Reminds me of something I did when I was a kid, something my father never forgave me for.
He had a stack of about a dozen 19th century silver dollars on top of his dresser. One day I stole them . . . and SPENT them at face value. I didn’t even have the brains to SELL them for what they were worth.
Yeah, I was a dumb kid.
Even though the ebay price is $3.xx, to a coin shop they are worth a dollar.My son’s collection had 30 of them. The coin shop was only interested in a proof, for which he gave me $35.00.
Random question time - do you find it weird that you still call a cent a penny, even though the name comes from the British one pence coin?
Not really. I should imagine most people never think about it in the same way they never think about the name Robert meaning “fame-bright” or whatever.
That’s very cool, but I’d be even more impressed if it was a 1943 penny.
I bought two of those for me and my dad a few months ago, after I found out they stuck one on Mars Curiosity as a reference tool.
Especially if it was a copper version, of which only 12 are authenticated. I could retire all over again. I have a beautiful strike of a 1943 steel cent, but even in great condition it’s only worth about $6.
I got a wheat penny the other day. I didn’t check the date because I just gave it to my mom who’s been collecting wheat pennies since she was a kid. I don’t know how much she has but it’s a pretty big plastic jug.
This last visit to the US in April, I got a wheat penny in my change. I don’t remember the year, but I saved it and dropped it into our big coin jar here at home when we got back.
Counting out my register drawer before starting work a few days ago, one of my 40 nickels felt funny. I looked closer and saw a “V” surrounded by a wreath.
It was a 1906 Liberty nickel, in similar condition to that picture.
106 years it’s been traveling around, and landed in my Trader Joe’s.
Too freaking cool.
Really, only 12? I thought that there were a lot more. How many were struck?
According to the official mint numbers: none.
what’s the backstory, then, on the dozen or so authentic copper ones?
Released by error, a little of the story here.
A few months ago a friend of mine showed me his collection of fake £1 coins (Sterling) - apparently there are loads of them around, as when I collected some money earlier this week I found at least one (perhaps 2) of the £1 coins were fakes. I have saved them and will pass them on to my friend when I next see him. I doubt they are worth anything (technically, it’s probably an offence to try to spend them, not sure what the legal position is on collecting them) but I think he’s trying to get all the possible variations. Some of the fakes are good and some are immediately obvious (though still accepted by most vending machines I’m sure, and indeed by any cashier who isn’t paying very close attention, i.e. all of them).
I accidentally spent one last summer :smack: (Keep your eyes open Seattle Dopers)
No biggie. Circulated '43s are almost literally a dollar a dozen. They’re always for sale on ebay with very few takers. In fact, there’s one lot of 600 up for sale right now.
To follow on, I’m pretty sure tdn meant a 1943 copper (actually bronze) penny not the very common (as Chefguy alludes to) 1943 steel penny.
