Received a 1946 nickel in change - it's older than I am (and I am old...LOL) - I find this amazing that such coins are still around and available for new collectors. For me, this saves the "sport" of coin collecting because you do not need to purchase at market value all of your coins. What a great feeling ...
I've seen so many 40's nickels in circulation I've quit pulling them unless they're in good condition. The oldest nickel I've found was a 1925-S Buffalo (only buffalo ever). The thing about Jeffersons is that the design didn't change for 70 years. Most people don't think about checking the year on a Jefferson that looks just like all their other ones. I even found a 1944-D silver war nickel yesterday.
I pulled out a 1939-S last week...still have it sitting on my desk...probably a GD or VG coin but still....
I received this 1912 penny from a change machine at the local Safeway grocery store. Where has it been for 98 years? Also, my neighbor got a 1945 dime from the same store.
Fantastic to think that there are still older coins around in circulation. Even the fact that copper cents have more copper than face value and still fairly common amazes me. gary
Old Jefferson nickel's are the most common older coins to find in circulation since any old dimes, quarters and halves are quickly pulled for the silver content and any penny made before 1959 has the wheat back that stands out.
Old coins in circulation are awesome. Since 1946, how many things has that nickel bought? With wheat pennies I ask the same question. 70 years of traveling...incredible.
I had this conversation with someone at the flea market just the other day. Certainly, certain coins are exceptional...or exceptionally rare...strictly BECAUSE of their condition. And, indeed, it's interesting to think about a _____ yr old coin that somehow never got used, or whatever. But for me, at least...and i'd wager a great many collectors...some of the magic lies IN THE WEAR. As coinbrag said above...how many items has that coin bought? How many transactions has it been a part of? how many pockets, change purses, piggy banks and car ash trays has it ridden around in? I picked up a 1939 Jefferson in change for lunch not terribly long ago. Its condition is so poor it required the loupe to determine the date. And you know what? It FASCINATES me. it's one of my favorite finds EVER. Quite frankly, I couldn't care less about its poor condition...that one coin is represents THOUSANDS of stories. I mean...really...wouldn't you just LOVE to ask that coin: "Hey...how many kids got you from the tooth fairy?"
Even more incredible is what that 5 cents was ABLE to buy. It was the amount of my allowance when I was a kid - maybe I held this coin once before ... The possibilities are overwhelming - thanks for the positive thought !!!
These are a few of my favorite circulation finds: 1887 IHC, found in circulation in 2008: Roll searching a couple months ago, 1920 Buffalo Nickel: NEWER, but I found this one in change in just the last few weeks... 2007-S PROOF $1 George Washington Presidential Golden Dollar (came with the prints):
In the past few months I have found several early 1940's nickels and a couple 1939's in my change. Have never found any silver coins, buffalo's, or indian cents yet but have found some wheats as old as the mid 30's.
Now THAT, to me, is what this hobby's about. Not profit, not perfect coins...but that nickel. 90 YEARS that thing's been floating around. Just look at it...it's been a part of so many stories, so many transactions. It's MONEY. It has been used as a store of value and medium of exchange for so long, it's nearly unrecognizable. For longer, i'd wager, than ANYONE in this thread has been on this Earth, that coin has been doing its thing.
And that very thing, finding that type of coin while searching, is what we are searching for in circulation finds. It still delivers that thrill when you find one. The thrill you get as a very young or new collector making your initial discoveries.
