Yes, sort of a random question but I've been looking at Mercs for a while tonight and was curious how long the mercs and Roosevelts would've commonly circulated side by side. Anybody here grow up during the 50s-60s remember when they started to become scarce in circulation? Since Roosevelts were silver for another 19 years, there wouldn't have been any pressing reason to hoard them for silver content for nearly two decades. I'm just curious if people had any reason to pull them from circulation and if they did in large numbers after they stopped making them. Or did they ignore them like we would ignore an old state quarter now?
Through 1964, Mercury dimes were NEVER scarce in circulation. Even the bulk silver I look through today, I'd guess still 20% of the total. Coin collecting in the 1950s (I started in 1951) was nothing like it is today. Now and then, a guy might pull Indianheads or Barbers out of circulation. My dad persuaded all the guys in his shop to watch their change, he brought home 3 or 4 Barbers a day, 1 or 2 Indianheads a week. Nowhere near the greed and obsession you see now.
My Grandfather was a toll booth attendant during the 50s-70s and he would pull out all the interesting stuff. His collection consists of thousands of them, so they must have been circulating. I would say his collection has the same amount of barbers as mercuries. I wish i had more to tell but i never met him, or else i probably would have asked. I think this is a very interesting topic. I can't wait for the time in my life when a coins (obverse and reverse) design changes!
In the early 60's by newspaper collection bag was nothing but silver. You name it. Two dollar bills,silver certificates , US notes. A many a silver war nickel, Mercury dime,or buffalo nickel was spent on a coke or an ice cream cone.
I was still finding them in my area through about 1966. After that only occasionally. Today just a stray Roosevelt here and there.
I used to have them in my collection and would take them out every now and then to buy cigarettes . Wow, if only I new then what I know now !!!
When i worked cashier jobs in high school (i graduated in 2010) i found only 2 mercs and a 1902 barber dime. The barber was really worn and holed. But i also looked through all the money in the register at every shift and would even buy rolls just to look through when i got bored. Thats the only part i miss about those jobs lol.
My paper route had a lot of Mercury dimes, Standing Lib Qu., Walkers and Franklins 1963-64. But what I found to be the greatest finds came from the Rolls of Silver Dollars still available at face from my local banks.
one more voice to say in 64 there were still plenty of Mercs in circ. I had an album with lots of slots filled. I still have a price guide that I used to mark off what dates and mm's I had in 67. about half the dates were checked, all were taken out of circulation. Of course in 64-5 lots of silver was grabbed but you would still find them on a regular basis. As I recall by the early 70's they had become the rare find, but were still out there. Roll hunting nowadays I probably average less than one merc per every couple of boxes, $200 to a box.
