e-Letters October 25, 2023

Sure do. I even pick up change off the ground. About 10 years ago, I found a beautiful ’43 Mercury dime on the sidewalk while walking to work. I check Coinstar machines too. Made a true believer out of my wife after she saw some of the silver I have recovered. Now she checks the machines when I’m not with her.

Gary, North Carolina

Not only do I search through my loose change but also the “need a penny ...” bowls by cash registers and coin returns on Coinstar machines. Never know when you might find a wheat cent, but I usually get Canadian nickels out of Coinstars

Chris R., Grosse Pointe, Mich.

Yes, I do. I haven’t found anything worth bragging about in years, but you never know. Years ago, 2013-2014, I was in the bank, and this whole family was four or five in front of me. They gave a whole bunch of rolls to the teller and took the cash. When my turn came, I had a different teller, but when I finished, I was walking by the teller, who I knew, who had taken the coin rolls.

I told her I wanted the coins. She asked, “All of them?” I said, “Yes.” She said, “$28.50.” I said, “OK,” and handed her two $20s

When I got home, I opened the first roll. They were all wheaties. From a 1919-S into the ’50s. The next roll was all early. After the next few rolls, I realized that this was a collection, not a hoard. I started putting them in order when I finished all 57 rolls. I had a complete collection of wheaties, including the ’09-S, ’09-S VDB, ’14-d, ’31-S, and the ’55 DDO. The ’09-S through the early ’30s are Fine to XF. After that, they are uncs all the way to ’59. The ’55 DDO, NGC slabbed as a 58.

I put all the coins into old-time boards and gave them to my dad for his birthday. I had never seen my dad so happy as he never had the ’09-S, ’s VDB, ’14-D, or the ’55 DDO. He framed them and hung them on one of his den walls.

They became mine again in November 2019 when my father passed away.

Gary Gagne, Address withheld

Yes, I sure do. I love looking for a coin that has been in someone’s ashtray, pocketbook, or couch, and they finally spend it. I have found everything from the “W” quarters, Canadian coins, really old nickels, and some silver ones. There still are some great finds in someone’s pocket change. They just need someone to find them. My wife, daughter, and son all let me go through their money jars to check for any unusual coins. Love it.

Roy E. Robertson, Annapolis, Md.

No, I don’t search pocket change anymore for a number of reasons. 1. Old age and poor eyesight. 2. Don’t spend enough cash to receive change any more. 3. Nothing worth looking for because I don’t know what’s out there as far as new errors go. 4. The days of finding silver coins or rare cents, nickels, dimes, etc., in circulation are long gone except when some relation/friend steals a coin collection and spends it as regular change 5. Coin boards are not a good way to store found coins because of the damage they can do to the coin itself, and ways to properly house collections have gotten too expensive for me in retirement.

That’s enough of whining about my collecting habits!

Doug Jennings, Petersburg, Mich.

I love getting change back! I try to use cash whenever I can, so I can get some change to check. I always check every return with hopes of finding something, whether I receive a nice shiny new coin or an old coin in fair condition. I get a lot of “Did I give you the correct change?” because I’m studying my change. Like the time I was given four wheat pennies back. I asked the lady if she could check to see if she had more wheat pennies in her change. She didn’t understand what I was finding in the penny that made me want them. I explained what a wheat penny is. She had 40 more. She let me have them all. Then opened another roll of pennies, and yes, they all were wheat, which she let me have. Then the manager came over to say I could not have any more of their change. I felt like I had made a big score. I also enjoy finding Canadian coins. It’s always an enjoyable treasure hunt for me.

Johnny Widener, Lincolnton, N.C.

Sure thing. I have and do find older coins, not like I have in past years. I’m not impressed with the quality of the new quarters. The new penny is garbage.

Glenn Platvoet, Address withheld

I look for commemorative 50p coins.

Nigel Reid, Enfield, Middlesex, United Kingdom

Yes, always. It’s fun, and that’s what got me started in coin collecting 65 years ago.

Mike Drew, Address withheld

I use cash for most transactions and look at the change, both coins and paper money, probably because of a habit I began in the early ’60s. The latest keepers are a Federal Reserve Note with a gutter fold and a 1953 “S” Jefferson. Not valuable but well worth a quick look.

Joe G., Carlsbad, Calif.

Yes, occasionally, for the first-year coins that are issued. I also tend to accumulate cents, whereupon I look for the 1955, 1972, and 1995 overdates. I have found error coins, i.e., a Maryland Statehood quarter struck on the copper core, a number of cents, and quarter planchets, which I give to interested YN error collectors.

Lorne Lavertu, Herndon, Va.

Yes, I do check change. It is getting tougher to find anything, but I keep looking. But the occasional wheat cent or something will show up!

Ken Evanchuck, Germantown, Ohio

I do search all of my change. Never know what you could find

Conner Hopfer, Address withheld