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Message:: [QUOTE="NOS, post: 2270616, member: 2098"]A lot of cashiers and people in general don't even look at their coins. I recall last year while I was in Colombia I was given a coin from Albania as change. The size and type of metal of the coin was similar to that of the country's 100 peso coins. It is conceivable ancient coins could be used without any problem if no one bothers to really look at them. In terms of the oldest coin being accepted wherein it is known by the cashier as to what it is, I'd have to say the U.S. and Canada are two of only a small number of countries in the world where 'old' coins are still found and used in circulation. This is due to the size and denomination of coins in these countries not really changing too much since their inception so they are able to blend in and be used without much of an issue. Most other countries have gone through monetary and coinage reforms so older coinage doesn't really circulate in them any more. I'd say the 19th century is as far back as coins will be accepted at face value from these countries wherein it is known what they are. I've noticed from my experience in traveling it is something of a rarity in most other countries to find coins in circulation that were minted before the 1980's or even the 1990's.[/QUOTE]