First, some backround... Growing up in the 60's in small-town Oklahoma and working as an automotive fueling specialist (gas pump jockey), I often received obsolete coins that dated back to seated Liberties and occasionally even a bust coin or two. (In fact, this is what got me started on bust halves.) Later, after college, I went back to said small town and asked a couple of elderly gentlemen who had been regular customers if they had been "priming the pump" so to speak and seeking a new collector. Never could get either to admit it but I still think so.I now do the same thing. It is really cool to see the look when you spend a large cent or cull silver. Who knows...maybe the next Bustchaser is out there right now. I have spent half cents and large cents back to the 1830s. Two centers are always fun. I have been known to leave seated material from half dime to half dollar as tips. (But I prefer to spend obsoletes over the counter so that I can see the reaction and possibly strike up a conversation.) I have spent every Morgan than I have ever received. Never spent one of my silver bust coins...yet! Guess I need to hit a few junk boxes at the next show I attend.
Good on ya mate! I give out steel wheaties to my friends who come to look at my collection, but nothing that generous!
Has anyone refused to accept your coinage? Or better yet jumped on their smartphones to check Wikipedia? Here's a scenario for ya. Something costs $0.87 and you hand them a cull morgan, a half dime, a three cent nickel, 2 cent, large cent, and 2 half cents and get a shiny 2015 ATB quarter back as change! I'll be right behind you to buy everything at face btw from the teller
I've had many people over the years question the coins--especially the obsolete denominations--but strangely enough, the only coin I remember actually being refused was a peace dollar. I usually expect supervisors/managers to be consulted occasionally and therefore I don't ever do this when a cashier is busy. Therefore, sorry, but no looking over my shoulder and snatching it away.
Lol, that's funny. I can only imagine the reaction I'd get trying to spend a 1/2 cent, 2 cent, 3 cent, half dime, or 20 cent-er. Anybody gone really big and spent a pre-1933 gold coin?
That's not priming the pump. That's creating a new gold rush. edit - remembered seeing this video a while back. I don't necessarily subscribe to his "politics" but it's a funny experiment nonetheless.
I've given talks in schools (from 3rd graders to 8th graders) where at the end of the talks I've given the kids Buffalo nickels. It's a pretty design, and the kids always like them.
Gas station back summer was a collector's honey pot. Where I grew up it was a tourist destination for Catskill Mountains the land of Rip Van Winkle. Heinz Reese would allow kids to trade coins, for one's the tourist paid for gas with. That was one way for us to get Denver and San Francisco mint cent nickels dimes quarter and on a good day a Morgan or Peace dollar. Coke a cola machine only took nickels. Yeah folks would forget about their change so there was a free bee. I hate to see little gasoline station go . life was so easy back then.
