Don't look at ME. I was a dumba$$ and searched 5 quarter boxes yesterday and got one sliver to show for it. Had to try to find that sister box, dreamt last night I was watching a vendor hand out silver quarters in change- was terrible I tell ya. HH all, Mark
LOL. You're not alone Mark. Now in my mid 50's, I recall an often recurring dream I had as a child where I would walk up to use a vending machine, and suddenly the coin return would begin puking out silver coins out into my hands, in an endless stream.
I took that often drempt dream from many years ago as sort of a guide...and as it turns out, I made my living using machines.
However, I have never had the chance to handle as large a volume of 90% as I do these days.
LOL. You're not alone Mark. Now in my mid 50's, I recall an often recurring dream I had as a child where I would walk up to use a vending machine, and suddenly the coin return would begin puking out silver coins out into my hands, in an endless stream.
I took that often drempt dream from many years ago as sort of a guide...and as it turns out, I made my living using machines.
However, I have never had the chance to handle as large a volume of 90% as I do these days.
I didn't make my way reaping coins from vending machines. The only way I could have my childhood dreams make any sense was an automobile towing business (making money with machines), that later evolved into a 6000 hour career as a commercial pilot. (Turbine aircraft = machines)
I was also an active skydiver and BASE jumper for 30/20 years respectively, and managed to beat myself up rather badly, and am paying for it now with huge amounts of super morphine each day, and PMs to keep me distracted.
at my local coin shop wednesday, owner asked me 'how many mercs would you buy if i was selling at .80?'
uhhhh, 50?
as i'm sure my stories will tell in the near future, i just started about 6 months ago, but have a nicely growing stash. i try to get to the coin shop twice a month, and usually drop $100-200, depending on how much turkish gold i bought on ebay. :)
as far as legit prospecting, i haven't found anything ever. though i usually just get $5 rolls at grocery/corner stores whenever i get a 5 dollar bill back as change.
sort've embarrassing to say, but i've been sorting pennies for a while now. had probably $200 worth, and i'll sit for an hour every now and then to separate the coppers and wheaties from the post 82's.
*shrug*
i know there's a melt ban, and it's not worth my time, but it calms me down. my dad likes puzzles, i like looking at 1,000 pennies. lol
as far as legit prospecting, i haven't found anything ever. though i usually just get $5 rolls at grocery/corner stores whenever i get a 5 dollar bill back as change.
sort've embarrassing to say, but i've been sorting pennies for a while now. had probably $200 worth, and i'll sit for an hour every now and then to separate the coppers and wheaties from the post 82's.
*shrug*
i know there's a melt ban, and it's not worth my time, but it calms me down. my dad likes puzzles, i like looking at 1,000 pennies. lol
Hi, first post also, don't sell your self short for sorting pennies, you may be one of the few to show a profit in the long run, the coppers are worth about 2.5 cents, the wheats are up around a nickle to collectors. and you can sell the zincs back to the bank for more pennies to sort. It could be a profitable hobby although i wouldn't quit my day job, but you really can't lose. I don't even miss the few hundred that i pack away in pennies every month, but if i put 3-4 one hundred dollars bills up, they wouldn't be there very long. til silver goes down a few bucks an oz, i'll stick with copper.JMO
oh you're right...thing is, i enjoy doing it. probably a little OCD, but hey, it's not hurting anybody else!
actually taking probably $50 or $60 worth of zincs over to my dad's in a little bit and trading him for unsorted. problem is, my jar of coppers is completely full so i'll have to find another..
Haven't posted any results in a while. Had a brief, decent run about a month ago where 4 boxes yielded (3) 90% Kens and (23) 40%. The last 3 weeks have been awful, with me stinking up the joint with a heavy dose of Fragrance By Skunk. Feast or famine, mostly the latter with an occasional score that makes it worth the effort.
I've got a Walgreens by me than every so often, I notice silver halfs in the drawer and buy them all. I have probably gotten 30 like this in the last year. I'll try to post some pictures this weekend from home.
Went through a grand yesterday with one box a skunk and only one 40%er out of the rest of the "bank" rolls. Not a good day at all but at least I got one right? Went to an auction later in the eve and got a bit of junk silver for less than spot - it all evens out in the end.
Also bought a box of cents. Haven't made a full count, but it looks like about 30% so far.
Lightning strikes a second time in a week. Got another quarter box some vendor won't be handing out silver change, gonna continue on while the vein holds out. Got 33 silver Washingtons out of one box and none from the other. Post a pic later. Happy Easter all, Mark
Today was the day I picked up my 3rd box in this area, 4th ever.....
21 - 40%
1 - 90%
Looks like I'm onto something so far here. The results in my first box from this area was also 21 40%'s and just two more 90's than this time, though one was a Franklin.
Needless to say I had a great time breaking those rolls open. Was really expecting a skunk after the first few rolls...then it was a steady stream of one's, two's and even 3 per roll at one point. One roll had two 40%'s right next to each other, boy don't they stand out like a sore thumb!
today's results:
2 $500 boxes cwi wrapped yielded 1 1964, 1 1968, and 1 1976 clad proof half dollars.
first box stunk, second box saved me from a trip to skunkytown.
Cashed a check at Sun Trust and asked for a roll of halves. Said she only had one half in her drawer and asked if I still want it. I told her I'll take everything they had. A passing teller said she had a new box in the vault and I said SOLD.
That is my first full $500.00 box, I usually only get a few rolls. 1- 40% in the whole box. This box had the only 2000 and later halves I can remember getting and a shitload of shiny 1997s and 98s.
I got this box from Sun Trust, but it was marked Wachovia and Brinks in black marker.
So is that box different from the Loomis string and sons boxes? Similar to the closed Brinks boxes? It was just written in marker? Glad you at least got 40% for your troubles.
Just stopped by a (new to me) bank to get a few mixed rolls of coins. Spotted three inches worth of halves stacked up in the tellers tray. Boy I could spot the silver one a mile away.
After she sold me the rolls, I asked about the halves and she pulled an envelope out of the drawer. She asked if there were any in particular that I wanted so I said yeah, anything 70 and older. There were nothing but 71 and newer in there. At the same time the other teller went through the halves in her tray and pulled out the 65 for me.
Got to love paying $.50 for a 40% half at the bank!
So is that box different from the Loomis string and sons boxes? Similar to the closed Brinks boxes? It was just written in marker? Glad you at least got 40% for your troubles.
Here's my first post on this sub forum after following on the original GIM site for a long time. Did 2 boxes of halves today and got skunked on both, no silver, no proofs, boo hoo......
Good day today. 2 boxes dimes gave up 2 silver Roos. Got skunked on 2 boxes of quarters. But 7 boxes of halves gave up a Walker, (5) '64, and (24) 40%ers. BTW topped 300z for the year so far today. HH all, Mark
Well after reading most of the posts looks like it is much to find silver coins in circulation. I don't spend much time looking in the banks anymore but years ago it was something I really enjoyed.
This is my first post. New to Precious Metals. I read this thread, and was thinking what a good idea. I called 6 banks this weekend and went by 2 to see if they had rolls or boxes of 50 cent pieces. I only found $3 worth to purchase. No silver coins. This prospecting might be more difficult than I originally thought.
Would you guys think that credit unions might be a better idea?
This is my first post. New to Precious Metals. I read this thread, and was thinking what a good idea. I called 6 banks this weekend and went by 2 to see if they had rolls or boxes of 50 cent pieces. I only found $3 worth to purchase. No silver coins. This prospecting might be more difficult than I originally thought.
Would you guys think that credit unions might be a better idea?
dmaddox:
The "cold calling" thing doesn't really work for halves, as there are very, very few banks that have them regularly due to the fact that they are virtually nonexistent in circulation. Extra legwork will probably not help much either. You pretty much have to cozy up to a friendly branch and/or teller that will order them for you every week. This is an invaluable relationship, so if you can get it going keep it that way with small gifts (e.g. leftover Halloween candy) every so often. Good luck.
Just like Pyramid has responded, best way is to strike a relationship with a teller or someone at the bank who can place the order for you on a weekly basis. I found nothing by asking around but my local PNC Bank whom I have an account with will order boxes if I ask at the beginning of the week and will call me when they come in! Have to take care of my girl there to keep the relationship going....
I went to my bank, a Wells Fargo, just before Easter and bought some half dollar rolls so we could put some in the kids plastic eggs for their Easter egg hunt. I ended up with 17 40% halves out of the 80 in the four rolls. Those rolls looked like they'd been in the vault for 20 years or more. And no, I didn't give out any of the 40% halves. That was my own little Easter egg.
I went to my bank, a Wells Fargo, just before Easter and bought some half dollar rolls so we could put some in the kids plastic eggs for their Easter egg hunt. I ended up with 17 40% halves out of the 80 in the four rolls. Those rolls looked like they'd been in the vault for 20 years or more. And no, I didn't give out any of the 40% halves. That was my own little Easter egg.
southeast here. ordered two boxes last week. looked forward to it all week. got them today. 2hours sorting yielded 1 40%. at least the cu mining yields 22.5%.
Finished off the month with a bomb. $3K gave up nuttin. Still got 75oz in April according to spreadsheet.
Pick up $4K today- here's hoping for a good start to May:beerglass: HH Mark
:woohoo:
today's results:
2 $500 boxes cwi wrapped yielded 1 1964, 1 1968, and 1 1976 clad proof half dollars.
first box stunk, second box saved me from a trip to skunkytown.
just for laughs, i put the 1976 half into some tarn-x, it responded by getting very shiny. the formerly clad-looking edge is now looking like a 40% or 90%. there is no mint mark on this coin. what is it's composition? i thought it was just a normal clad proof? it "rings" differently than a 90% or 40% too, the tone is higher than both 40% or 90%.
April was not overly generous to me. In like a lamb, out like a lamb, with a few productive boxes in between. Here are the stats:
Boxes: 11
40%: 12
90% Kens: 2 Mephitis mephitis (S. Skunk): 5
Not sure if this counts, but my grandma called me last week to come look at a stash of coins she found that were my grandpa's. He passed away several years ago but he collected so much stuff things just keep turning up. Anyway, after sorting out all the silver coins, I ended up leaving there with 42 war nickels, 9 40% halves, 31 roos/merc dimes, 1 standing liberty quarter and 3 90% halves.
I found two banks willing to order me a box each. One I am a share holder, so I might throw them a bone and open up a CD to keep the boxes coming. The 2nd offered it to me if I opened up a free checking account. I went in last week Bank #2 and they did not offer to order for me, this week the Yes teller standing next to the No teller told me she would order them for me. The No teller was suprised. Hopefully No teller will turn into a Yes teller in the future. Here is to another bank account if they keep the coins coming. I will let you all know what comes out of the boxes once I get them. Hopefully this week.
I am going to get the cash back from the Chase bank that would not order the coins for me. They can count through the coins, and give me the cash for the next box. I better go buy some candy also.