Last night, I found a 1912-P V nickel in circulation. Last week, I found 1952-P and a 1953-D half dollars. Which is more incredible to find in 2013: a V nickel or a (for the purpose of this post only consider I found one) Franklin half? Which one is rarer in circulation?
I'd much rather find the Franklins - in practice I have only found a dozen or so since I was a kid. I have quite a few more Liberty nickels, from 1890-1912.
Both are amazing finds. But IMO the V-nickel was put there by a collector having fun (I have spent old coins ) and the halfs were just spent by someone who did not know about silver coin value.
I'm not asking which coin is more valuable - the Franklins are obviously worth more today - but which coin is more remarkable to find in circulation today.
I'd say the V nickel in circulation. I did, however, not too long ago, spend some very worn V nickels at CVS. Cashier took them without even looking at them other than to say, "those are cool." Last time I got a Franklin in circ, was the 1980's.
