Coin Roll Hunting: A Beginner's Guide

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Harmonica Pillar of the Community Canada 1118 Posts	Posted 05/16/2015 12:20 am Coin Roll Hunting This is a beginner's guide to the hobby of coin roll hunting, here forth known as "CRH". This guide will answer all the basic questions that come up repeatedly in this sub forum. By reading this guide you can find the answer to some of your own question before starting a new thread to something that has already been answered. I will start off my addressing questions that apply to everyone and then cover Canadian coinage issues and finally United States of America coinage issues. What is CRH? CRH is the hobby of going through piles of circulating coinage in the hopes of finding a coin to add to your coin collection. These coins are usually worth more than their face value by being rare or made of a precious metal. However a coin with no inherent value may be saved for person reasons (you find it cool how someone drilled a hole in it, it is from your birth year etc.) Where do I get piles of circulating coinage? I like how you said piles and not rolls or coinage. Despite it's name CRH is not all about rolls. Yes rolls of coins are the easiest way to get access to a bunch of coins so I will address this first. You can go to your bank to get coins. Now what if you are not a member of a bank? Never stopped me. I currently do not have a bank account. I go to the Bank of America in Maine and the Scotia Bank in New Brunswick with no problem. Just walk up to the counter and ask for rolls of coins. If they charge a premium on rolls of coins find a bank that doesn't. Failing that you can ask at stores. One Saturday I was jonesing to hunt some nickels so I asked the checkout girl at Sobey's for a roll of nickels. It worked. Also you do not need rolls to roll hunt. We all have family members that have old margarine containers filled with card game betting change. Since the change in here probably never left the several containers they get switched around in since they were first put there years ago these could be a gold mind for key dates (see "Vernacular" at the end of this guide to learn what a key date is) How many coins are in a role of X denomination, how much for a single roll and how much for a box of said rolls? Please see the respected countries section as the coin numbers differ once you get up to higher denominations than a half dollar. Do I roll up all the change by hand when I am done and bring it back to the bank? Nope. I mean yes roll it by hand unless you have one of those fancy rolling machines available. I have never seen one in the flesh coming from rural New Brunswick but if you have access to one go for it. I heard you have to pay to use it though so then you won't be getting coins at face. Also, do not, I repeat, do not bring your rolls back to the same bank. You do not poop where you eat, right? You will contaminate your supply and keep getting the same rolls over and over again. Bring them to a separate bank in town of a different branch. CRHers call these their "dump bank" To save time when it comes to rolling your change here is a hint: Keep a few coins on hand you do not want when you coin roll hunt. If you take 3 coins out of the roll put 3 different coins back in the roll from your "do not want" pile. Doing this one roll at a time is easier than trying to roll 800 dimes some long weekend. On a side note if you do have access to a coin counter machine look in the reject tray. Foreign coins and silver coins are dumped out here. Also do to it's composition you can find '43 steel wheaties (learn more in the "What to look for section" in America) Now, the individual countries: The Canadian Section: Here is the roll/box numbers for you Cents, 50 to a roll for 50c.. A box has 50 rolls for $25 Nickels, 40 to a roll for $2. A box has 50 rolls for $100 Dimes, 50 in a roll for $5. A box has 50 rolls for $250 Quarters, 40 in a roll for $10. A box has 50 rolls for $500 Half Dollars 25 in a roll for $12.50, a box has 50 rolls for $625 What do I keep? Well, this is a personal question, are you building a date set? Well keep one coin from every year. Maybe you are looking for silver? Here is a brief overview of what most people hope to find in each denomination. Same in all: '67 centennial, pre '53 (King George VI), '47 Mapleleaf, anything from '22 to '29 Cents: Pre '97 (pure copper), '67 (rock dove/centennial), pre '53 (King George VI) '47 maple leaf issue Nickels: Pre '82 (pure nickel) '67 (hare/centennial), '42-'44 V for Victory, '51 nickel commemorative, pre '53 (King George VI) '41 maple leaf Dimes/quarters/half dollar: Pre '67 silver(1911-1919 92.5% 1920-1967 80%), 68 debased silver(50% to 80%), '67 (mackerel/cougar/wolf/centennial), pre '53 (King George VI), '47 maple leaf Of course you will come across foreign coins, varieties and some modern commemoratives you may want to keep. Save USA coins for when you go over across to buy your groceries.A great online resurce for varieties can be found here: http://www.coinsandcanada.com/coins-prices.php Ignore the prices, they are the result of a fever dream. The United States of America section Here is the roll/box numbers for you Cents, 50 to a roll for 50c.. A box has 50 rolls for $25 Nickels, 40 to a roll for $2. A box has 50 rolls for $100 Dimes, 50 in a roll for $5. A box has 50 rolls for $250 Quarters, 40 in a roll for $10. A box has 50 rolls for $500 Half Dollars 20 in a roll for $10, a box has 50 rolls for $500 What do I keep? Well, this is a personal question, are you building a date set? Well keep one coin from every year. Maybe you are looking for silver? Here is a brief overview of what most people hope to find in each denomination Cents: 2009 Life of Lincoln cents, Pre '82 95% copper, Wheaties, Indians, Flying Eagles, 43 Steel NIckels: Buffalo, WWII silver (1942-1945, "P" mint mark above Montecello, 35% silver) Dimes/Quarters/Halfs:Pre '65 silver (90%), '65-'70 40% silver half dollars Of course you will come across foreign coins, varieties and some modern commemoratives you may want to keep. The CRHers Vernacular Junk SIlver: a silver coin too beat up to be collectable Key Date: A year a coin was produced in small numbers Wheatie: Wheat back cent Vicky: Queen Victoria Dark Side: foreign coin Exonumia: A token or medal, something coin like but not an actual coin Pick up Bank: The bank where you get your coins to search Dump Bank: The bank where you drop off your searched coins Indian: Indian Head cent Buffalo: Nickel with a buffalo on it Skunk Box: a box of coins with nothing of interest in it Face Value: The value stamped on the coin Intristic Value: The value of a coin based on it's metal content Numismic Value: The value a coin commands by being desirable among collectors Dedicated "post your finds" topics to Specific Denominations Ike dollars https://goccf.com/t/128402 Sack/Prez Dollars https://goccf.com/t/135364&SearchTe...small,dollar Half Dollar https://goccf.com/t/22710 Quarter dollars https://goccf.com/t/74084 Dimes https://goccf.com/t/60961 Nickels https://goccf.com/t/24785 Cents https://goccf.com/t/38685 Canadian https://goccf.com/t/145998 Coin Counter Reject Trays https://goccf.com/t/128850 Special thanks to... Fuzy317 Edited by Harmonica 05/16/2015 4:22 pm Report this Post to the Staff

Fuzzy317 Moderator United States 14463 Posts	Posted 05/16/2015 01:06 am You don't seem to include the US 1964 Dimes/Quarters/Halfs in your listing. It should be: Pre '65 or '64 and earlier edit - and you may want to included the silver percentages: 92.5% 80% or 50% for Canadian coins 90% 40% or 35% for US coins Report this Post to the Staff
Harmonica Pillar of the Community Canada 1118 Posts	Posted 05/16/2015 01:23 am Done! Thank you for the correction and suggestion. Report this Post to the Staff
Fuzzy317 Moderator United States 14463 Posts	Posted 05/16/2015 01:26 am you're welcome Report this Post to the Staff
WheatHunter Valued Member United States 108 Posts	Posted 05/16/2015 2:54 pm Don't forget the US 1987 half dollars or (maybe?) NIFC halves (2002 and after). Also, maybe you could combine the Canadian dimes, quarters and half dollars into one "section" like you did for the US dimes, quarters and half dollars? Maybe? Edited by WheatHunter 05/16/2015 3:00 pm Report this Post to the Staff
Harmonica Pillar of the Community Canada 1118 Posts	Posted 05/16/2015 4:03 pm I could. NIFC stands for "not intended for circulation", eh? Wouldn't the few that got into circulation have dings as compared to the rolls upon rolls being put away by "coin investors". There will be a lot of NIFC quarters to add for Canada. I'll do that to the Canadian section. By the time I typed it all out once I realized I din't have to for U.S.A. and din't really have to for Canada either. Can anyone else think of more slang terms unique to this hobby or anything else I should cover? I want to make a list of key dates tonight after scale practice on my harmonica. Report this Post to the Staff
ace_ftw Pillar of the Community Canada 1747 Posts	Posted 05/16/2015 10:17 pm Maybe note in Canadian section that halves, cents, silver dollars are not regularly found, no longer circulating? Also there was no mention of silver dollars in either section. Canadian halves are also not likely to be found in rolls, unless really new Report this Post to the Staff
jbuck Moderator United States 188770 Posts	Posted 05/18/2015 10:34 am A nice guide. Thank you for sharing. Coin Collector Since 1978 Avatar Old Avatar 7070 Eisenhower Australia Canada World CCF Members on eBay CCF eBay Search Engine Report this Post to the Staff
Harmonica Pillar of the Community Canada 1118 Posts	Posted 05/18/2015 2:54 pm ace_ftw, I'll point tat put. I can use a personal antidont to show why it never hurts to ask. I'll write something up about siolver dollars for both sections on the off chance someone could use it. I have yet to ask for old dollars and get a silver but hopefully one day. jbuck, thank you. Well I guess I can't edit after 1 day so I will write up some more stuff to be added and then bother one of the admins about it. Address some of the less like currency you will come into, discuss silver dollars, make list of key dates, add buying world lots as a possibility to CRH and I would like to add some more CRH terms if anyone feels I left out some important ones. Report this Post to the Staff
eagle_eye_18 Valued Member United States 449 Posts	Posted 05/18/2015 3:09 pm If you are going to make a guide that many people will read, then I suggest you scan through for typos. I have spotted a few while reading through. Nice guide by the way! Report this Post to the Staff
fistfulladirt Pillar of the Community United States 4333 Posts	Posted 05/18/2015 9:15 pm Quote: Can anyone else think of more slang terms unique to this hobby or anything else I should cover? Couple more - Dream box: box loaded with silver Ender: roll with a silver or collectible coin on the end, ie; "Bender"( Franklin half) "Kender" (Kennedy silver half) lol. CWR: customer-wrapped roll MWR: machine-wrapped roll Kind Box: Smokin' box full of silver. OK, I just coined that one myself. When I listen to LED ZEPPELIN...so do my neighbors... Roll hunting since '77 Dirt fishing since '72 Report this Post to the Staff
CoinHunter53562 Pillar of the Community United States 2049 Posts	Posted 05/18/2015 9:24 pm Well done sir! Report this Post to the Staff
jack jeckel Pillar of the Community United States 5208 Posts	Posted 05/18/2015 10:05 pm You forgot the basics: people skills. Say please and thank you when picking up and dumping and when necessary bribe the banks that get you coin and count your coin for no fee (which costs the bank money) with donuts, pizza, gift cards or whatever you choose but be sure to thank them for their efforts. Report this Post to the Staff
brenpickle Pillar of the Community United States 836 Posts	Posted 05/19/2015 09:50 am Great post. This answers a lot of the basic questions. Thanks for taking your time to make this. Report this Post to the Staff
Harmonica Pillar of the Community Canada 1118 Posts	Posted 05/19/2015 8:48 pm Hey, could one of the admins do something for me? At the end of the body of text found in the "Where do I get piles of circulating coinage?" could you tack on... Although not at face value you can also buy "Unsearched" lots of foreign coins on ebay, Vcoin or similar platforms. I put "unsearched" in quotations because most Coin Community Forum members will tell you that these lots are often seeded with the occasional world silver or Indian Head cent to lure you in but the majority of the lot is made up of lower grade/common dates that has been picked over. Always be polite and courteous. Use "please" and "thank you". If they have no boxes in say "Thank you for checking" and be on your merry way. Once you get a rapport going you may even get called in for stuff. Don't be afraid to surprise your teller with a box of Tim Bits once in a while. Yes, tellers are their to serve you however they are not their to be your personal slave. Right after the Canadian Section what do I keep blah blah list of half dollars could you add this list of key dates?* Key dates by denomination Cents 21-30 1936 Dot 1946 "A to denticle" 1955 no shoulder fold 1962 Harp 1985 Pointed 5 Nickels 1925 1926 Far 6 1932 Far 2 1944 Tombac 1951 High Relief 1965 Small Beads 1970 (from experience pretty much impossible) 1990 Bare Belly Dimes 1956 Dot 1969 Large Date Quarters 1973 Large Bust New Brunswick Coin Alignment Half Dollars 1921 1982 Small Beads In both sections (America and Canada) when I listed all the roll information could you add Silver dollars: Loose, ask I updated the slang list and alphabetized it, could it now read... Buffalo: Nickel with a buffalo on it CWR: customer-wrapped roll Dark Side: foreign coin Dream box: box loaded with silver Dump Bank: The bank where you drop off your searched coins Ender: roll with a silver or collectible coin on the end, Exonumia: A token or medal, something coin like but not an actual coin Face Value: The value stamped on the coin Indian: Indian Head cent Intristic Value: The value of a coin based on it's metal content Junk SIlver: a silver coin too beat up to be collectable Key Date: A year a coin was produced in small numbers MWR: machine-wrapped roll Numismatic Value: The value a coin commands by being desirable amongst collectors Pick up Bank: The bank where you get your coins to search Skunk Box: a box of coins with nothing of interest in it Vicky: Queen Victoria Wheatie: Wheat back cent Zoel Number: A number used to denote a Canadian variety coin Lastly could you add the following members to the thank you list.. fistfulladirt jack jeckel ace_ftw WheatHunter and of course the admin that makes these changes. Report this Post to the Staff
Harmonica Pillar of the Community Canada 1118 Posts	Posted 05/19/2015 8:49 pm Anyone south of the 49th parallel want to share a list of key date USA coinage? Report this Post to the Staff
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