sifting

[totient]

Sifting through 2500 of roozle's coins the other day, I found one silver dime, two wheat cents, and no bicentennial quarters. I'm not surprised that the wheat cents are getting less common (any pre-83 penny is worth a little more than 3c for the copper in it, and machines can easily tell them apart by the weight). I'm a little surprised, though, at how quickly 1976 quarters have disappeared from circulation, and even more surprised that my rate of finding silver in circulation is going up over time, even though silver coinage is now worth over 20 times face value. Is it just me?

Comments

[frotz.livejournal.com]

I think you have an odd form of luck; I do this fairly frequently, and bicentennial quarters are, if not a dime a dozen, no more than $3/dozen. I'd be happy to send as many as you like (within sanity) your way at that rate if you have specific interest beyond a general regard for their observed distribution.

The value of silver coins may be going up, but I think people's regard for change is going down; I know lots of people who take all coinage and look for the nearest tip/donation bucket to throw it in regardless. I doubt seeking them out is worth my time if I didn't find the quest itself of interest.

Currently I think I'm getting about one silver dime for each $100 or so of change processed, though recent surprises have included a couple of web press $1 notes and a buffalo nickel.

[palmwiz.livejournal.com]

No specific interest, I just thought it interesting that out of 400 quarters, I found 0 bicentennials.

I bet you're right about the regard for change. Certainly this is how roozle came to have so much of it.

I went through 861 dimes (not counting the Canadian ones), so I guess finding a silver one isn't such a surprise.

[palmwiz.livejournal.com]

Oh, and I haven't found any buffalo nickels recently but I did find a V (liberty head) nickel in circulation a couple of years ago, which was cool because those don't say "In God We Trust" on them.

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