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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;cladking, post: 7911063, member: 68&quot;]In the old days there would be many nice examples of old coin in circulation for many many years unless collectors were saving them.&nbsp; In 1962 it wasn&#039;t the least bit unusual to find a nice AU 1932 quarter!!&nbsp; This was because many coins sat in storage for decades while others of that date wore out.&nbsp; There would have been high grade standing liberty quarters as well but these were nabbed by collectors leaving only worn examples. </p><p><br /></p><p>Then in 1972 the FED switched to FIFO accounting and began rotating their stocks of coins.&nbsp; This meant coins in storage the longest were shipped first and since then no coins sit in storage more than about three years. Since a small percentage of coins are in storage this means the coins now wear pretty evenly and finding old coins in high grade is quite unusual. </p><p><br /></p><p>To make matters much worse collectors saved very few coins too.&nbsp; There were lots and lots of mint sets but these traded under face value so most have been cut up and the quarters spent.&nbsp; So when you do find a nice VF in circulation there is a very good chance it came from a mint set. </p><p><br /></p><p>If the double whammy isn&#039;t bad enough the &#039;68 issue has an even bigger problem; coins left in the mint set are almost all tarnished now days.&nbsp; The Philly cent has carbon spots and the clads are covered in PVC (or something) that can be removed successfully less than half the time. </p><p><br /></p><p>In the last few months mint set prices have been soaring.&nbsp; Sets that were available for 10c less than face value two years ago will can cost $7 over face value now if you can find them wholesale.&nbsp; Many of these sets are now trading at retail prices at venues like Walmart at double or triple bid prices.&nbsp; And many retailers are having problems keeping some dates in stock like 1969, &#039;70, and &#039;71.</p><p><br /></p><p>&nbsp; Interesting times!</p><p><br /></p><p>I had a dream last night that I got stuck behind some guy in line at the grocery store who was not only counting out change but checking the dates on everything first.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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