JFK Half Dollar Roll Hunters: Silver, Proofs And Other Finds

I have explained to most tellers at the banks that I visit regularly that I acquire dimes and half dollars looking for silver coins. Most of them don't know that dimes, quarters, and half dollars used to contain 90% silver -- or that the silver in those coins now is worth ~40X their face value.

My experience is that they typically support my hobby and are happy when I find "junk" silver. I am aware of only one teller who "competes" with me by purchasing silver coins cashed by a customer. It helps that I reward tellers when I acquire silver coins from a collection dump by giving them a modest gift card, or purchasing pizza lunch for their team. I essentially bear the cost of a self-imposed 10% "tax" rewarding them this way. It pays dividends when bank managers order BWRs for me, or tellers set aside coins that they think contain silver.