What Size Of City Yields The Best Returns For Silver Half Dollars?

I just tried 1st time today with miserable results. Maybe you just saw my post. I live in central MO, between STL and KC (120 mi each way). I suspect the dump for coins is the fed in KC, then sent out via vendor/carrier like Brinks or Guarda to banks around this area. Pickin"s on 280 coins (14 rolls) was poor, did get a couple hole filler/replacements, but no silver or other special item. I did notice 3 different markers on this group of coins, meaning at least three others had looked through previously, quite picked over in other words. I may try for grins and giggles get a $500 box to run through for a final test, but am not holding any big hopes. Think the source is being too picked thru, too many searchers and not enough people inputing grandpa's collections! Think maybe areas away from the major fed dumps KC, NYC, etc may be better?


Just reread your question, sorry! Driving to other areas will only help if you find those small banks that carry multiple boxes of halves, most of the time they get 1 box to use for their customers, not giving whole boxes. You may have luck at counter searching these small banks, but that is luck of the draw. Take a road trip with your sweetie some early Sat. morning and try it?

I have done a fair amount of coin rolls hunting in a moderate size city in NW Washington State. Most of the coins I have searched have been from banks less than 5 miles from me, and most of them from a bank a mile away. I have searched the equivilent of 8.3 boxes and have found 10 90% and 27 40% + various nifc and proof coins. So, it is a crap shoot, but if you find one thing that does not work, try another. The reason I stick close to home is that I have developed a good relationship with the head teller at my main bank. She is now holding $50 & $100 small head notes for me, so that I can try to snag some better ones. Finding a bank like that is somewaht rare and something to nurture. Tip - never dump anything back to your source bank. Best of luck to all.

Rock,

Finding half dollars worthy of your collection is totally random. I've CRHed half dollars in 5 states over the last 4 years, and have found the larger population centers yield better results. As morbid as it is, I believe this is due to the fact more people = more deaths = more ignorant inheritors depositing the recently deceased relative's coin collection at a bank. A successful CRHer happens to be in the right place, at the right time. Good luck!

As a roll hunter since about 1978, I believe all the size of city has to do with CRH is that larger cities offer more banks.

I travel a lot for my job and I CRH in two federal areas Philly and Cleveland. I have little to no luck with Fed wrapped halves in Philly and just a little luck with Fed Wrapped halves in Cleveland area. Ditto with silver dimes though the Fed wrapped Dimes in Cleveland can average 2 per box on a good day. Most of my luck is with customer wrapped rolls in the Cleveland area. My best finds are from tellers that know I collect and that I have developed a relationship with by taking all of the dross (SAQs, clads and $2 bills) from them.

I am out of my normal area this weekend. I was able to pick up a single box and 5 separate rolls. The box and separate rolls were from different banks. The box was a skunk. I counted 6 different marking schemes on the various coins in the box. I would say that it was well beyond searched. The separate rolls had coins with some of the same marks as those in the box. This seems way too searched for much success to be had. I can't wait to get back to my normal hunting grounds. I'm still averaging roughly 1 coin per box...

I live in a small town and I've had pretty good results with all denominations, especially half dollars. I don't order any halves, just pick up whatever loose or cwr ones. In the last couple years, I would say ive gotten 1 silver half per $50.

Nice finds, RockIt54321!

Yes, the "normal" hunting grounds seem to do best for me too... but it's good to explore other areas around you and tap into sources no one else has. I've stumbled upon some pretty good stuff through this "trial and error." Also have hit some duds, but that's just how it goes.