I got a V nickel and an Indian cent from change in the cafeteria at my last job. That was less than 10 years ago. It's not so much that they were still in circulation, but that they'd returned to circulation -- somebody spent them or deposited them. It happens.
Back in the 70s, picking was Wheat Cents, War Nickels, and 40 percenters, and whatever pre-65 that might show up.
Wow, That's a long story. We had everything ever put in circulation out there waiting to be found. IHC's, Liberty Nickels, Buffalos, Barbers, anything imaginable. I got a 75-S Twenty Cent in change in the early 50's. If you had a dollar you could get a Morgan or Peace most any day at any bank. We had a network, a sort of swap club, of kids all over town that would get together and trade. Fun days.
Sort of off/on topic. In the 60's when I was an Altar Boy, the priests would let me go thru the collection for coins and I would exchange with my allowance. Also when I was in scouts, at the church/school there was an owner of a vending machine/slot machine company. Each month we had Bingo and he would bring a small cloth sack full of either Mercury dimes or Buffalo nickels. Doing this I nearly filled 5 Merc folders and 4 Buffalo folders. Found one 1921 Merc and two 1926-s Buffalos. Good times.
Yes, it was a good time to be collecting. There were several mom & pop stores in my neighborhood. They let me walk in and open the register to look and swap. On my way home from school I passed the shop where pinball machines and juke boxes were serviced. He let me help and I rolled coins for him. On Saturday mornings I would go down to the bank. The Tellers had to roll their own change back then. I would sit on the floor of the vault and the Tellers would bring me trays of change to count and roll. There were several other high volume operations that I had access to. Those, the network of young collectors and some energy made it possible to fill some albums.
Man, you guys make me wish I lived through the 50's and 60's now! Nowadays, the kids that come to my tables at the flea market are pulling the 60's coins out of circulation, cause that's just about what you can find in your parents pocket change any more!