Recently my dryer went out so I have had to go to the laundry mat to get the linens clean. I used the change machine to get quarters and out pops a pretty 1964. Honestly I can't remember the last time I've got silver back in a vending type machine but I'm sure in my 43 years I have. How long has it been since you have got silver from a vending machine and for our younger members have you ever received silver from one.
Laundromat change once netted me a Wisconsin silver proof quarter. Other than that, I've found dozens of dimes but maybe only 5 quarters. I'm a vending machine addict.
I had a friend who had gum machines at some stores. One day he went to clean and refill the machines. One, he unloaded, he saw a different color in the coins. It was five or more "Gold" coins. So, you never expect this. This week in change I got a nice 1941 Jefferson, Nickle, 1943 cent. So watch your change. Also, a Canadian cent and dime.
I think I found a silver dime in change maybe 8 months ago. Pretty scarce. I think the move to more digital payments is slowing down rotation of change, and all of the "free" federal money has not forced coins out of the woodwork in the downturn like it did in 2008-2009. Lots of stuff was found back then.
The operators of establishments like laundromats that require constant replenishment of quarters for the customers does not have time to sort through all of the coins looking for silver.
I have only received a 1958 Roosevelt dime from my grocery store and a silver Canadian dime from a Coinstar reject bin. Now while remodeling our house... We found Mercury dimes, Wheat Cents, and a few OPA Tokens.
Does the rejection bin at the coinstar count? One of the most useful ideas I've gleaned from this forum so far is to make it a habit to check the coinstar rejection bin at the local grocery store every time I walk in. A little over a month ago I went in, walked by the coinstar, looked into the rejection bin and there she was. Just sitting in there as pretty as can be. A 1959-D dime. Sweet!
yeah and the people that load the machines probably have no idea about numismatics but there are increasing amount of ppl that know what siler value is so the chances are getting slimmer every year to find silver in a vending type machine.
coinstar reject bins are a great place to find silver however in many years looking I think I have found less than a dollar face value, doesn't stop me from looking though.