Hunting Guidelines Help For Newbies

Hello.

The most important thing to is collect what you like. This is all supposed to be about having fun (at least I think it is). If you enjoy a particular coin, that is what you save. If you absolutely hate a particular coin, don't waste your energy/time/space collecting them.

Thought I would give my thoughts/tips on what I do:

From Your Guide:

Zinc - While that is mostly true, SOME 1983 pennies were minted in copper by mistake. If you are going to take the time to buy a scale and weigh 1982 to sort zinc from copper, I see it as worth it to weigh the 1983s as well.
Also for Zincs, I save any 2009 memorial cents that are in decent condition as well (grab them now before they have been circulating for 10 years).

Copper - I do hoard all of my copper cents that I encounter. While it is true you can't melt them but you can sell them at melt value to another hoarder, there was a law on the books that said you can't take $5.00 or more of pennies out of the country. This was to avoid people shipping pennies to Mexico or Canada to melt them where they wouldn't have a law against it. I don't know all of the details, but most people I know disclose they will only ship within the US when selling copper pennies on ebay to just avoid this whole hassle.

Not from your guide:

Dimes - I save anything 1964 or older because they contain silver (and Mercs and Barbers have collectors value).
I also save 2009s because of the low mintage.

Nickels - 1942-1945 contain silver, so I save those (real easy to tell, the mint mark is on the reverse top center).
I save all 2009s because of their low mint marks.
I also save all nice 2004-2005 Westward Journey coins I get.
I save all Buffalo/Indian Head coins.
Lastly, I've heard some people save any pre-1964 coin they encounter, I save anything pre-1959 I encounter in decent shape (just because those things are dang old ).

Quarters - I again save 1964s or older for the silver content (again, Liberties and Barber have collector's value as well).
I also save any 1976s (I am a sucker for those 1976s).
Now, with all of the States/Territories/America the Beautiful Quarters, you can easily go broke saving coins for the sake of saving coins. I personally hoard any of those that are in very good shape, and I am frequently going back through my tubes of quarters and tossing back coins that look less than nice when I am looking at them with fresh eyes. Others don't bother with this.

Halves - I save anything pre-1970 for the silver (1965-1970 40%, 1964-older 90%).
I again save all 1976s for myself.
Some time around 2002 the mint stopped making these for public circulation, and so many save those no matter the year or mint mark, but I am not an expert on those and I don't have my Red Book in front of me.

Dollars - I save all Susan Bs and Ikes I come across for myself (ask every time you go to the bank! LIKE IKE! SAVE IKE! ).

ALL COINS - I save proofs. You can tell a proof coin by the mirror background and frosty image on the coin. I am pretty sure they all have the S mint mark, but don't quote me on that because I am not 100% versed on every mint mark (actually if the coin has a mint mark other than a D, or P, or no mint mark I'd snatch it up until you know what it is).

Last bits of tips:

- Get coin rolls every single time you go to the bank to pick up rolls, even if you don't need them. At least one of your banks that you pick up coins/drop off coins at should be a bank that will give you paper rolls hassle free.

- I don't bother to roll my pennies anymore, I just take them to Coinstar. In a $25 box I average $5 in keepers, and so to dump $20 at Coinstar I loose $2 if I cash out. Worth it to me to pay $2 thank to spend the time and effort to roll the pennies. I'll even dump $20 in nickels if I run out of empty rolls. Dimes, Quarters, Halves, and Dollars are worth rolling and taking to the bank.

- Again: Collect what you like! It is all great and good to hoard every America the Beautiful Quarter if you like those quarters. If you hate those quarters, hunting for them becomes a chore and not a hobby.

Happy hunting!

Thanks to MadMortician and enworb. MM - you've helped me out. I was mostly on track with pennies and halves, but your input on nickels, dimes and quarters is of real help. enworb - thanks for the encouragement re dry spells. You hit a responsive chord there - 6 or 8 boxes of halves with zero silvers is pretty discouraging. That's why I always keep hunting pennies - there are ALWAYS coppers and wheaties to help keep the enthusiasm for the hunt alive, while silver hunting tends to be a discouragingly low-yield hobby these days.