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Replies: 18 / Views: 3,339 |
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New Member
United States
3 Posts |
Hello community, I'm new to collecting coins. I only seriously started considering it this week. I bought a few coins off ebay (an eagle cent, Indian Head cent, and a 2 cent piece, with some other things I found cool) that I found interesting, and I was calling it quits there, when I happened across a post (not on this site) that mentioned getting rolls of coins from the bank to look through. I happened to have ten dollars, so I went to my local bank and asked for a roll of half dollars. The nice lady behind the counter told me it was my lucky day, she didn't often have them. I took my roll, and made my way home. I found 4 1967, 6 1968, and 1 1969 Kennedy half dollar. The rest were bicentennial dollars. From my understanding, the coins I listed are worth more, just because they have a 40% silver content. My question, really, is this a really uncommon occurrence? Did I get spectacularly lucky? Or am I misunderstanding and these are only worth face value. Also, if they are worth anything, would it be better for me to keep them, or try and sell some to maybe buy some older coins? Thoughts? Sorry for the wall of text, but if you have waded through it, I would value any thoughts and input. *** Moved by Staff to a more appropriate forum. ***
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Valued Member
United States
369 Posts |
That's more along the lines of amazingly lucky. Those 40% halves are definitely worth above face. I've been through hundreds and hundreds of rolls and never found a roll that good. Go back to that bank and get all you can ASAP!
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Valued Member
United States
159 Posts |
Wow! What a find. It's very very rare to find rolls that good. Nice Find!  In terms of value 1964 and before half dollars is 10.31 each. For 1965-1970 it is about $4.20 each
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Rest in Peace
United States
7075 Posts |
 I do believe that you have enjoyed some beginner's luck. That's a pretty good haul. Since you are undecided -- why not keep them all? If you decide to start collecting halfs you may want them.
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Valued Member
United States
202 Posts |
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New Member
 United States
3 Posts |
Hey, thanks for the feedback.
As far as going back and getting another roll, I doubt that there are any. When I picked this one up, the teller told me that I was lucky, and they hardly ever had any in. I guess I just went in at the right time.
Does anyone feel strongly one way or the other as to whether I should try and get a little money out of these and get some other coins that I might find more interesting, or keep them?
I am personally leaning towards keeping them, because I just happened across these opposed to buying them, but there are some other coins out there that I would like more.
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
3733 Posts |
 , you can sell them and use the money to buy what you really want, you basically have found free money. so any thing you buy will cost you less than it would have otherwise. sell them or trade them at your local coin shop, and enjoy your new free coins..
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1116 Posts |
The question about getting selling for what amounts to over $45 in silver content (based upon today's price) for $5.50 out of you pocket is purely up to you. Myself, I know that I wouldn't be able to get that much from a dealer. It would probably be closer to $40, but still for that you could get yourself a pretty nice coin depending upon what your interest is. The problem for you would be to determine what and where your interest lies. Just to go out and pick a coin without knowing its value could be very ill advised. What is it that you want to collect and what is also interesting to you. You could go out and get some nice morgan or Peace dollars but without knowing their value you could be overspending. Before you buy any coin go out and look at the values on numismedia.com to see what you should be spending. Research is your friend. Further, there is no better feeling that to spend your money on coin rolls like you did and to hit it lucky. Basically what you found is free money. Even though the bank teller said that it was you lucky day (which it was) there still is the chance or probability that there is more there. When it comes to Kennedy half dollars there is more to them that those that are silver. There are a number of recent years (starting in 2001 I believe) where the mint had stopped distributing them for general circulation purposes. Those that are in good condition (more research on your part) are worth more than face value. This is where research on your part is most important. To find out what makes a good condition half dollar take at look at the photograding that is on pcgs.com for more knowledge. However, first you have to decide what and where your interest lies - bullion (silver content coins) or numismatics (filling up a coin album with the coins that you like). This is definitely one hobby where you can go in many directions at the same time, but first arm yourself with some knowledge. If you decide to delve further maybe invest in some reference material. The first book of which that I would recomment to you is the Red Book. What ever you decide the choice is yours. I'd like to know where you decide to roam. Stick on here for awhile and you will also get a lesson. Welcome.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1116 Posts |
By the way, when I started out I choice nickels bought some Whitman albums and got myself a handful of $2 rolls and started from there. As I found better coins I replaced the ones in the album. When I filled up the albums, then I bought a better album and did the same thing all over again. I get the original albums as a reminder of where I started. Then I started on pennies and my collecting took off. I always replace an existing coin with a found coin that is better. The reason that I started with circulating coins is that my collection in nickels and pennies is always at face value. Other coins dimes, quarters, and so forth are sometimes more expensive. You can't go wrong by starting with circulating coins because if you decide that you tired you always can spend them for what you have invested in them without feeling that lost money. It's a hobby where you procede at you own pace investing the money you want. To me my completed nickel albums are at the value I put on them. Enjoy yourself that is by far the most important thing you can do in this and any hobby. {edit} As a suggestion perhaps go out and purchase the best Morgan dollar you could for the value of the halves and you would always have something special to remind yourself of your lucky day. However research it yourself first.
Edited by ghostrider 02/28/2013 8:00 pm
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New Member
 United States
3 Posts |
ghostrider, Thank you for the well thought out post. As a general rule, I didn't really decide to start collecting coins from the bullion standpoint, more along the lines of the "neat!" standpoint. I doubt that I will ever be a large investor, bullion or otherwise. Just a small hobby to fill up some free time. As far as trading the coins in, there isn't really any place nearby (I live in the boonies), and 40 dollars is more than likely very optimistic about what I might expect to get for them. Is the only real value to these (and they are in pretty circulated condition, no fooling anyone there) their intrinsic silver value? I assume so. My main interest lies in collecting US coins that were in circulation, which I have been trying to research, but there doesn't seem to be a good resource for beginners showing coins that were only really for commemorative reasons, and ones that were meant to be in circulation. I spent around 30 dollars on ebay and bought an eagle penny, a Two Cent Piece, a Mercury dime, an Indian Head penny, a large cent, and a liberty head nickel. I probably got rooked a little, but being in a rural community, ebay is my cheapest, and easiest option for buying coins. I believe I have decided to sell some of the coins, if the situation ever arises, to collect some other coins that interest me, and keep the rest for sentimental reasons. Who knows, maybe some day I will be able to pass them onto children, or grandchildren. That would be pretty cool. Thanks to everyone who posted here. Your advice and support is invaluable to a newcomer to the scene like me.
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Valued Member
United States
239 Posts |
My opinion is to keep them. You got about 1.5ozt of silver for under $6, that's a great score by all means. The only real reason they are worth anything is because of the silver content in them. Even if you are not into PMs, they are nice to have. Rarer than your average circulated coin.
I often find 40% when I pick up rolls, however I've been through hundreds & hundreds of dollars worth and have gotten skunked.
On another note, id give ya $40 paypal for them =)
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3755 Posts |
Unless the coins are in AU or better shape, cash them in for their silver value. We hunt rolls every week and save up the silver we find and cash it in in big chunks. You may want to consider doing that also.
Talk to the head teller. Ask her if she can order boxes of halves for you. It is 500.00 for a box. If so, get a box and go through them. I would also suggest getting an account at TD bank as they have coin counters. That way you don't have to re wrap the coins to turn them back in. We have accounts with several banks so that we can get multiple boxes. The more you go through, the better the odds of finding good stuff.
And yes, that was an above average roll for theses days. Years ago, that was average if not below average. Too many people looking for silver now.
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Valued Member
United States
253 Posts |
I'd say you got very lucky. I have been through many rolls and will occasionally find one 40% (1965-1970) half. Whether you should keep them would depend on their condition. If they are uncirculated or close to uncirculated, you should consider keeping them. If they are well circulated, then I would sell them for the silver content and get a nice coin that you will enjoy owning. Just my opinion.
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Rest in Peace
United States
7075 Posts |
I see you've gotten a lot of good advice.
Since you aren't able to easily buy coins in person, I will add a little more advice.
Stick around here, and when you get enough posts, you can trade with people on this site -- or sell coins here.
But I think that if you keep those lucky finds you will always have a reminder of one really good day in your life.
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Valued Member
United States
271 Posts |
Hmmm, so where is this bank that you got these coins from ? ? ? ?
I had beginners luck too when I started buy half dollar rolls from the local banks. I quickly collected silver. Then one day I went in to buy more and all the rolls had a little black mark on the side....silver run finished.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1116 Posts |
Regarding half dollars in my area, I find very little '64 Kennedy's, but a slew of the 40%ers. I think that most people know about 64 being the last of the 90%ers but forget about those pesky 40%ers.
I find very few of the NIFC's from either Denver or Philadelphia, but they are out there. However, I'm finding none from San Franscisco. So my only place to get these coins is from a local coin store, coin web sites (like here) or the annual coin show that coins here in April or May.
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Replies: 18 / Views: 3,339 |