What is the oldest coin you've ever found in circulation?

For me personally, it was a 1929 Lincoln cent. I found it in a "take a penny, leave a penny tray" at a Taco Bel.

Second was a 1939 Jefferson nickel my father got in change from a Taco Bell.

yo quiero taco indeed.

 

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I've found a 1919 wheat sent. Oldest one

 

An 1865 2 cent piece in the reject bin of a coinstar machine. I think whoever had it was thinking it was a quarter.

 

1935 quarter in change at Starbucks - August 2017.

 

I found a 1926 nickel in a tip jar a couple years back.

 

Back in high school I worked at a Subway. They had this auto change dispenser that made it easy to look for silver coins. One day I saw a pretty thin silver dime in it. Pulled it out and turns out to be a 1902 barber dime. Well worn and holed but my oldest find to date.

 

This one. Got it Memorial Day at an Oceanside watering hole. I believe it is an 1883.

 

As a paper boy in the early 60s I found an Indian Head Cent while counting my weekly collection. Now there's excitement!

 

Just got a 1959 D nickel in change at a gas station

 

I've told the story before, but...

Growing up in the 60's in small-town Oklahoma and working as an automotive fueling specialist (gas pump jockey), I often received obsolete coins that dated back to seated Liberties and occasionally even a bust coin or two. (In fact, this one is what got me started on bust halves.)


Later, after college, I went back to said small town and asked a couple of elderly gentlemen who had been regular customers if they had been "priming the pump" so to speak and seeking a new collector. Never could get either to admit it but I still think so.I now do the same thing. It is really cool to see the look when you spend a large cent or cull silver. Who knows...maybe the next Bustchaser is out there right now. I have spent half cents and large cents back to the 1830s. Two centers are always fun. I have been known to leave seated material from half dime to half dollar as tips. (But I prefer to spend obsoletes over the counter so that I can see the reaction and possibly strike up a conversation.) I have spent every Morgan than I have ever received. Never spent one of my silver bust coins...yet! This reminds me--I need to hit a few junk boxes at the next show I attend.

 

1911 P Lincoln Cent found in a tip jar at Starbucks.

 

Someone spent 4 V nickels in the copy machine at the library where i work. It got to the "accountant" and she saved them for me because she thought they were Canadian. I'd count that as "circulation finds".

Otherwise, i received 2 Morgan dollars from a bank teller that she got from a lady mixed in with ikes. That might count as "circulation".

 

In the early to mid 60's you could still find Morgans in circulation. I don't remember the dates of ones I found, but there were for sure some from 1878-1899. The oldest non Morgan were 1909 Lincoln's. That would be the equivalent of finding something from the 60's today.

 

That is a great story. My daughter is a waitress in Mustang Oklahoma. I’ll tell her to keep on the lookout for you.

 

Lincolns 1909 1912 1913.
Merc 1919.
Got all of these in the 80's I still have them. The 1909 is in unusually good condition

 

1937 Wheat penny when coin roll hunting, and a 1939 nickel from a vending machine.

 

Found a 1929 penny in change, got a 1846 large cent at a coin store when I was a YN.

 

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My two best are an 1867 three cent nickel that was probably mistaken for a dime in a customer deposit a few years ago, and a 1900-O Morgan that was a coin machine reject several months back. My dad told me that he recently got an 1894 Indian head penny in change a month or two ago (he lives in SW Colorado).

 

In the 60's?

Was that the 1860's?