I could deposit them; had them in my wallet (not constantly). They were not out of circulation. Not by a long shot. Yes, it was all legal, LOL.
No bank ever blinked when I deposited except one, BION, in a semi-ritzy area. What morons. Demanded my cash back and deposited at my nearby branch with absolutely no problems.
They’re still legal tender, but I was wondering how you managed to find any 60 years after they stopped printing them.