reply
Aren't coins considered legal tender? I don't think there are any laws against using a coin over fifty years old. How could it be illegal to find one over fifty years old?
Tommy, well think of it: It's not out-of the realm of possibility to get a memorial penny in your change, dated 1962 or earlier. Afterall, no one collects memorials, so pennies from the '60s are still in circulation. Same for jefferson nickels: no one collects jeffersons, unless they are war nickels, right? So it's entirely possible to get an early '60s, even 1950s jefferson in your change, right? Heck, it's even possible to get a silver coin in your change I suppose
So let's say you went out to some supposed high-brow site, where supposedly "cultural heritage" verbage existed. If you dropped one of those coins (like when you were fumbling for your keys to get in your car), and then you stooped over, to pick up that 51 yr. old penny, ..... would you be in violation of any law ?
I think I'll go ask the next "purist" archaeologist I see. Afterall, you "can't be too safe", right? I "wouldn't want to get arrested" right? It "doesn't hurt to ask", right? haha
And yes you're right: all coins minted are all legal tender. So technically there's nothing to stop you from taking silver dollars, seated quarters, large cents, silver dimes, etc... and going and spending them. I know a gal who worked at a fast food place, during when she was in high school in the 1970s. She said that one day, a guy came in and bought food using silver dollars! And some halves, etc... She accepted the payment (after doing a "double-take" to realize/see that they were USA coins). Then she promptly took them out of the register when the customer had left, and exchanged them for modern money and paper bills out of her own pocket. She surmised the guy had stolen them (because he looked like a bum or addict or something).
