I find it a bit hard to believe that someone went in with several rolls of them. While there were over 1.5 million minted, there are only two confirmed 1974-P aluminum cents in existence, with a few others rumored to be floating around.
True, although I have heard several were distributed to high ranking Treasury officials, and members of congress. When they were asked for the coins back by the Mint, most of them had lost them.
Yes they were distributed but after they asked for their return there were only 12 unaccounted for and one of those is the Smithsonian specimen. Most likely what they had was a roll of silver, zinc, or nickel plated cents.
