How Many Are Into Coin Roll Hunting?

Well.. after yesterday's latest blitz of postings and with the thread growing by the day I am way to addicted now to stop.. Even though I got a box of pennies Tuesday morning I had to pick another one up today, just am cracking it open now..
I now have 5000 pennies to go through. Should take me about a week, I have a pretty good system down now. Will update later with any interesting finds.. Good hunting people!

Ok.. pre sort of my box of pennies I got this morning is done..

27 Wheaties with earliest being 1938
6 Proofs with one being 1949S!
3 Canadian Cents ironically enough '62 '63' '64!

Now onto sorting some more! 5000 pennies here I come!

I guess I could be wrong and misunderstand when I was under the impression that certain coins during certain years were struck with the S mintmark on them for San Fransisco. This is where during those years, coins were struck at that location solely for use in Proof Mint Sets. This means at some point those Proof Sets were cracked open and the coins wound up in circulation where they were never meant to be. Thus making them a interesting and rare find. Can anyone else confirm this for me? I am new as well to the coin roll hunting.

Even though San Francisco began to be the exclusive producer of proof coinage beginning in 1968, they did not mint coinage exclusively for proof sets until 1975. You can find business strike cents with an "S" mintmark up to 1974 and nickels up to 1970. Dimes and all higher denominations were no longer struck for circulation at San Francisco (with an "S" mintmark) after 1955. So, if you have 68,69, and 70 nickels with an "S" mintmark, or cents with an "S" from 1968-1974, they are more than likely not proof. That being said, proof coins can be found in circulation; unless they have circulated awhile they are pretty easy to tell from regular strikes.

20 rolls pennies 5 nickels today ,found 42-48-57-two 69S-70S-71S-72S- 74S and a 68S nickel.

The easiest way to tell a proof from a business strike (that I am aware of; anybody else with opinions on this feel free to chime in) are the surfaces. The backgrounds will resemble a mirror, especially on more recent strikes. Take a look on ebay, or on some other coin site with photos, at more recent proof coinage. The difference is pretty obvious. The '59 proof nickel I pulled still has some of the unique mirror surface to it, despite having seen heavy circulation. Also, something to see on nickels, especially pre-mid 80's, is if there are full steps on Monticello on the reverse (this was next to unheard of on business strikes, even on Uncirculated ones). Again, despite a lot of scratches and obvious circulation, my '59 once had full steps. Again, anyone out there please correct me or add to what I put here. Up until a couple of weeks ago, I'd been out of the hobby since 1991, so I am still trying to catch up!

this helps...thanks..i think I need to see one next to the other for the full effect though