I found an 1857 Flying Eagle cent in circulation ... but this was in the 1950s, and Indian Head cents were still turning up fairly regularly back then.
I found an 1893? (I think, can't really remember) "V" nickel in my change 2 days ago. It's almost unrecognizable it's so rough. It had a brutal life and saw some stuff, bad stuff.
I got ya beat. https://www.cointalk.com/threads/just-found-this-in-a-penny-roll-what-is-it.365716/page-2
In 2010 I received this coin from a Safeway Store change machine: United States Cent 1912 The coin was 98 years old at the time.
When I first started collecting coins at about 10 years old, my parents worked at convenience stores. One of them gave me a coin I thought at the time was a foreign coin, so I put it in my foreign coin stash. About 10 years ago (when I was 49) I went through those and found it out it is actually a 1851 2 1/2 gold coin. VERY nice surprise!
my experiences with the "take a penny give a penny" cups are usually 1940's or 1950's cents. So I do look cheap I drop in a few extra pennies..
Congratulations on your find. I did my share of CRH in the late 60's- '84. Found thousands of wheaties, a jar full of foreign coins, but never anything before 1912-13. Thanks for sharing.
Well it won't let me edit my original post so here's the update. It's an 1891 "V" nickel, not 1893 like I originally posted. I wish it was in better shape but after being circulated for 130 years I guess I'm lucky to even get it in my change.
A few months ago my wife was filling her register at work. Cracked open a roll of cents only to see this beauty staring at her. Keep in mind, my wife is not a coin collector by any stretch of the imagination. However, she has been with me for 40 years. Maybe some of my obsession has rubbed off on her I present to you my or my wife's, oldest and best circulation find: And for the knockout punch:
Oh yeah, @Zako almost forgot. Very nice circulation find. And great keeping watch for those elusive finds.
Back in the '70's I got an 1858 FE cent in change from the middle school cafeteria. Had it for many years till one of my sons stupid friends stole my indian cent album while I was on vacation. Probably pawned the thing off for enough money to buy a big mac.