Where are all the 2002 cents?

[Morsecode]

I started noticing some weeks ago that I hardly ever run across '02 pennies. So for the last $500 I sorted I decided to set them aside, and found 3. By comparison, I found 2 Indians out of the same lot.

Someone cornering the market in '02 zincs?

[hobo finds]

2002 3,260,800,000 D - 4,028,055,000 S - proofs on

http://www.coin-collecting-guide-for-be ... penny.html

[Centsation]

If someone is hoarding 2002 pennies, there doesn't seem to be a reason for it. There were plenty minted that year, so it's odd that you only found 3 out of $500. My best guess is that it's probably just a fluke... kind of like finding 2 IHs in only $500. I have yet to find my first IH in a roll

[bman]

it's probably Chuck, he hoards everything else.....

[Number21]

Seems like I have a lot of them here. I have yet to find a 2011 yet though.....

[cesariojpn]

My guess is that the coins might've been released in some areas, and haven't adequately trickled thru the states.

[Morsecode]

My guess is that the coins might've been released in some areas, and haven't adequately trickled thru the states.

That may be. Might've been an oversupply of 2001 coins round here at that time. Hadn't thought of that.

[cesariojpn]

My guess is that the coins might've been released in some areas, and haven't adequately trickled thru the states.

That may be. Might've been an oversupply of 2001 coins round here at that time. Hadn't thought of that.

Plus most coin distribution is done by the Fed, so for all we know, a few tons of them are sitting in a Fed vault somewhere right now.

[Centsation]

Plus most coin distribution is done by the Fed, so for all we know, a few tons of them are sitting in a Fed vault somewhere right now.

Very true....the mintage numbers only tell us how many were made - not how many are circulating.

[henrysmedford]

Luck are were you live. We had the same problem with 1974-S see--http://www.realcent.org/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=3358&hilit=+1974
And then Franklin just found his fourth 1936-S more than any other on the list http://www.realcent.org/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=5438 so it is luck and were you live.

[Number21]

Plus most coin distribution is done by the Fed, so for all we know, a few tons of them are sitting in a Fed vault somewhere right now.

Why would they have a ton of 2002 coins saved when they've already released all the years since then? I don't doubt that they have huge reserves sitting around, but it's probably mixed dates just like the bank...

[merchoarder]

Seems like I have a lot of them here. I have yet to find a 2011 yet though.....

I just found my first 2011 the other day, not sure about the 2002s, not something I keep an eye out for. I'll start and see if I find any.

[abe]

I havn't found 1 2009 nickel or dime in circulation but others have. Never gave much thought about a 2002.

[Dave]

Plenty of 02's here, Finding more 2011's lately(almost a full roll). I have found @ a half roll each of P and D 2009 nickels.

[cesariojpn]

Plus most coin distribution is done by the Fed, so for all we know, a few tons of them are sitting in a Fed vault somewhere right now.

Why would they have a ton of 2002 coins saved when they've already released all the years since then? I don't doubt that they have huge reserves sitting around, but it's probably mixed dates just like the bank...

I dunno, it's just a possibility. You have the slow economy, the tendency of the Treasury to hoard coins, the untold amount of Dollar Coins that haven't been released yet, supply and demand.....all of that works for and against the supply of coins in the USA. Hell, it also matters if your neck of the woods has a heavy coin usage or not.

[Number21]

the untold amount of Dollar Coins that haven't been released yet,

Interestingly, I noticed the $1 coin "direct ship" program seems to have been sold out of coins for a few weeks. They are just now coming available. I don't know if it has anything to do with the mint's supply or just how they run the website though...

[henrysmedford]

the untold amount of Dollar Coins that haven't been released yet,

Interestingly, I noticed the $1 coin "direct ship" program seems to have been sold out of coins for a few weeks. They are just now coming available. I don't know if it has anything to do with the mint's supply or just how they run the website though...

From the BBC http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-10783019

In hidden vaults across the country, the US government is building a stockpile of $1 coins. The hoard has topped $1.1bn - imagine a stack of coins reaching almost seven times higher than the International Space Station - and the piles have grown so large the US Federal Reserve is running out of storage space.

[Number21]

From the BBC http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-10783019

That's interesting, why in the world are they storing up mostly worthless fiat money like that?

Americans won't use the coins, preferring $1 notes. But the US keeps minting them anyway, and the Fed estimates it already has enough $1 coins to last the next 10 years.

And at the current rate, the inventory will grow to $2bn (£1.3bn) by 2016, the Fed estimates.

Nobody is using them...and they have so many excess that they can't store them all, yet they are still minting them?! Why do they go out of stock on the mint's website?! The coin idea might have saved some money over bills, but they seem to have wasted all that they were going to save by forcing this coin on us...

[hobo finds]

Plenty of 02's here, Finding more 2011's lately(almost a full roll). I have found @ a half roll each of P and D 2009 nickels.

Very few 2009 anythings arouns here and if you do find them all D's

[TheJonasCollegeFund]

Went through 3 string boxes last night...had a fair share of 2002's and 2002D's!

[rickygee]

Just went thru $15 worth of cents, $5 CWR and $10 bank wrapped. Found plenty of '02s, but I also found a 1917 a 1929 and a 1947 King George VI Canadian cent plus 5 other wheats from the 50s. Oh yeah, averaged about 20% not counting the wheats and the king, the CWRs were poor producers.

[henrysmedford]

Just went thru $15 worth of cents, $5 CWR and $10 bank wrapped. Found plenty of '02s, but I also found a 1917 a 1929 and a 1947 King George VI Canadian cent

A 1947 are a 1947 Maple leaf?

The 1947 Maple Leaf refers to a set of Canadian coins dated 1947 which bear a tiny maple leaf following the date to denote that they were actually minted in 1948.
The initial obverse had a legend containing the Latin abbreviation ET IND:IMP: meaning the king was also the Emperor of India. The independence of India caused a dilemma for the Mint which resulted in the delay of coinage tools. The mint had to satisfy for all denominations of coins and to differentiate this issue from the regular strikings or 1947, a maple leaf was placed after the date.