Quarters painted red.

I remember reading on here a while back that back in the old days quarters used in casinos or bars or something like that were painted red and used in the jukebox?? Something like that??


Anyway i've found a 1968-D quarter that has been painted red on both sides, but a lot has come off. All that's left is the paint in the crevices.


Anyone remember the info on these??

 

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Thanks. Worth hanging onto?? Not so much for value but just for history? Or was this something commonly done?

 

Thanks GD. I have a few like that myself & was wondering why
I thought some kid painted them with Mom's nail polish or something

 

I've had those too, in bags of 90%...
Amazing what you can learn here sometimes, LOL

 

this is the story about the red coins, back in the 40's, and 50's, and evem 60's, most bars had jukeboxes. the person who owned the jukebox gave the bartender the red painted quarters. when the people came in to drink that night, the bartender would say, hey man, put this quarter in the jukebox and give him the painted red one. when the music stopped, someone would always go put more of their own money in to start the music. if the bartender did not give the guy the painted red quarter to put in the jukebox, most people would not notice it and put no money in it. but if they walk in with music playing, and it stops they will put more money in.

 

The point was that the juke boxes, pool tables, and other coin operated devices were owned by a service company (allegedly frequently owned by "the mob"), and the location owner received a portion of the proceeds.

The owner got all his red quarters back, and didn't have to split with the equipment owner.

 

I'll keep it anyway. I don't think i have a 68-D in my folder. Might as well use one with some character

 

I come across the occasionally and usdually keep them. they aren't worth more than face but are a small bit of numismatic history (or jukebox history anyway - and just try to find one that takes coins these days).

I also have a nickle from the 50s with remnants of a nice blue enamel paint - either jukebox or someone's autobody class paint job.

 

I found a pink New Hampshire 2000 quarter painted or enameled, funny thing though one of the "0's" is shaped like an upside down Q

 

There was a time quite a while ago when a red skull cap was painted on US Washington quarters.
They then resembled the Pope.
Another action by people who had too much time on their hands.

 

I love learning stuff like this. I've seen red quarters all my life and never really thought twice about it.

 

Interesting to learn the history of these. I bought a lot of them once off bay for well below melt (about 45% discount).

 

I just now remembered WHY the red skull cap was painted on quarters.
It happened right after Kennedy was elected President.
He was the first Catholic President.

 

Interesting, I've never heard of or seen any red skull cap painted quarters. New story for me.

 

Also merchants used to put them into change machines a few $ before it ran out as a warning.

 

It is worth a quarter, just a normal quarter that has been painted. If painting made them valuable everyone would be painting their quarters!

 

I received this cent from a grocery store change machine in 2015.


United States Cent 1934-D

It had been painted red at one time.

I had heard a long time ago that travelling circuses and carnivals would paint pennies and put them into circulation as a form of advertising.

Has anyone else heard this story?

 

I don’t think that’s paint, just normal toning/oxidation.