| Author |
 Replies: 12 / Views: 1,929 |
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
2200 Posts |
Just curious if anybody knows if bank tellers know more about coins--in the numismatic sense--than the general public.
I worked as a teller for a brief time, and we were not trained to look out for rare coins or even silver. We were trained, however, to know what a $1 bill was. (Duh)
|
|
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
814 Posts |
No, we are not trained in numismatics or precious metals. But many of us have educated ourselves in what the "keepers" are.  Edited by hcmusicguy
07/23/2016 07:46 am
|
|
Bedrock of the Community
United States
11951 Posts |
My current tellers I have had for several years.
I know some of them were watching for silver. Now years laters
I have got them watching for all odd coins and older currency.
Now most times, when I go in, 2 or 3 of them may have ..money for me to check out.
|
|
Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
I guess by me this is one of those jobs that just doesn't pay well. And lately many of the tellers at my banks can barely speak English so naturally they know less about what is a valuable coin may be.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
 United States
2200 Posts |
Carl, from my limited experience, I'd say teller is indeed the bottom rung on the bank ladder. So yes, you don't get paid all that much. But my overall impression of bank work is that it's not that worldly, meaning that money is seen simply as money and one does not delve into ancillary topics such as numismatics.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
4333 Posts |
The best educators of tellers are roll hunters themselves.
One example,
Roll hunter at teller line: "Hi, I'm wondering if you have any half dollars in the till. I'm really only interested in the dates 1970 and earlier."
Teller: "Why is that?"
Roll hunter: "Because they are silver!"
When I listen to LED ZEPPELIN...so do my neighbors...
Roll hunting since '77
Dirt fishing since '72
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
1314 Posts |
It may just be my bank, but they have no idea what fractional reserve means, or fiat currency, or gold standard.
When I took out a home loan, I was able to compute payments with my pocket calculator faster than they could with a computer. I think it has become like so many businesses. Hire the cheapest labor and give them a outline to follow. And they don't have any numismatic skills.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
2910 Posts |
It totally depends on the tellers and the individual banks... It's very random. Some (like at the branch where I get my MWR half dollars) know all about silver and go through CWR when they come in and then divide them amongst themselves... Others have no clue at all.
CRH Nickeloholic. 1,600,000 nickels searched in eight years! Have found FOUR complete Jefferson sets!
|
|
Bedrock of the Community
United States
17884 Posts |
Quote:
It may just be my bank, but they have no idea what fractional reserve means, Lots of people don't seem to understand that one. Back during back collapses of 2008/9 there were people demanding laws be passed to forbid banks from operating with a fractional reserve. That would be interesting to see. |
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
513 Posts |
I spoke with a teller last weekend who didn't know that the reverse of quarters have depictions of states, territories, and national parks. And she expressed surprise ("really?!") that dollar coins have depictions of U.S. presidents.
Coulda been she was just yanking my chain, but she seemed genuinely uninterested.
For some tellers anyway, the coins/bills are just the commodity of the business and they don't spend the time to learn about the details. How many of us drive cars? Know the details of the engine?
That might be a good thing. I recall working night shift at a convenience store in my youth and squandering, er, spending my time going through the change drawer instead of doing the work I was supposed to be doing. And I may have popped open a roll or two long before they were actually needed to fill the till.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
Canada
1747 Posts |
in my experience, your have 3 types of tellers, the older generation, who knows there was silver in circulation, the younger generation who have zero clue there was ever silver in circulation, and the last type are the immigrants who did not grow up here and have less knowledge.
I agree that we as roll hunters do educate the tellers, and for me, I have seen a few start pulling out the US change (which I normally pull out and exchange while back in the US)
So we are both propagators of coin collecting as well as downfall of our own successfulness.
|
|
Moderator
 Australia
16810 Posts |
To banks, money is fungible. That means, one piece of money is just as good as any other piece of money of the same denomination. This is a core axiom of the financial system. Requesting to exchange one object for another theoretically identical object in a fungible system is irrational. To a bank, therefore, collectors (who are specifically interested in this $10 note but not that one) are irrational.
Most people, in their jobs, would prefer not to have to deal with irrational people if they can help it. So don't be surprised when tellers are reluctant to comply with your irrational requests.
Likewise, I would assume that banks would prefer their tellers not to become numismatically aware and would even actively select out people who say they are collectors in their recruitment process. Why would any company wish to hire irrational people?
Don't say "infinitely" when you mean "very"; otherwise, you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite. - C. S. Lewis
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
2200 Posts |
One thing I've learned about business--and the bank is a business--is that the people involved aren't necessarily interested in their product. I heard an interview with a man who owns a video production company, and he said that he isn't really interested in movies. What he is interested in is how many different ways he can market his movies in order to make as much money as possible.
I also worked in the creative end of advertising, and I was so caught up in the art and history of the craft that I read every book I could about creative advertising--I couldn't get enough of it. I loved it! Then I noticed that the accountant in our firm didn't care a whit about advertising--it was just a 9 to 5 job to her, doing the same thing she might have been doing at any other company.
So bank people aren't necessarily in love with their product--money--and I think the majority of them see it as a just a job and couldn't care less about silver halves. Of course, many of us coin collectors probably relish the idea of being able to have so many coins at our fingertips every single day. But it's not surprising that numismatic experience is not part of a bank teller's job description.
|
| |
Replies: 12 / Views: 1,929 |
|
Posted 07/23/2016 08:22 am
