American Coin Roll Hunting Experience

Well, here's a problem:
if you return searched cents into a bank, then next time, you go to the bank and get new rolls, what if you get the same rolls you returned?

When I search roll I generally switch between 3 banks. I get rolls from one bank search them and go to the next bank and ask for what I want and trade rolls for rolls... I used to get funny looks from the tellers but a short explination "I collect coins" will usually suffice.. Goin to get rolls at the same time each time will increase the chace of dealing with same person and less hasle incase of trading rolls for rolls. If wait a few days before getting more rolls will decrease the chance of searching the same rolls.. good luck in your hunting!

Don't establish TOO close of a relationship with the vault teller. Somehow, I ended up married to mine

I'm actually pretty new to coin roll hunting (I started about a month ago and have done on average like $75 a week), but I have a few tips. Personally I only do dimes, which is actually what my username is named after. Anyway, I've found that if you're using a coin counter machine for the first time only put like $10 in to see if it works because I've had problems with machines only counting like 90% of my coins. Also, always check the reject slot of coin machines whenever you see one. Just this morning I found a Mercury dime in the reject slot of a machine. Also, if you're just starting coin roll hunting before you decide which bank(s) will be your dump bank get a certain amount from each bank in your area and compare the find rates of coins. Thats pretty much all my advice. If I think of any more I'll make another post or edit this one.

P.S.

Petersun - To answer your question about returning searched coins to a bank pick one or more banks to be your "dump" banks. This means that you get your rolls from certain banks, and you return your coins to certain other banks. This makes sure that you do not end up getting the same coins.

Here's something for cents. Some of the older US cents (I believe from 1940s) were made to be magnetic. So I use a magnet and I'll probably get some Canadian cenes and older US cents.

@wquinn: I had thought about doing something similar with the grid idea. I'm reading up on coins and things so I can make myself a cheat sheet of things to look for as I am sorting coins.

The only real tip I have for sorting it place a unique mark on your coin rolls if you are rolling your own coins (I put the Greek letter Omega on my rolls, both sides). It takes just a second to do, and it helps you not get the same roll back. I actually dumped a box of pennies in at one location, and then my girlfriend offered to pick up a box of pennies for me a few nights later because I was stuck at work and wasn't going to get to the bank before it closed. Sure enough, it was the first time she had offered to do this and I hadn't told her that this particular branch was my "dumping" branch, and she went there. Luckily she opened the box at the counter and saw my mark and asked for a different box.

As far as getting rolls at banks my tips may not be expert or new, but they generally work for me. I welcome any feed back or suggestions.

- I currently only go to Bank of America branches because I have an account through them and this way I never have to worry about being told I can't be helped because I don't have an account there.

- Same thing goes for asking for empty coin rolls: Since I have an account with BofA they won't turn me away from the lack of an account.

- I also never hesitate when the teller asks for my account number and they jot it down on the roll or the box lid. I think they do this in case I short change them they will take the difference from my account? Never had it happen before. Most branches don't ask for it, and I try not to make those banks that do as for it as my "dumping" bank. I also figure if I ever did get caught accidentally short changing the bank and I get caught for it, shame on me.

- I only buy boxes of pennies, and not other rolls at this time (just starting out, and my hobby doesn't have a huge slush fund yet), and I only buy one box at a time. Before I was wiser, I was dumping coins into the same bank I was picking up from. I always brought in a few extra bucks to make an even $25 for $25 exchange. Which means if I sorted a box of pennies, and only had $20 in pennies to exchange, I brought in a $5 bill to off set it. The tellers seemed to appreciate that.

- If I can, I always go to the small business window at the bank. I've been told enough time by the other tellers that they don't have a box of pennies in their drawer, and I get sent down there anyways.

- I always offer to go sit in the lobby and wait if the teller doesn't have enough rolls or a box to give me what I ask for. I've never had them take me up on the offer, but I think they appreciate it that I offer. This also means I don't stop into a bank to do any collecting business unless I have the extra time to wait in the lobby for 5 minutes or so if I ever need to.

- If the teller ever has to go into the vault for coins for me, or even if they have to go to other tellers for coins, I also always offer to call ahead to let them know I am coming and I ask if that would help them out. Again, I've always been told that it doesn't matter and to not worry about it, but I think they appreciate the offer.

- I always say I am a coin collector if I am asked what I am doing, or if I get the sense that they are confused. I don't see a down side to giving any other reason. It gives them an explanation to your unusual request(s), it might lead to a great relationship with the tellers and they may set aside coins/rolls for you, plus it gives you a chance to tell others about the hobby.

- When looking for odd coins (silver dollars, Half Cents) in the teller's drawer, I try to avoid asking "Any unusual coins in your drawer?" and try to be a bit more specific and ask multiple questions after the teller answers each question: "Any half dollars?" "No." "Any Half Cents?". I do this because hopefully the tellers will start to remember me as "The guy that asks for Indian Head Pennies" and if they get any in their drawer they might set it aside for me. I also think tellers get less frustrated by the specific questions instead of them digging through their drawers wondering "Does he think State Quarters are unusual, or does he mean Sacagawea dollars?".

- NEVER ask the teller if they are giving away free samples of money, no matter how good of a relationship you have with them. They NEVER think it is funny.


I can't really think of any other tips at the moment. As I said, I only go to Bank of America branches because I really can't see the point in opening up accounts in other banks. There are enough Banks of America around where I live, around my work, and around where I go socially that I have enough branches to avoid double visits. Am I missing something?

I also saw someone post in a different topic an idea of taking out around $10 of coin rolls you collect from different banks around town, marking them, and keeping a tally to see what banks have a better return of coins than others, and making the low return banks your "dump" banks and the high return banks your "high" banks. Anyone try a method like this, or would this be a good way to drive me crazy?

Thanks.

MadMort, You refer to high return banks and low return bank, but I believe all of them are b of A banks correct? If so, keep in mind that it doesn't matter which bank you are dumping or buying at. They send all their coin to the same central facility and send it back out. So you are basically dumping at the same place you pick up. The good news is with a bank the size of B of A, it probably doesn't affect you that much. (*I know that to be fact here in the mid-west but its possible they have a different setup on the west coast)

OO