Who buys rolls of identical coins on eBay and why?

[Klark Cent]

I see a lot of various rolls of coins bought and sold on eBay, and I am trying to figure out who is buying them and why, so maybe I will have a better idea of what types of coins I should hold onto or even buy myself.

For example, who is the typical buyer of a mint roll of presidential dollar coins (which commonly sell for 1.75x face value including shipping)? Are they hoping to resell them in 20 years for a profit? Do they plan to open the roll for some purpose? I can't really think of anything that makes sense. Why would they want 25 of the same coin if their motive is not profit?

Or how about a "1954-P Circulated Wheat Penny Roll", which someone paid $9 for? What could possibly be their plan? Even for $4, what could be their plan fifty 1954-Ps?

Also, someone paid $6.25 for a $2 FV roll of 1949-D nickels. Any guesses what this person will do with forty circulated 1949-D nickels?

I see a lot of these types of rolls selling.

I am not suggesting the buyers are wrong, and even if they are, I am very curious what their motivations might be.

Any ideas?

Thanks.

[cesariojpn]

There is a book called the Cherry-pickers Guide to Error Coin Varieties, so that could explain the older date rolls.

Presidential Rolls....I dunno. I'm kinda reminded of a lot of Statehood Quarter $25 bags I bought a while back to start storing silver quarters in (cause unless I win the lottery or score big in Ls Vegas, no way I could fill $1000 Quarter bags in my lifetime). 25 bags, and many of them had tags still on them. I had maybe 10 of the with a tag indicating it had Puerto Rico quarters in them. I'm going like "why do I have a ton of these bags of this type from this guy?"

[barrytrot]

Presidential coins have errors also, so that could also explain that.

My guess is that most of the buyers are just trying to complete a "roll set" or something along those lines.

I've marveled at the prices realized for things also. But it's not every time so don't throw up yours thinking it will go for "moon money", I often see them go for face including shipping, which means you are out the eBay and Paypal fees and, of course, the occasional buyer scam.

[Klark Cent]

Presidential coins have errors also, so that could also explain that.

My guess is that most of the buyers are just trying to complete a "roll set" or something along those lines.

I've marveled at the prices realized for things also. But it's not every time so don't throw up yours thinking it will go for "moon money", I often see them go for face including shipping, which means you are out the eBay and Paypal fees and, of course, the occasional buyer scam.

oh, so some people do try to put together "roll sets". that could explain a lot of it.

i am mostly imagining myself 10-15 years in the future with my half a million or so copper memorial cents, wondering if i could sort them by year and mint mark and sell some of them that way.

[Klark Cent]

There is a book called the Cherry-pickers Guide to Error Coin Varieties, so that could explain the older date rolls.

Presidential Rolls....I dunno. I'm kinda reminded of a lot of Statehood Quarter $25 bags I bought a while back to start storing silver quarters in (cause unless I win the lottery or score big in Ls Vegas, no way I could fill $1000 Quarter bags in my lifetime). 25 bags, and many of them had tags still on them. I had maybe 10 of the with a tag indicating it had Puerto Rico quarters in them. I'm going like "why do I have a ton of these bags of this type from this guy?"

Yeah, I am thinking about buying the Cherry-pickers Guide one of these days.

[Doctor Steuss]

Also, someone paid $6.25 for a $2 FV roll of 1949-D nickels. Any guesses what this person will do with forty circulated 1949-D nickels?

Don't know about the others, but this one they may be hoping to find a D over S (although, if the seller took the time to look at the dates and mintmarks to put the roll together, I doubt he didn't take the time to take a closer look at the mintmarks).

[misteroman]

I just picked up a nice roll of vdb's on there last week. I just like vdb's lol

[barrytrot]

The OP was talking about coins with no perceivable numismatic or bullion value.

VDB's have a lot of numismatic value due to their place as one of the most recognizable coins in US history

[fasteddy]

I have bought solid dates rolls of each member of my family's birth years...I dont know why...i just did. Maybe I felt like buying something and didnt want to go shopping for another POS from China.

[goodcents]

I'm a sucker for bu rolls. It's pretty much the extent of my collection. Bu rolls, boxes, mint sewn bags. OBW rolls when I can find and afford them for early years.

Circulated rolls to me unless early wheats or error years...blah.

Joe

[Oakair]

Well...I just bought a roll of bu 1969 dimes thinking they were 1964 hahaha

So...there's a possible ( and likely very rare) explanation

[barrytrot]

Oakair, I've bought 196x's before as well that weren't silver. Fortunately not a whole roll, but I've spent a hundred or so dollars that way

[Oakair]

Oakair, I've bought 196x's before as well that weren't silver. Fortunately not a whole roll, but I've spent a hundred or so dollars that way

Haha... Ya, I figured it was a common problem (wasn't seeing clearly at the time of bidding )

It was from a realcent member, as I had checked the linked sales section to find my way there...I just wished I liked Rosie's haha