Large Cent discussion

[Skrimpy]

Well, I tried to post this before and for some reason it did not post so here goes again. There was a post a couple days ago about someone speaking with a 90 year old gentleman from Vt that says he remembers getting large cents in change sometimes and it got me thinking about when large cents stopped being used. I did a little searching on the internet and couldnt find much so I asked my 85 year old aunt who lives in Fla. She said "Oh yes, I remember the 'big penny', and most people didn't like them except collectors. We used to get them in change once and a while but nobody would take them as tender." Anyone know where that post is?

 

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[halfdime]

No, but it's an interesting question, and one that can be asked about any number of old coins.

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

Somewhere I do remember reading that large cents were never "legal tender" and could be refused. Must have been in a write-up on the Flying Eagle cents. No idea when they may have stopped circulating. I can remember pulling Mercs and IHC out of my paper-route collections. That would have been 62+ years after the last minting on the IHC and 25+ years late on the Mercs. The occasional Buffalo nickel too. My eight year older brother had a lady that paid him in Morgan and Peace dollars - probably from a late-husband's collection.

 

[silverfinder]

I'd bet the old man from Vermont was referring to Canadian large cents, which were minted until the late nineteenth or early twentieth century. Your aunt from Albany was probably referring to Canadian large cents as well - Albany's proximity to Canada would account for a significant number of Canadian coins circulating in that area, as well as in Vermont. I remember reading that U.S. large cents were extremely unpopular by the 1850's and were hastily exchanged for the new small cents when the latter were issued in 1857. The older cents were unwanted not only because their large size was cumbersome for a coin of such little value, but also because they were deemed unclean and sources of contagious disease. This was a justifiable view, since handwashing facilities were often absent. I doubt if U.S. large cents circulated after 1860 or so.

 

[kindafoundabuckle]

Out of Context

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[cryptodave]

Out of Context

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[Mirage]

I'd bet the old man from Vermont was referring to Canadian large cents, which were minted until the late nineteenth or early twentieth century. Your aunt from Albany was probably referring to Canadian large cents as well - Albany's proximity to Canada would account for a significant number of Canadian coins circulating in that area, as well as in Vermont. I remember reading that U.S. large cents were extremely unpopular by the 1850's and were hastily exchanged for the new small cents when the latter were issued in 1857. The older cents were unwanted not only because their large size was cumbersome for a coin of such little value, but also because they were deemed unclean and sources of contagious disease. This was a justifiable view, since handwashing facilities were often absent. I doubt if U.S. large cents circulated after 1860 or so.

Excellent information. This is what I have been trying to convince a couple people on. Also why we don't find the large cents on all the late 1800's sites we hunt in Ohio.

 

[cryptodave]

I'd bet the old man from Vermont was referring to Canadian large cents, which were minted until the late nineteenth or early twentieth century. Your aunt from Albany was probably referring to Canadian large cents as well - Albany's proximity to Canada would account for a significant number of Canadian coins circulating in that area, as well as in Vermont. I remember reading that U.S. large cents were extremely unpopular by the 1850's and were hastily exchanged for the new small cents when the latter were issued in 1857. The older cents were unwanted not only because their large size was cumbersome for a coin of such little value, but also because they were deemed unclean and sources of contagious disease. This was a justifiable view, since handwashing facilities were often absent. I doubt if U.S. large cents circulated after 1860 or so.

Excellent information. This is what I have been trying to convince a couple people on. Also why we don't find the large cents on all the late 1800's sites we hunt in Ohio.

That is an excellent question Mirage. I have often wondered that myself here in NC. Seems the only time I find large cents is when I am in a CW camp area, everywhere else is always indian heads... If they were in circulation for so long even after the CW when the flying eagle and then the indian heads were put into use, why am I not finding them in other places?

 

[TORRERO]

I would have to beleive that large cents were out of circulation after around 1860.
The truth is that no US currency has ever been pulled from circulation and become
non usable. That said, most of the time when a coin like this is changed over for a smaller
cent, the US mint will collect what they can, melt them down and reuse in newer coins.
Cents went smaller because of the cost of copper, being like today... a large cent might be
worth more in copper than the actual penny. thus in todays lingo we have the "Zinc"
penny instead of the copper penny.
But no US currency has ever been "Pulled" from circulation except that 1931 ?? gold $20 ??
But everyones judgement about finding large cents seems right to me..
People lost what they had, and if they had large cents into the 20th century, we would
all be finding them on newer sites....
Just not happening ...
Richard

 

[Michigan Badger]

Well, I tried to post this before and for some reason it did not post so here goes again. There was a post a couple days ago about someone speaking with a 90 year old gentleman from Vt that says he remembers getting large cents in change sometimes and it got me thinking about when large cents stopped being used. I did a little searching on the internet and couldn't find much so I asked my 85 year old aunt who lives in Fla. She said "Oh yes, I remember the 'big penny', and most people didn't like them except collectors. We used to get them in change once and a while but nobody would take them as tender." Anyone know where that post is?

No, never saw the post but this subject has always interested me. I've posted several threads dealing with this very thing.

Most THers think that because they dig a coin dated 1890 it was lost in 1890. Fact is it could have been lost as late as the 1950's. I often find very old coins at sites not thought to be old enough for the really old stuff. I look for heavy foot traffic sites used in the 1920's. At these sites one can do well on Barber coins, Indians, Mercs, Buff's, Tokens, V nickels, and even some seated coins. The 20's were hot years for lost goodies. But old coins were being lost much later than the 20's.

My folks owned a sports store in the 50's and they got Indian pennies in change. Back then they didn't give them much thought. During the Depression years everyone spent their saved old coins and this includes silver dollars and even gold coins. There would have been loads of pre-1900's coins in circulation during the 30's.

you're right about the large cents, they were considered ugly and odd balls until more recent years. Back in 1983 I bought 300 large cents from a major coin dealer that were holed and many metal detector dug with no holes for $1 each. He was very glad to dump them.

Yes, this is a great subject. Hope you find the article you're seeking.

Badger

 

[Skrimpy]

I'd bet the old man from Vermont was referring to Canadian large cents, which were minted until the late nineteenth or early twentieth century. Your aunt from Albany was probably referring to Canadian large cents as well - Albany's proximity to Canada would account for a significant number of Canadian coins circulating in that area, as well as in Vermont. I remember reading that U.S. large cents were extremely unpopular by the 1850's and were hastily exchanged for the new small cents when the latter were issued in 1857. The older cents were unwanted not only because their large size was cumbersome for a coin of such little value, but also because they were deemed unclean and sources of contagious disease. This was a justifiable view, since handwashing facilities were often absent. I doubt if U.S. large cents circulated after 1860 or so.

Ah. Thats just it. My aunt lives in Florida and where and when she grew up (rural 1920s Long Island and the rural 1930s-40s Southern Catskill Mountains) there probably was almost no canadian money. Her family was still subsistence farming as late as the early 60s in Liberty, NY. I would be willing to wager she was looking at 1850s large cents when she is talking about "the big penny" as she calls it. Just think about it now. Every once and a while we see 50-75 year old wheats and on rare occasions an early wheat or late indian in change. Thats around 100 years. I would bet people happened accross a late large cent or flying eagle now and again in the 1920s-1950s and scarf them up into a collection...unless as I have said before that they live in a very rural poor area and it would cost more to get the dang thing to a collector than it was worth. As far as posting this in "todays finds" I had no intention of it staying here. I just wanted to get some opinions on the matter quickly and how many of us actually visit, on a regular basis, any of the other forums besides todays finds, best of treasurenet, what is it, cache hunting or bottles and glass sections? not many I presume. If the moderators wish to move the topic I don't mind. I was just hoping to get some eyes on it, and there arent many eyes that would see it if i put it in the general discussion forum. Sorry. Maybe I should have posted a pic of my inherited, extremely worn 1803 large cent to keep people happy.

 

[DANGLANGLEY]

Hey, don't worry about it. You are right about it. A lot more will see it here. Have a good one.

DANGLANGLEY

 

[Mirage]

Essentially, Indian Head pennies were out of circulation by the mid to late 30's. I read an article in Coin World of a boy doing statistics on his paper route. Yes, you could get them in your change but it would take hundreds if not a thousand to get a single IH.

I do agree about the 20's and earlier. IH pennies, barbers, V nickels, good stuff!

 

[fiatboy]

From what I've heard, large cents were replaced very quickly by small cents. But I'm sure some still floated around for decades. I've always wondered, when was the last time someone found a large cent in circulation? Or a flying eagle cent? Or any of the old coins. I'd bet it was more recent than we imagine. So far this year, I've found 6 Indian Head pennies while coin roll hunting, which is to say, still in circulation. The oldest was from 1883. To wit, three came from the same roll, but nonetheless, they did come from a bank. They're out there, but they're just incredibly rare.

 

[fiatboy]

I think they would have stayed in circulation a little more had they fit coin wrappers, cash registers, and bank trays.

 

[Skrimpy]

I think they would have stayed in circulation a little more had they fit coin wrappers, cash registers, and bank trays.

Of course! I just found it funny when I asked my aunt, "Do ever remember see the large cent in change when you were a kid?", and her response was "Of course I remember the big penny! We used to get them in change once and a while."

 

[fiatboy]

I almost forget---I like anecdotes like this. Great post.

 

[l.cutler]

Do you suppose during the depression, when any money was scarce, some of these large cent found there way out of drawers and boxes back into circulation?

 

[fiatboy]

Do you suppose during the depression, when any money was scarce, some of these large cent found there way out of drawers and boxes back into circulation?

Yes!

 

[Skrimpy]

My wondering on this if you don't mind....If every one hated the "Big Penny" either Canadian or U.S. Then why did the the 2 cent piece stay around for 8 years(1864-1872) True it isn't the same size and weight as the U.S. large but there isn't a lot of difference in it and the Canadian large cent?
Don

It stuck because it was minted. I think that small difference in size made a big difference in their minds. Look at the dollar coins. People don't like to use them now because they are cumbersome...but this is a function of how much the dollar is worth too. It isn't worth all that much anymore. When it was, people loved the dollar coin. What didn't they like? Large cumbersome coins that took up a lot of room in their pockets but weren't worth all that much as compared to the dollar.