Proofs From Penny, Nickel, Dime, Quarter Rolls/Boxes?

I do cent boxes and have only ever found less than 20 in all the cents I have looked through (read my signature line)
John1

In *theory* the absolute number of proofs in circulation should be about the same across all denominations, assuming that dealers are dumping about the same number of each. They are easier to find among half and dollar coins because of a higher ratio of circulating to NIFC issues. Halves were only produced from 1964-2001 for circulation, about a third of which was concentrated in 1964-69, which has been almost entirely pulled and hoarded or melted. It also becomes a sort of feedback loop because the only people handling half dollars are mostly roll hunters who know that they aren't worth much more than face value, if anything at all. So, if these are impaired at all, they get tossed right back into the mix.

Ditto with the dollar coins; even though the mintages are supposed to be much higher, the vast majority of 2000-2001 and 2007-2008 are sitting in warehouses built specifically for that purpose, so the proof/NIFC rejects are getting tossed into a much smaller supply that gets kicked around between bank branches.

I found my only 2 proofs in the reject bin of the coinstar. The reason I mention this is because the silver proofs may not be getting into circulation via coinstar but ending up elsewhere. Although They could be picked out and spent.

On a per coin basis, I'd say of those four denominations, proof cents are the hardest to find, and proof nickels the easiest. I estimate that I find a proof cent about every 100,000 coins, and a proof dime about every 25,000 coins.

When I did my last major tally of my nickel finds (at 900,000 coins searched), I had found 51 proofs (dates range 1954 through 2012) and two 1966 SMS coins, for a total of 53 Proof/SMS coins, or about 1 every 17,000 coins.

I haven't found a single proof quarter via CRH rolls yet, but I haven't searched that denomination in nearly the quantity as I have nickels, cents, halves, and dimes. However, I have found two proof quarters in Coinstars.

i scored a 1971 proof Washington quarter a couple months ago while searching a sack of bartender tip change. I can't remember now if I took pix of it...

Aside from dollars and halfs, I found it easiest to find proofs in Nickels, which is due to the same NIFC to circulating ration Finn mentioned, since nickels are used less often than cents dimes and quarters, the mint produces fewer of them on average then the other denominations and as a result their frequency in the circulating population is higher. Impaired proofs do have value over face, but unless one is selling them in bulk quantity its hard to make it worth your while selling them.

I have found two clad and one silver proof Roosevelt dimes in about $40k worth of dimes searched, although being an edge searcher, I may have missed a couple but I doubt it as they've very fat rims.

Halves are the most likely, I've found a couple dozen clad proof but not silver, usually the impaired proof clad halves get tossed back, I keep one of the best of each year I find.

Excellent!