The cost of gas forced me out but an Indian brought me back!

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The cost of gas forced me out but an Indian brought me back!

Postby pennypicker » Fri Mar 04, 2011 12:43 am

I began hand sorting this past Thanksgiving and doing about two $25 boxes a day averaging only 16% cu and a dismal 40% on '82s. I averaged 5 wheats per box and my very best roll contained 3 wheats. Last week gas hit $3.81 here in the Los Angeles area and with the rising cost of gas coupled with my palty 16% cu rate I decided it was time to call it quits--just "spinning my wheels" so to speak. I still had three unopened $25 boxes left I was just going to take back to the bank but that "itch" was still there so I decided to sort the remaining boxes and be done with it.

To my astonishment on the very first roll I found four post-'40 wheats which set a record for me! So I anxiously started grabbing rolls. The next 5 yielded no wheats but the next roll had 2. A few rolls later a roll with 5! I couldn't believe it. A half dozen more rolls with nothing and then I hit it big. I opened a roll and it contained one Indian and 7 wheats shattering my old record. And to add icing to the cake 6 of the 7 wheats were pre-40 :D . When it was over the box yielded 117 wheats with 31 pre-40's. Of course I made an immediate assault on the remaining two boxes but they were of the norm and quickly brought me back to reality. Nevertheless that box reinvigorated me and perhaps it was a "sign" of sorts telling me not to give up on our hobby so quickly after just three months. So I went to a few banks today and picked up some more boxes and so for the time being I'm back being a hand sorter--as long as the price of gas shows some mercy.

I included pictures of the Indian and the 7 wheats found in just a single roll: The bottom right is a 1919-d. I have the feeling some kid got into their father's collection. :o

ImageImage
Last edited by pennypicker on Sat Mar 05, 2011 10:32 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: The cost of gas forced me out but an Indian brought me b

Postby shinnosuke » Fri Mar 04, 2011 1:30 am

Man, what an awesome story. Inspiring to say the least. Thanks for sharing.
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Re: The cost of gas forced me out but an Indian brought me b

Postby CardsNCoins » Fri Mar 04, 2011 7:04 am

Awesome box Don, and a very nice looking Indian. Remember to pick up boxes when you're out with the car anyway so it isn't an extra trip.

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Re: The cost of gas forced me out but an Indian brought me b

Postby VWBEAMER » Fri Mar 04, 2011 8:02 am

sweet :D
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Re: The cost of gas forced me out but an Indian brought me b

Postby thunter » Fri Mar 04, 2011 9:44 am

Very nice. That Indian is in superb condition! :shock:
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Re: The cost of gas forced me out but an Indian brought me b

Postby Morsecode » Fri Mar 04, 2011 10:20 am

Nice finds, Don. You've lived up to your moniker.

Now get back to work (I need another bag)

:D
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Re: The cost of gas forced me out but an Indian brought me b

Postby sparechange » Fri Mar 04, 2011 10:38 am

Really a great find on the Indian Head and the wheats thrown in to boot! How many of us can probably relate to sorting "just one more time". When the copper bug bites, you can run, but you can't hide for very long. Thanks for sharing your story.
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Re: The cost of gas forced me out but an Indian brought me b

Postby pennypicker » Fri Mar 04, 2011 3:23 pm

Morsecode wrote:Nice finds, Don. You've lived up to your moniker.

Now get back to work (I need another bag)

:D


"My fingers are a movin' and the copper is a stackin". :lol:
"If I had to pick one player to take the last shot to win the game I would pick Michael Jordan...if I had to pick one player to take the last shot to save my life I would pick Larry Bird"--PAT RILEY, L.A. Lakers Head Coach
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Re: The cost of gas forced me out but an Indian brought me b

Postby Know Common Cents » Sat Mar 05, 2011 12:30 pm

My wheat count has increased, but most are of the late 1940s vintage with no MMs. These finds make my recent 1919 S in poor and a 1918 in F seem pretty dull. I'll never stop looking............
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I've recently adopted the Groucho Marx philosophy for dealing with politics and other life challenges, "Whatever it is, I'm against it!" (Horse Feathers 1932)
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Re: The cost of gas forced me out but an Indian brought me b

Postby misteroman » Sat Mar 05, 2011 7:18 pm

yeah that's a very clean injun! nice finds
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Re: The cost of gas forced me out but an Indian brought me b

Postby Pennybug » Sat Mar 05, 2011 7:57 pm

I started sorting around that same timeframe. I probably have just over 100 wheats total and NO indians yet! I've sorted somewhere in the neighborhood of $1250 or so. I have however come close to giving up.... I went to the bank one day and got a $25 box and it was about 98% SOLID Cu! Just remember... you WILL have good days... and you will have bad ones when searching! I still haven't found any silver after the near $1000 I've searched in halves! But I ain't stoppin!

Good story by the way! Stop for a while if you need to... but don't ever stop!
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