Half dollar spiel in 'letter to the editors'
Duh_OZ
http://www.suntimes.com/news/commentary/letters/2789824,CST-EDT-vox11.article
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Coin question
Where are the 50-cent U.S. coins? Recently, I realized that when I
receive my change from a transaction, there is never a 50-cent coin.
I'll get two or three quarters in change, but never a 50-cent coin.
There were Kennedy coins minted, but you never see them.
Are people saving them?
Don't the banks receive them? Will we ever see a 50-cent coin or will
they be eliminated?
Helen Horodny,
Edison Park
=========
Bremick
"Duh_OZ" <ozzy....@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:401b39a7-88c0-4cdf...@k10g2000yqa.googlegroups.com...
Helen apparently just came out of a 30-year coma. Congratulations, Helen.
Bet you have lots of questions.
Peter
> ===========
> Coin question
>
> Where are the 50-cent U.S. coins? Recently, I realized that when I
> receive my change from a transaction, there is never a 50-cent coin.
>
> I'll get two or three quarters in change, but never a 50-cent coin.
> There were Kennedy coins minted, but you never see them.
>
> Are people saving them?
>
> Don't the banks receive them? Will we ever see a 50-cent coin or will
> they be eliminated?
>
> Helen Horodny,
>
> Edison Park
> =========
Many banks have 50 cent coins. Try asking a few.
oly
> "Duh_OZ" <ozzy.ko...@gmail.com> wrote in message
>
> news:401b39a7-88c0-4cdf...@k10g2000yqa.googlegroups.com...
>
>
>
>
>
> > In the 10/11 Chicago Sun Times:
>
> > ===========
> > Coin question
>
> > Where are the 50-cent U.S. coins? Recently, I realized that when I
> > receive my change from a transaction, there is never a 50-cent coin.
>
> > I'll get two or three quarters in change, but never a 50-cent coin.
> > There were Kennedy coins minted, but you never see them.
>
> > Are people saving them?
>
> > Don't the banks receive them? Will we ever see a 50-cent coin or will
> > they be eliminated?
>
> > Helen Horodny,
>
> > Edison Park
> > =========
>
> Helen apparently just came out of a 30-year coma. Congratulations, Helen.
>
> - Show quoted text -
Bingo, except for it should be closer to 50 years.
oly
Bremick
"oly" <oly...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:7cc8e945-b29a-49c5...@j25g2000yqa.googlegroups.com...
____________
I actually considered that before posting, but then I did recall seeing
halves occasionally back when there was that 1970 excitement. Thirty years
seemed safe. Otherwise, they did seem to disappear soon after they lost
their silver. If Helen would come up with a few paper dollars plus postage,
I'm sure there would be some kind Chicago souls who would be glad to see she
gets some half dollars.
oly
> "oly" <oly2...@aol.com> wrote in message
>
> - Show quoted text -
My parents, aunt and uncle owned a brand-spanking new laundromat in a
very small burg in the late 1960s (from 1966 to early 1970s).
They had a circa 1950 vintage mechanical change machine specifically
for half dollars. The washing machines and dryers only took quarters
and dimes, also mechanically of course. I think the washers and
dryers "slots" determined if the coins were the correct diameters, I
don't see how they could have differentiated the weights of the coins
- the coin feeders were too simple.
The laundry did get maybe 20 or 30 half dollars per month, and all of
which were 90% or 40% silver at that time. My cousin and I collected
coins and we were allowed to trade our minimal cash for silver half
dollars if we wished. If we ran out of our cash but the halves were
good 90%, we were probably given some as gifts.
We looked down our noses at the 40%s.
There was no bank in town at that time (the last one had failed during
the Great Depression). I tend to think some local or nearby employer
may have paid their employees in cash and the pay must have included
halves.
My vague recollection is that the half dollars dried up during that
time before 1970. Of course, even before 1966 some smart people were
salting away the 90% halves.
oly
Zapp Brannigan
>My vague recollection is that the half dollars dried up during that
time before 1970. Of course, even before 1966 some smart people were
salting away the 90% halves.
Back in the 1950s halves were commonplace in commerce.
And $.50 was actually worth something in those days too.
The half seemed to lose popularity after the switch to clad coins.
Michael G. Koerner
The reason for that was that the USMint (and Congress?) made the mistake of
not making them out of the same clad composition as Dimes and Quarters at the
start in 1965, instead waiting until 1971. The 'silver-clad' coins that were
made were hoarded just like the pre-1965 90% silver ones.
--
___________________________________________ ____ _______________
Regards, | |\ ____
| | | | |\
Michael G. Koerner May they | | | | | | rise again!
Appleton, Wisconsin USA | | | | | |
___________________________________________ | | | | | | _______________
Zapp Brannigan
"Michael G. Koerner" <mgk...@dataex.com> wrote in message
news:MdGdnRmF3uK7NCnR...@ntd.net...
> On 2010.10.12 07:26:35, Zapp Brannigan wrote:
>> "oly"<oly...@aol.com> wrote in message
>> news:8abbfa6a-462c-4382...@k10g2000yqa.googlegroups.com...
>>> My vague recollection is that the half dollars dried up during that
>> time before 1970. Of course, even before 1966 some smart people were
>> salting away the 90% halves.
>>
>>
>> Back in the 1950s halves were commonplace in commerce.
>> And $.50 was actually worth something in those days too.
>> The half seemed to lose popularity after the switch to clad coins.
>
> The reason for that was that the USMint (and Congress?) made the mistake of
> not making them out of the same clad composition as Dimes and Quarters at the
> start in 1965, instead waiting until 1971. The 'silver-clad' coins that were
> made were hoarded just like the pre-1965 90% silver ones.
maybe by you but around here silver clad halves were readily available from
banks until the Hunt Bros. tried to corner the silver market.
I still get some from time to time when I get rolls of halves from the bank.
Tony Clayton
I had no trouble getting some on a recent visit to Utah.
--
Tony Clayton tony.cla...@pem.cam.ac.uk
Coins of the UK : http://www.coins-of-the-uk.co.uk
Sent using RISCOS using VirtualAcorn-SA running on a PC
... Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional!!
mazorj
"Peter" <w2...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:b89e6cf7-b470-4639...@g18g2000yqk.googlegroups.com...
Saturday my bank offered me a $500 Mint box of halves that a customer had
ordered but never picked up. They wouldn't bust the box and 1,000 JFKs was
too much for me to contend with so all I got was 8 loose ones in her till -
none worth keeping. They'll go in my pocket to confound and astonish
check-out clerks.
It's a matter of timing. The bank that had zilch last week might have just
gotten ten mixed rolls this week from a customer. It pays to do systematic
sweeps through your local branches. Some of them will even hold items if
they know you're coming.