I have been collecting coins for over 40 years. I got this back in change at a convenience store on Saturday. After all these years the distinctive clink of silver still is music to my ears. A common date, no error, it has seen years of circulation, but still is a little prize to behold (yes pictures could be better). There are still silver coins out there, always keep an eye out.
How exciting, I am starting to get to the point where I don't check all the change I receive from stores. Now you have me rethinking my strategy.
I did indeed have a smile on my face. I knew as soon as the clerk put the change into my hand that there was a silver quarter there. I told the young lady "thank you" and wished her a wonderful day. It is the little things that often are the most rewarding, and, for me at least, it is not the monetary value, but the sheer pleasure I get from still collecting from pocket change after all these years. I hate to admit it, but I truly treasure some of the circulation finds more than coins I have purchased.
Yes, there is still silver out there. There are few silver quarters left, but there are lots of silver dimes. I worked at the gas station for about a year and a half, I found close to 40 silver dimes (all Roosevelts) but only found about 5 silver quarters, including a NIFC silver 1976 bicentennial quarter (the only 40% silver quarter that the US has ever minted and one of my favorite finds). I pulled some of the dimes out of rolls, some out of the register, and customers spent some of them. I found most of the dimes in the span of a month or two. I've also gotten silver half dollars (mostly 40% Kennedys but customers spent 3 Franklins when I was working there, two at one time) and a 1884-O Morgan that somebody spent at a convenience store where I knew the owner and asked him to stick back "big coins" (half dollars and larger coins). I had gotten a 1968 half from this same store, but getting the Morgan was a shock. I've also found a few silver nickels. The local Coinstar machine has been awfully good to me as far as silver goes. I have found a 1905-O dime, several Roosevelt dimes, a 1936 quarter, a 1966 Canadian quarter (silver), and a 1917 French 50 centimes silver coin. You have to go through a lot of change, but if you look long enough and you're lucky, you might just find some silver.
THAT is what the hobby is supposed to be about. The simple pleasure of finding a treasure mixed in with ordinary change. Not worrying about how much money the quarter you found is worth - just being happy with getting silver in change. If I were you, I would never part with this quarter. You wouldn't get a lot of money for it (unless it has some rare error or something) and, at least to me, the quarter is worth more than the melt value of the coin. When you find a coin from circulation, it is a special thing. Anyone can buy a MS64 silver quarter but to find a circulated silver quarter in circulation requires a lot of luck.
