in 1915, said she saw them frequently when she was going up.
When I became a collector in the 1960s, you never saw them. Some people found them once in a blue moon during that period. They were usually messed up with a ring ding or corrosion.
I suppose it depends on one's definition of "effectively disappearing", but my understanding is that depending on the area they were still being found with some regularity well into the late 50s, with occasional pop ups into the 60s.
RIP Mom- 1932-2012
I put them in circulation on occasion to keep the hobby interesting...
I did find a shield nickel in a roll a few years ago. It was a dateless slug except for one small part of the detail on one side.
My Grandmother (b. 1900) was a Very active collector with the full run of Blue Whitman’s. Her IHC folder had a few very worn 1800’s and most of the. 1900’s issue. She told me Indian heads were gone by WW2.
I started as a YYN in 1952/53. Indians only occasionally surfaced in change, so I would guess that they "effectively" disappeared much earlier. My little buddies and I were focused on the 31s and SVDB. Mercs and Walkers were an every day thing, SLQ's much less so. Buffs were common too but usually well worn and dateless. A Barber would pop up now and then, I often made some cool finds in rural areas, such as when we vacationed.
This was a fun read. Interesting to see what replies are given.
Thanks, Paul.
Later, Paul.
I started collecting in 1963. Never found an Indian Head in change. However, I made a regular trek a mile down the road to the local antique store to buy common date Indians for 25 cents each.
I was born in 1950. My Grandmother bought me a set of Library of Coins cent books in 1955 and I got to look through the whole families coin jars. My dad collected Indian Head Cents and Buffalo Nickles starting a year of so earlier than me. His best friend collected coins and would go to the bank and get rolls each week, on payday, of dollars and halves, quarters, dimes and nickels. They had the blue folders they were filling up and doing pretty well with them. Dad liked the idea but would go buy rolls of nickels and cents and he kept the Indian Head and Buffalo (even the ones with no date). When Dad died he had about $150 worth of Buffalo's and 3 or so rolls of Indian Head Cents. He stopped collecting around 1960 when his friend died and the couldn't hang out and talk coins.
My grandfather worked a soda fountain during the Depression and would put all the IHCs he got in circulation into a coffee can. So, by the 1930s there were still enough to fill 5 or 6 rolls worth from this one location in Upstate NY... this was the start of my Indian Head Cent collection in the early 1970s...
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My grandmother grew up in the 1930s and recalled that Indian cents were pretty scarce, but she did get a Flying Eagle in change once but spent it on candy.
Early fiftys a few showed up very rarely. Collecting since about about 53-54
50's and especially in the 60's seems back then everyone was pulling coins from change and it was quite competitive. We were pulling , buying, trading and selling in high school 61-65. In 1958 going thru vegas you could get the store or restaurant clerks to go thru their siver dollars ( still in circulation there) in the till for older dates at face value. Still have those Morgan's nice Au's. I don't think alot of people liked carrying them around in their pockets, too heavy.
Those were fun times
What a good thread.
When I was in middle school back in the early 70's, my friend's Mom worked as a bank teller. On occasion, she'd bring us home some penny rolls to search thru - - some for him & some for me. I was the lucky one who got the roll with a somewhat worn but still nice 1876 IHC in it!! Still have it!
I was pulling IHC and FE cents out of rolls in the late 50's into early 60's in Brooklyn. Also you could get Morgan's for a buck from the tellers. Thems was the days. Peace Roy
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I was born in 1958 and started searching through bank rolls of pennies in 1963 when I was in the hospital for an extended stay. I’ve never found an Indian Head Cent in the wild.
Buffalo nickels and mostly dateless Standing Liberty Quarters were pretty common.
I was aware of coins as a hobby from 1960 onward. During the 1960's I never saw any Indian Head cents in circulation.
https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/gold/liberty-head-2-1-gold-major-sets/liberty-head-2-1-gold-basic-set-circulation-strikes-1840-1907-cac/alltimeset/268163
I started collecting cents in February 1961. I looked through rolls and $50 bags. I only remember finding one Indian Head Cent.