I told a twentysomething cashier that he should “keep an ear out” for coins that sounded “funny” (clank rather than clink) because that meant they were real silver. He said he’d never encountered any such thing. He’s probably right.
Back about 20 years ago I got a silver quarter in change out of a copy machine.
A friend of mine has a daughter who finds an old silver coin in change at the 7/11 where she works from time to time.
We think they get back into circulation through burglaries or that sort of thing.
That's nothing! I got a 1943 quarter in change at the local Big Box this past December. Darned near had a Holiday Heart Attack!