Can you remember silver coinage in pocket change?

ANACONDA · August 26, 2006 1:14AM

I remember when I was a kid, my Dad would let me look through his pocket change to pick out silver coinage. Most of it was clad but there was still quite a bit of silver coinage still floating around.

My Dad had a small collection of silver dollars that he had inherited. My mother spent some of them on food without my Dad knowing. This would have been in the late sixties. I don't remember his reaction but I do know financially my parents had it rough.

ziggy29 · August 26, 2006 1:15AM

Not regularly. When I was young I'd very occasionally find one (it was the early '70s by then).

AU58WALKERS · August 26, 2006 1:16AM

Oh yeah...I remember putting together a set of silver dimes 1946 to 1958 together in two weeks.

Those were the fun days.

Louis · August 26, 2006 1:17AM

I remember when it was all silver.

123cents · August 26, 2006 1:19AM

In the sixties it was very common to find silver coinage in pocket change. I remember seeing Standling Liberty Quarters, Walking Liberty Halfs, Franklin Halfs, and Mercury Dimes.

LindeDad · August 26, 2006 1:20AM

<< I remember when it was all silver. >>

:

coinandcurrency242 · August 26, 2006 1:21AM

<< In the sixties it was very common to find silver coinage in pocket change. I remember seeing Standling Liberty Quarters, Walking Liberty Halfs, Franklin Halfs, and Mercury Dimes. >>

if only I was born a few decades earlier!

Steve27 · August 26, 2006 1:25AM

Yes, I also remember that my allowance only permitted me to pull Mercs out of circulation; Washington quarters cost too much, even at face value.

Michigan · August 26, 2006 1:30AM

When I got interested in coins in 1966 there was still a lot of silver coins in circulation but they were disappearing pretty fast by 1969
finding a silver coin was just an occasional thing and by the early 1970s next to impossible.

clw54 · August 26, 2006 1:33AM

<< Can you remember silver coinage in pocket change? >>

Yes, and it took a few years after 1965 for it to fade away as people saved it.

I also remember when silver dollars circulated in Lake Tahoe.

MFH · August 26, 2006 1:35AM

For us "old timers", what silver coin did you pull out of circulation ( even going thru rolls ) that really blew you away ? I don't mean slicked SLQ's...I mean something nice... not necessarily a rare date ... just a higher grade circulated coin.

My jaw dropped when I found a 1908-P Barber Dime in AU 58 +++ and a 1906-P Barber Quarter in AU 55. These dimes and quarters were not in circulation in the mid 1960's and I found these two while still in High School.

AU Standing Liberty Quarters and Liberty Walking Halves were available with not alot of searching and Buffalo nickels were as common as Jefferson's from the 60's are now.

Yes those were the "good old days" until you talk with my father who picked thru coins with his Dad back in the mid 1920's. Now, those were the "good old days" !!!

majorbigtime · August 26, 2006 1:43AM

Remember silver? Heck, I remember Mercury dimes, Standing quarters, Walkers Morgan and Peace Dollars and Buffalos too.

WHen I was a YN, I'd find an occasional indian cent, V nickel or Barber in circulation!

jdimmick · August 26, 2006 1:43AM

Too young to remember any silver, and occcasional wheat was the norm.

HighRelief · August 26, 2006 1:56AM

You could find silver in your change up until about 1970 and then it really started to disappear. The copper pennys were next, but you can still find those wheaties now and again.

Cameonut · August 26, 2006 2:05AM

Yes - I remember the "all silver" days. There is something about the ring of a silver coin dropped on a table that I will never forget.

I also remember getting bags of coins from the parking meters. We could put circulated sets together pretty quick with the exception of the keys.

SmallTownCoins · August 26, 2006 2:10AM

In 1965 & 1966 I pushed an Ice Cream cart, sold Ice Cream bar's for 10 cent's...
At that time it was pretty much all silver...
I remember my Dad saying, he did'nt like the new coin's, that they felt "greasy".... Haaaaa

I also remember buying small glass bottle's (6 oz ?) of Coka-Cola out of a 5 cent vending machine,
and once in a while you would get a Buffalo nickel back in change from a dime... Early 60's....

numobri · August 26, 2006 2:13AM

I also remember when it was all silver coins(pre 64),also remember some times finding Indian cents in change.Steel cents were spent,there were just to many to save them all,I was just a kid.

Man I'm getting OLD.

Brian

Leiana · August 26, 2006 2:14AM

Gee, I don't even get wheats in change.

I can see it know, us YNs grow up, the internet is available without a connection or computer, and we're reminiscing about State Quarters and Westward Journey nickels.

-Amanda

TavernTreasures · August 26, 2006 4:42AM

Back in 1964 (when I was a kid), my father had a lot of change that he had accumulated over the years. We rolled every thing up (rolls and rolls of coins - many, many dozens of rolls of each denomination). We kept the rolls of mercs, standing liberty's, walkers, buffalos, because they were old designs, but the bulk of the rolls (silver roosevelts, washingtons. franklins) went to the bank. Shortly thereafter, the government changed coinage to clad and Pop was cursing at himself for turning in all that silver!

PS - All you YN's of today, you do not know how lucky you are. Back then, we did not have the internet for learning about coins. I could not afford Coin World or Numismatic News and there was not a coin shop in town. I only had a old copy of redbook. I looked forward to the short coin column which appeared weekly in the sunday newspaper and I cut it out and saved these columns. The few times that I got a hold of a coin newspaper, that same issue stayed with me for years!

oreville · August 26, 2006 5:02AM

I also rememberf the all silver days of 1960 when I first started collecting as a 7 year old. My recollection was that mercury dimes and roosevelt dimes were still about 50-50% in circulation. Even barber coinage was around once in a great while. The memorial cent was disliked until the 1960 small date cent came out and then all of a sudden everyone LOVED memorial cents.

The mercs and well worn SLQ started to disappear rapidly by 1962 which made it difficult to assemble a set. of course, quarters were a lot of money for me so I stuck with the cents, nickels and dimes.

The 1963 and 1964 silver issues were coined in such great quantities that they drove out the older silver coins from circulation in my opinion.

The assasination and issuance of the Kennedy half dollars in my belief sounded the death bell of silver coins. It is my recollection that the public's fascination with the Kennedy half dollars and intensive hoarding of them spilled over to all other silver coinage. The US Mint in vain, tried to keep up with the hoarding demand and finally gave up.

Murphy · August 26, 2006 5:20AM

I was in High School when silver coinage changed to clad. My first look at a clad dime was like this is awesome with the bright copper strip sandwiched like it is. But then I also thought - this is the end of an era.

When I was 10 I lost a Merc dime in the yard at my grandparents farm. I remember it so well because I was always losing pennies and dimes and losing this one really ticked me off! After I grew up and got interested in metal detecting and coin collecting I searched that yard and found the Merc that I had lost. Now, just a few more searches to go and I'll be rich.

BillJones · August 26, 2006 5:59AM

<< I remember when it was all silver.

>>

Me too!

I spent a lot of silver coins when I was kid. Around 1968, one could go to the bank and get rolls of dimes and quaraters, and roughly half of the coins would be silver. A few dealers were speculating in silver and were offering to pay 108 % of face for 90% silver coins.

etexmike · August 26, 2006 6:50AM

I was born in 1954. Even as a teenager I can remember finding the occasional Walker and Merc in pocket change. They showed up with the Frankies and Roosies.

Kinda wish that I had saved all of them now.

-----------

etexmike

Julio · August 26, 2006 6:54AM

I was born in 1951. Like already stated, wish I'd kept more of my pocet change. jws

stev32k · August 26, 2006 6:55AM

I remember when all coinage was silver. The first job I had at 16 was delivering prescriptions for a drug store and they payed every Saturday in silver dollars. I would usually get eight to ten dollars per week, but there was something about getting ten silver dollars - it felt like I was getting real money.

TAClough · August 26, 2006 6:55AM

<< I remember when it was all silver. >>

Heck Syl, Caleb says you probably remember when 3c silvers were still being used

kwmorgan · August 26, 2006 6:56AM

I was in kindergarten in 1970 and I knew the difference between silver and clad back then and picked out about a handful of Merc's, silver Roosies and Washingtons. Silver clad Kennedys, I got a few of those as well. The lunchroom cashier was cool with me taking a look so I got a few more that way. By 1975, it became a waste of time.

ksteelheader · August 26, 2006 6:59AM

When I was a kid, there wasn't such a thing as clad. I had customers give me silver dollars for tips on my newspaper route at Christmas.

construct · August 26, 2006 7:01AM

Well, yes. I was six years old before the first clads were issued.

Rollerman · August 26, 2006 7:03AM

During my Senior year in high school (1963) I had a job selling and delivering candy to Mom and Pop grocery stores. When they paid me in cash, I'd buy any silver, except the Washington Quarters (never liked them that well). I held that job until 1966 as I went to college and had several containers of Mercury Dimes, and one of Walking Liberty and Franklins Halves. I also collected towards sets of Indian head and Lincoln cents.

Fast forward to 1976, when I discovered that my 8 and 6 years old son's had gotten into that "old money" and had spent quite a bit of it at the local grocery store (pop, candy and an occassional comic book).

But, in going through my old coins again, my interest was rekindled and I have been more or less active since!! And my boys grew up to be great fellows and not thieves, and that's a plus! <Grin>
Best wishes,
Pete

cladking · August 26, 2006 7:05AM

I still catch myself thinking of clad as that new fangled stuff once in a while.

LindeDad · August 26, 2006 7:06AM

<< When I was a kid, there wasn't such a thing as clad. I had customers give me silver dollars for tips on my newspaper route at Christmas. >>

Ken your customers were very generous. The most I remember is one of these.

And it wasn't in any plastic back then. And Celeb I'm not that old only as old as the one pictured.

slumlord98 · August 26, 2006 7:13AM

By '65, my grandfather had put together a set of Franklins in VF-Unc (exc. 49D and 49S) from pocket change, and a set of Washingtons, again VF-Unc (sans 32D and S), a substantial set of Walkers in F-AU, my younger brothers had complete sets of Lincolns (sans 09S and SVDB), and I had a nice set of Jeffs (couldn't land that RARE 50-D, now is the only one I own) and my older brother had a set of Merc dimes (sans 16D). I spent fresh from the roll 60s halves, quarters, and dimes on pop, gum, baseball cards for the spokes of my bike. Pocket change all. Barbers were never found, Walkers, low grade SLQs, Mercs, dateless buffs, steel cents were very commonly seen. One night, my mom ordered a pizza, and we got a 17S Walker in change. That was a pretty cool find for me.

I asked my grandfather decades later why he didn't finish off his sets of Franklins and Washingtons, and he replied, 'I'm still looking!'. Never did find them!

ricman · August 26, 2006 7:25AM

Unfortunately, Yes!

I recall when it was possible to find SLQs in the cash register of the drug store where I worked as a kid. Specifically, I recall the druggist showing me why a SLQ was called a "cowboy quarter" - remember that you other oldies!

LanLord · August 26, 2006 7:28AM

Yep, I remember when the Frankie was the half dollar in circulation, and the occasional merc which I always thought was cool to look at, but not cool enough to set a side (I wish I knew then, what I know now).

Oh well. I also remember when the Kennedy half came out and it seemed like a big deal, my parents really liked them and kept trying to get more.
I remember when clads came around, my mom refered to them as samwich coins. It seemed like everyone liked seeing them, but no one really liked them because they all hated the idea of having worthless coinage.

I remember as a kid seeing wheaties most of the time (I know this is off target but... sue me!) I wish I could go back and look at every coin that went through my hands to see if I spent anything valuable!

carl · August 26, 2006 7:38AM

<< I also remember when it was all silver coins(pre 64),also remember some times finding Indian cents in change.Steel cents were spent,there were just to many to save them all,I was just a kid.

Man I'm getting OLD.

Brian >>

Your not the only one here. The 43 Lincoln Cents just came out when I was a kid and my Dad helped me collect many, many of them. True also that I didn't know of anything else but Silver Coinage.

Musky1011 · August 26, 2006 7:54AM

I remember my brother getting a walking liberty half from the "Popsicle Man" that was on one of those 3 wheel cushman scooters. 1960's
You know the ones with the cooler on the back.

Jim

LindeDad · August 26, 2006 8:00AM

<< You know the ones with the cooler on the back >>

One comes down our street every day in the summer. Hate the song it puts out, like the Ice Cream bars even it they are over priced.

Shamika · August 26, 2006 8:36AM

Geez, I'm only 40 so I don't remember finding any silver.

KoinDawg · August 26, 2006 12:18PM

I remember doing fund raising as a 10-year-old for my school. It was always eventful when a neighbor would drop a Franklin half into my donation can. I also remember getting a few Walkers. (P.S. I'm only 53).

CaptHenway · August 26, 2006 1:00PM

Of course I remember when the first clad coins came out. The guy who ran the corner candy store was very old (to me) with big thick glasses, and because the new quarters were the same color as the five cent pieces he had a hard time telling them apart. He gave me a new quarter in change instead of a nickel, and I handed it back to him and told him he had given me too much change. He very formally thanked me, and explained that he couldn't tell them apart any more.
TD

WaterSport · August 26, 2006 1:02PM

90% of my circ Washington set came from my brother-in-laws poker change.

WS

foodude · August 26, 2006 1:03PM

No, but I remember watching the Ed Sullivan show in B+W.

AZCoinDevil · August 26, 2006 1:06PM

I can remember Silver Coins.

Heres one, we had a "Breadman" that would deliver Breads and Baked goods. He also had a Candy tray and for a nickle of a dime get a Huge Candy Bar.

I remember getting Standing walkers and Mercs in Change as a small Kid.

I'm 50ish....

AZCoinDevil

SanctionII · August 26, 2006 1:10PM

Most definitely. As a kid in the 50's and 60's, I remember when silver was all there was for dimes on up.

Also within the past year I have received a silver Roosie, a Frankie, a silver Washington, 90% and 40% Kennedies and last but not least a Walker in change from stores or from my local bank. Silver still circulates today, more than 40 years after the mint stopped making 90% silver coins.

granddad · August 26, 2006 1:17PM

I had a newspaper route from 1962-1967. A weekly subscription was 35 cents. Silver was the norm, but I also received a $10 gold certificate in payment one time.

Have a Great Day!
Louis

Side note: I was young but I was not stupid.

ILikeMercs · August 26, 2006 1:17PM

I loved the sound of silver in my pocket. To this day, I INSTANTLY recognize it.

CaptHenway · August 26, 2006 2:09PM

<< I can remember Silver Coins.

Heres one, we had a "Breadman" that would deliver Breads and Baked goods. He also had a Candy tray and for a nickle of a dime get a Huge Candy Bar.

I remember getting Standing walkers and Mercs in Change as a small Kid.

I'm 50ish....

AZCoinDevil

>>

My father was a "breadman" in western Detroit. He kept his change in a cigarbox that he brought in at night, and I got to play with it. That is how I got started collecting coins, when a friend of one of my older brothers explained to me what the dates and mint marks meant.
TD

yellowjacket · August 26, 2006 3:09PM

I put together a collection of Mercs from change in 1960-1962. I couldn't find the 16-D however, my parents bought me one for Christmas. $60 was a lot of money for them to pony up for their kid back in 62. I'll always be greatful for them supporting me in my hobby. They never dreamed it would come be the passion it is for me today. I try to support my own children in their interests as well. And, yes, I still have that old filled Whitman holder today. ..one of my favorite posessions.

I say that walking the bourse, surfing the web and going through dealers' stock is like checking my change back as a kid. What am I saying? I still check my change!

Weiss · August 26, 2006 7:20PM

Unfortunately not. I was born in 1969 and was an avid collector by the time I was 6. Went through mom's and her friend's cash registers looking for silver for several years. I found many wheats, but I don't believe I ever found silver. So it was gone for the most part by the mid-1970s.

Missed it by *that* much

direwolf1972 · July 15, 2007 2:39PM

A little young to remember the transition from silver to clad. I still see a decent amount of silver and a ton of wheats in change though. For the last several months someone must be busting up a collection locally (prolly a family member without their knowing) because I get around eight to ten wheats a day from the cash drawer at work. Silver I only average three maybe four coins a week. Managed to find a 1903 Indian this morning when I opened a roll of pennies, prolly only go VF+ but pretty happy to have it for a penny though.

Can you remember silver coinage in pocket change?

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