What's the oldest coin you've received in change?

Petescorner · October 22, 2003 10:16AM

I got a 1913 Wheat Cent (Around VF) in change from Steak and Shake today. I'm sure that's by far the oldest coin I've ever received in change. Can anyone beat 90 years?

Placid · October 22, 2003 10:17AM

Buff nick the date was worn off.

09sVDB · October 22, 2003 10:24AM

Not a coin but neat anyway: a $20 1922 gold certificate.

k10 · October 22, 2003 10:26AM

1842 O Seated dime in change in 1998. 156 years!

longtimecollector · October 22, 2003 10:26AM

got an 1888 half dollar in 1971

lordmarcovan · October 22, 2003 10:26AM

1909 Lincoln cent. (Weak but readable). Might have been a VDB. I forget. (It wasn't an "S").

A friend of mine got a VF 1900-S Barber dime, back in 1994!

(PS- my 1909 Lincoln was found in 1977. Since then I have found other early Wheats in change, maybe as old as 1910).

Now, if you wanna talk about detector finds, the date goes back a lot farther. (To 1658, in fact!)

Petescorner · October 22, 2003 10:30AM

Nice finds!

I thought 1913 was going to be tough to beat. Not with this crowd!

lordmarcovan · October 22, 2003 10:37AM

Yeah, really. I can't believe folks have found Seated coins in change, in my lifetime! My dad tells of getting Indian cents and a few Flying Eagles in change when he was in high school, but that was the 1950's.

Russ · October 22, 2003 10:38AM

Russ, NCNE

k10 · October 22, 2003 10:45AM

See, LordM? Russ found one too! Believe it or not, the one I found was a little better than that. It was definitely not circulating the whole time.

lordmarcovan · October 22, 2003 11:00AM

Russ, did you really find a CC Seated dime in circulation ?

You suck.

(Whether or not you really did find that).

PS- k10 and LTC, y'all suck, too.

gsaguy · October 22, 2003 11:05AM

I recall getting a worn out V nickel in change from a coke machine. I guess I was 10 years old or something like that. Of course, back then, lots of old stuff showed up in change.

Every night (mid 1960's) my mom would bring home all the change from the Sears store she managed and I'd pick out the 90% silver, old wheaties, and even an occassional Indian head cent.

GSAGUY

JoyofCollecting · October 22, 2003 11:05AM

Russ,

Seriously, what's the fourth digit on that dime? Did you really find it in circulation?

clackamas · October 22, 2003 11:09AM

Jeez, I think all I have been able to muster is a 1919 Lincoln a few months back.

kamehameha00 · October 22, 2003 11:12AM

In a roll,I found a 1912 Lincoln cent(wish it was mintmarked...),in change I found a 1940 lincoln cent(when I was real little,I remember finding a IHC,unfortunatley I spent it),and my oldest metal detecting find is a 1956d lincoln cent.

razorface1027 · October 22, 2003 11:13AM

A 1909-VDB LC

cosmos66 · October 22, 2003 11:14AM

I got a handfull of coins as a tip when I was delivering pizzas for a living. There was a 1926 quarter in the bunch. I noticed it right away and pointed it out to the lady and she said something like "Its just a stupid coin from my husbands collection". I didnt argue any further.

Russ · October 22, 2003 11:14AM

<< <i>Russ, did you really find a CC Seated dime in circulation ? >>

Pulled from the till back when I owned a deli.

Russ, NCNE

coppercoins · October 22, 2003 11:31AM

1909VDB cent in EF from pocket change. Second place was a 1925S cent in VF from pocket change.

I have spent a 1912 cent though - knowingly. I spend a few here and there just to make nice finds for kids.

mgoodm3 · October 22, 2003 11:33AM

Best I've done is a 1919 cent in change.

AmericanSilverEagleCoins · October 22, 2003 12:05PM

1916 Barber dime in pretty good shape but some knucklehead took a magic marker and drew an outline around the head.

cosmos66 · October 22, 2003 12:08PM

If you dare try it there is a product called Nevrdull (impregnated cotton) that should take that magic marker right off of the coin.

fcloud · October 22, 2003 12:10PM

when I was a kid (early 1960s) I would find Standing Liberty Quarters, Walking Halves, Mercury Dimes, Buffalo Nickles, and Wheat Cents. Even an occational Silver Dollar (both Morgan and Peace).

(my grandparents owned a grochery store, and let me go through the till.)

Tony

mozeppa · October 22, 2003 12:11PM

i can beat 90 years...

lincoln 1909 plain in ef condition....think some kid got into his dads coins...looked too good.

tjkillian · October 22, 2003 12:21PM

The best I"ve done is a 1906 indian cent back in 1972!

I had a friend find a 1858 flying eagle on a parking lot before, in 2001!

Tom

XpipedreamR · October 22, 2003 12:31PM

I received an 1893 cent several years ago. Also, for a time I operated a coffee shop. I had a bunch of junky indian cents and steel cents that I would give out in change to customers I was particularly "fond" of

I'm such a nerd!

JamminJ · October 22, 2003 3:59PM

I scored an 1892 Indian cent in change at my company cafeteria last December.

-JamminJ

BDP · October 22, 2003 5:10PM

<< <i>Not a coin but neat anyway: a $20 1922 gold certificate. >>

explain this one. I'd love to hear th story

ccex · October 22, 2003 6:22PM

I started collecting when I received a 1904 Barber Dime while collecting on my paper route in 1971. I received an 1897 Indian Head cent in change a year later.

In recent years (this millennium) I haven't received anything older than a 1919 Lincoln, but I love spending dateless Liberty Nickels and AG Barber Dimes when I think the clerk will notice.

millennium · October 22, 2003 7:06PM

My oldest in change was an 1859 CN Indian back in 1962...In Charleston SC. I got it from the ice cream man, he thought it was a dime when he gave it to me, and then offered to give me a dime for it when he and I both saw what it really was...I still have it.

jonesy · October 22, 2003 7:16PM

1858 Flying cent with date just readable.
1910 Lincoln cent
1938 Jefferson nickle BU?
1917 Mercury dime badly beaten but date readable
1948 Roosevelt dime

1957joe · October 22, 2003 9:54PM

1893 Indian Cent. It wasn't really in change but I did get it trick or treating about 35 years ago.

BillJones · October 22, 2003 10:49PM

Although I've been a collector for years, I don't have any great stories. The oldest one I received in change at a store was 1909 Lincoln, but that was years ago. Back when I was kid in the '50s I traded a regular half dollar for a 1908 Barber half in Good. At the same time one could go to the bank and get Morgan dollars at face value. I remember getting pieces in the 1880's that way.

Robgetty · October 22, 2003 11:03PM

Gee, and I'm happy when I find silver war nickels in change.

EvilMCT · October 22, 2003 11:08PM

I received an AG 1895-O Barber Quarter in a little place called Hickory Tavern, SC circa 1980. I remember staring at it thinking that someone was playing a practical joke and would want it back. To my relief the cashier smiled and asked if I didn't mind taking that "ugly" quarter.

Ken

TheNumish · October 23, 2003 12:33AM

I havent found anything remarkable but sometimes when I buy deals of Indian cents, v nickels or buffalo nickels I'll spend the ag/g coins. The funny part is how few people notice when you give the coins out. There was one time though that I left a 1957 Silver Certificate as part of a tip and the waitress chassed me down to give it back. She was afraid it was worth a fortune. Was actually very nice of her. I told her to keep it.

TheNumish · October 23, 2003 12:35AM

I bet there are a lot of good coins turned into those coinstar machines. Had a lady call who had a few hundred wheat cents. When I told her they were worth 2 cents each she said she'd save the drive and just turn them into the machine at the grocery store.

291fifth · October 23, 2003 12:54AM

I recent years the oldest coin I have received in change was a 1928-D Buffalo Nickel in good condition.
If I go back to the time I started collecting in 1961 the answer would be 1909 (excluding Morgan dollars). 1909 Lincolns were still easy to find at that time. I also received a 1909 Barber Dime in change back in the 60's...that was unusual and also the only Barber coin I ever received in change.

The oldest coin I ever found while looking thru rolls and bags was an 1882 shield nickel that was an identifiable "slick".

In about 1962 my grandmother received a vg 1856-O half dollar in change. At 106 years, that coin holds the family record.

nwcs · October 23, 2003 2:50AM

1938 Jefferson nickel by far is the oldest that I can remember getting in change

coachleonard · October 23, 2003 3:19AM

I have been looking at my change since 1972, and have never EVER gotten anything that pre-dates the
Lincoln Cent, Jefferson Nickel, Roosevelt Dime or Washington Quarter in change. What's with everybody else getting seated dimes and Indian Cents and what not??

Oldest in change is a worn 1910 Lincoln.

Rnealw · October 23, 2003 4:50AM

How bout a 1878S Morgan in vf shape. Hey I'm a cashier I get all kinds of weird stuff.

I think the cruelest thing I ever did at my register was inform a customer ranting about the zinc cent that the cent hasn't been pure copper since 1857.

edsondl · October 23, 2003 6:21AM

I pulled a 1902 Indian Cent from the 'Give a cent, take a cent' at the local college pizza place last year. I think I was good and replaced it with another, more contempory, cent.

mrcommem · October 23, 2003 2:18PM

I received an 1853 Seated half dollar with arrows at my pharmacy a few years back. It was pretty much worn out and about 1/2 gram underweight.

relayer · October 23, 2003 2:22PM

1920's Lincoln Cent

What's the oldest coin you've received in change?

Comments

Leave a Comment