Collecting 50c

[Nevol]

Ozcoins: While searching through 50c, you can find a much higher proportion of some commemorative issues in very nice condition when compared to other coins a similar age.
Eg
1981 wedding 50c - very few are well circulated
Vs
1981 CofA - very few are in nice condition
The wedding coins stood out and were all collected by most people, then down the track someone spends them (while they are still nice) and someone else thinks "That looks nice" and holds onto it - so they don't circulate much and stay in nice condition.

I have an older brother who is not a coin collector, but for many years now, has kept every Commemorative 50c that he gets.  The last time I saw how many he had, they filled the inner part of a large slow-cooker and were too heavy to lift. I dare say when he is no longer with us, they will end up back in circulation.

[JeffH]

I was once paid $80 (for a job) by an elderly lady -all in 50¢ pieces from a 1kg coffee tin. She puts any she gets there as her emergency fund.
She said she hoped I didn't mind getting paid in coins.
Mind! I even tipped them out on the table and counted them out to save her the bother. :yahoo:

[5 rubles]

I think you are absolutely correct, people see a commemorative coin and assume it is rare and put it away for a rainy day. My mother-in law (knows nothing about coin collecting) has a stash of Charles and Diana 50c coins, "the are rare and valuable" she says... I don't have the heart to tell her they are worth 50c. I probably inherit them, she is 87.
So because people collect the commemorative coins out of circulation the standard coins get an extra workout and eventually became much rarer in good condition.
Similar case is with old gold coins, I mean from mid 1800, I only have a couple but they are in remarkable condition. The reason being that they did not go from pocket to pocket on a daily basis but sat in a rich persons safe for a long time before passing to another rich person to stash away for a long time.
It would be interesting to know the life of a 200 year old gold coin, where did it reside and who used it and for what. Maybe someone's rich old uncle or aunty could tell?