Just Picked Up My First Box...

Consider yourself lucky. Most banks are stopping people with out a buisness to get bulk coins. Get as many as you can before the stop it at your bank too.

Let the madness begin!

Well, I find it all depends on what you are looking for.

If its just wheats and the rare indian, then you should be able to go through a roll in under 30 seconds checking each reverse. I would also use this time to quickly scan for major errors such a clips, blank planchets or major Cuds. You will miss a ton of good stuff if you only search at this level.

If you expand your searches into the RPM/doubled die world. First, I would strongly recommend purchasing a good stereo (dissection) microscope. This will greatly improve your chances of seeing these varieties and won't strain your eyes nearly as much as a loupe. Then start doing research on which varieties are out there. I recommend the coppercoins website as a starting point. Once you have a good list of what you are looking for, start saving coins minted from those years in separate labeled bags, bowls or rolls to check later.

Many people save 82 and pre copper cents due to their increased bullion value. Find a popsicle stick, glue a pre 82 cent on one end and glue a pencil stub in the middle like a teeter totter just so that a 1983 or later cent won't drop. Check it with a pre 82 cent, if it drops you have built it correctly. This will quickly allow you to sort through the 82 zinc cents.

Save all the paper for re-rolling copper (if you save it) or use the rolls to return the zinc to the bank. Stay persistent and don't let a string of bad boxes get you down. Great finds are still out there. Good luck!

Chugly

You can tell if a 1982 is copper by bouncing it from about 6 inches above a table, it makes a completely different sound than zinc pennies. Copper Pennies have a very distinct ringing overtone.

I teach coin hunting in my book and it goes something like this:

Sort them by date. Reasons for this:

1. Your eyes and brain adjust to each date as you look through them and you are much more likely to see something out of place than just looking through a mixed pile.

2. Your copper/zinc is already sorted except for 1982, and dropping them on a table is far more reliable and easier than making a scale.

3. You can skip dates for which there are no known major varieties if you have a time crunch or are only interested in the major stuff. I do not recommend this.

4. If you sort using the method I use, your coins end up in ten baggies that can easily be stored for later searhing. You can also add your change to them as you go along.

With regard to unrolling and re-rolling them, I have found that using new wrappers is always better and easier than trying to re-use wrappers. They are very low-cost, and available by the thousand for a few dollars at any office supply store.

I'm lucky in this regard because I don't have to roll mine. My bank has a counting machine in the lobby that is free to account holders.

Thing is, it is ALWAYS best to know:

1. the attributes of what makes a die variety (doubled die or repunched mintmark)
2. what "normal" coins look like for any given date.

then check EVERYTHING.

Don't use a "list" of what's known to guide you because you may very easily miss something really good.

A couple of years ago one of the users of this website discovered a major doubled die reverse on a 1982 cent. It had previously not been known and was a new discovery. My latest news is that $1,000 was at one time refused for the coin. At least two more have surfaced since then, but to other collectors.

You NEVER know what you might find if you just look. Only looking for what's known would certainly have made this guy miss this gem.

Happy new years everyone! Hope you all had a great night. I went through about 20 or so rolls last night and here are the finds that I noticed so far. Keep in mind I don't really know anything about key dates or varieties, so I still may have those, but I'm not sure.

1975 Cud on rim
6 wheaties oldest is 1944 (x3)
1970 minor curved clip
1972-D with a bit of grease

thats so far what specifically caught my eye. I also have a 1984-D with maybe a RPM? but I'm not sure, I'll post pictures

Have fun searching, has been a great past time for me. get a good list together of the Errers and Varietys you want to look for. and also you know what to look for! Up until I had the 1982 DDR on my list , they never got searched. Now I have the pleasure to own 1 of 3 know to exsist. It makes it all worth while

I sort of "evolved" to a lazy simplified way of searching through my bank rolls of Cents.

I look for Indian Head cents......Wheaties......and Canadian Cents......and any BU Memorial Cents that I come across.
I stopped looking for varieties a long time ago.
And I do not separate the Copper from the Zinc.
I have no problem with those who do that....but time and storage and laziness prevent me from doing it.
I have found so many "Pre-1920's" Wheats, that it satisfies me quite well.

So....I just search for the "basic treasures" that are easy to spot and find. I do realize that I've likely had my hands on some nice varities, etc......but I'm okay with that.
The other "finds" are common enough.