Does this always happen?

Today I went to Walgreens to pick up a prescription along with a beef stick and a bottle of soda. I paid with leftovers from roll-searching halves. As I handed over the correct amount. After some studying, the cashier asked me if they were dollars, quarters or what. I told her that they were 1/2 dollars. I've heard other members of this forum that this happens quite a bit, at least the cashier didn't say they were fake.

 

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Thats really weird I haven't had this happen yet. ( I'd believe it though people are ignorant )

 

I spent some today at the corner store, and the teen girl just asked what they were, was at Meijer earlier, and the self scans didn't accept them, so I payed 20 bucks to the cashier instead, she said it was odd they didn't accept half dollars, and knew exactly what they were.

 

That guy must not know a lot about coins. But I do know that half dollars aren't a common sight in circulation.

 

Doesn't supprise me. Should of said dollars.

 

I don't think some of the younger people have ever seen a half dollar. They were never that popular among circulating and later on were released only in mint sets. At least not the ones who are into coins.

 

You mean people are stupid. How hard is it to read "Half Dollar" on the back of the coin?

 

They were before Kennedy, plenty of slick Barbers and Walkers around.

 

Oh I believe it. Working while in close proximity to the pharmacy department can have its effects. " Had a guy the other day ask me, "Do you always pay with red lettered 5 dollar bills? " Nope only when I'm color blind." Ok that last part was a joke =-0

 

I had to get a primer button for my hedge trimmer, I paid for it with half dollars, the guy knew what they were, but asked me, are you that hard up for cash that you are paying with your coin collection?

I said, they are only worth fifty cents. If they were worth more I would save them.

I do not think he was buying it, tho, he probably had another story of how bad the economy is, people selling off their coin collections for hedge trimmer primer buttons.

 

At least she did not ask who the man on the coin was! TC

 

This isn't that surprising...especially if it was a young employee. Remember, they haven't minted half dollars for circulation since 2001. I was in high school then (I'm 26 now)...if this was a young just out of high school employee (so 19 or so)...they would have been only around 9 in 2001, and even back then these coins were uncommon in circulation. So, I don't find this overly surprising.

 

I wonder if half dollars would have fallen out of favor if they had been switched to clad with all of the other denominations in 1965? Having shifted from 90% in '64 to 40% in '65 to 0% in '70, when quarters and dimes went straight to 0% in '65 probably led to hoarding of halves and the demise of their day to day usage. The move from Franklin to the new Kennedy bust right after the assassination probably didn't help matters, since Kennedy's popularity probably increased hoarding of what might have been seen as a collectible commemorative?

Would love to see them get popular again, but then again, I'd love to see us go back to gold and silver.

 

^ The Kennedy half dollar didn't go to 0% until 1971. Just sayin'.

 

i think young people are not that educated that well today???

 

The 1970 half though wasn't minted for circulation, it was only in mint sets. "Technically" both points have merit :thumb:

 

i'm young still below twenty but most of the kids my age cant even spell coin let alone understand y i collect them. o well tho just wish more of a younger generation would start collecting so the hobby goes on and maybe they'll learn something about our history and can share that knowledge

 

Yeah, that should be "i think young people are not educated as well these days???" Youngsters these days!

 

I don't think I've seen a half dollar in circulation in 20 years.
I think they were used in casinos until they went coinless. Now they're just for collectors and roll searchers.

 

No, you got it all wrong, more collectors means more demand which creates higher prices. Let these young people be taught all their money resides on their plastic cards and there's no need for actual cash or coins!