Meandering through a Mill Valley supermarket on Monday, Carter Collins shovels a slice of pizza from the hot food bar into a to-go container and then, when nobody is looking, slips a 1952 half-dollar coin between packs of organic corn tortillas.
He hides another, from 1964, behind a hunk of cheese, and a third, from that same year, on a shelf among cartons of lactose-free milk. He wends his way to the checkout line and pays for his dinner with a wad of bills that has been around since Harry Truman was in the Oval Office.
If they’re paying attention, a few lucky shoppers will stumble upon the rare, old money and walk away from their grocery outings with a sense of excitement — or so Collins hopes.
The “Great American Coin Hunt” officially launched on Sunday. Over the course of a week, the U.S. Mint and hundreds of collectors nationwide will put old coins into circulation. For some, the goal is to attract new customers. For others, it’s an excuse to have some fun.
“Why not?” Collins explained. “It sparks interest. People are always curious.”
Collins, who opened Collectible Coins and Jewelry in Mill Valley 26 years ago, has been doing this for decades. He buys, sells and sometimes hoards rare items at his storefront on Shoreline Highway and has a habit of hiding old money in unexpected places. But this week, he’s not the only numismatist who’s scattering treasure.
“It’s an innovative idea and it’s a win-win for everybody,” said Don Kagin, a collectibles dealer with an office in Tiburon. “We need to find ways to bring a new generation into our hobby.”
Kagin’s plan on Monday was to visit a variety of stores on the Tiburon Peninsula and spend old money. He was prepared to spend at least one coin worth upward of $100.
“Keep your eyes open,” he said, “for anything that looks different or shiny.”
Roger Tobin, owner of San Rafael Rare Coin Co., was still formulating his strategy for the coin hunt on Monday.
He, too, spends old money “from time to time” with the hope of generating new interest in his hobby. The organized hunt, which is the first of its kind, is a great excuse to get into the spirit, he said.
“It’s always good to get young people involved,” he said.
The value of most old coins comes from the metal they’re made with, according to Collins. Dimes, quarters and half-dollar coins made before 1964 are 90 percent silver, he said, as an example. At his shop, the dimes and quarters sell for around $3 and the half-dollars sell for $7.
“In 1964, this bought about a gallon of gas,” he said, holding up an old quarter. “Today, it’s still worth a gallon of gas.”
Coins and bills that are especially rare may be worth more because of the value that collectors place on them, Collins said.
Occasionally, a customer will come into the Mill Valley store to sell a coin that Collins himself put into circulation. But that’s becoming increasingly rare, Collins said, despite him doling out old change as much as he always has. He wonders whether the average person’s attention to detail has shrunk. He asks: Do kids these days look up from their screens?
Whatever the reason, he’s not sweating it. Coin sales amount to pocket change for his business, which focuses on larger items, like pocket watches, vintage handguns, sterling silver kitchenware and jewelry.
He collects just about anything — “if it tickles my fancy,” he said.
Among sacks of old pennies, he stores a 17th century Persian battle helmet and shield inside a glass cabinet in his shop. The $3,200 set isn’t for sale.
“I have the stupidest stuff sometimes,” he said. “But it’s just fun to own.”
