Ideas for storing wheat pennies by year

[shinnosuke]

Howdy, y’all. I’ve got several hundred wheaties from my Ryedale sorting days that are mostly just average circulated condition. There might be a few that are in better condition but for now I just want to divide them up by year, ignoring mint marks. Does anyone have a good system for conveniently packing the pennies in a small space? Sandwich baggies? Paper envelopes? Ideas, please.

Eventually I want to produce a complete inventory of my wheaties and possibly sell to buy silver. Is now even a good time to sell old pennies?

Thanks

[Recyclersteve]

I’m curious about this too and will keep monitoring this thread.

I will say that I try to avoid saving pennies which are badly discolored or have foreign substances on them. Obviously, I’ll make an exception for a really good date, which will likely go into a 2”x2” holder.

[Tourney64]

50 years 3 mint marks approximately 150 varieties. Sounds like ziplock bags would be the best choice for a small space.

[shinnosuke]

50 years 3 mint marks approximately 150 varieties. Sounds like ziplock bags would be the best choice for a small space.

Yep, sounds right. And keep all the bags in a shoe box.

[Cu Penny Hoarder]

Since post-1940's are more common, I have 2 buckets; 1909-1939 and 1940-1958.

[Silver4face]

If you only have a few hundred wheats, then I would use one plastic tube or baggie for each decade. For larger collections, start using coffee cans or buckets for commons. Then use smaller boxes for 20's and 30's. Then maybe use a tube for each year of the teens. Any key date wheats should be in 2x2's. Also any wheat AU or higher should be kept separate from the rest. I use tubes for BU and AU wheats from 1940-1958. Any pre 1940 wheat in AU or higher should be in a 2 x 2

[shinnosuke]

If you only have a few hundred wheats, then I would use one plastic tube or baggie for each decade. For larger collections, start using coffee cans or buckets for commons. Then use smaller boxes for 20's and 30's. Then maybe use a tube for each year of the teens. Any key date wheats should be in 2x2's. Also any wheat AU or higher should be kept separate from the rest. I use tubes for BU and AU wheats from 1940-1958. Any pre 1940 wheat in AU or higher should be in a 2 x 2

Right, my collection of wheats is not that large because I sold a batch a decade ago on Craigslist for 4 cents each. My volume sorting didn’t last much longer after that sale. I’m keeping all the 95% Lincoln Memorials.

Thanks for the tips.

[Cu Penny Hoarder]

Received a 1946 in my change yesterday... very nice XF condition. First one in about 6 months.

[shinnosuke]

Received a 1946 in my change yesterday... very nice XF condition. First one in about 6 months.

I guess it’s in your 40’s bucket now for safekeeping. Or do you maintain separate storage space for the pennies in better condition?

[DC_Penny_Guy]

I'm maintaining a Dansko penny album for wheaties, trying to fill as many slots as possible. When I find a nicer condition penny, I upgrade the album.

All my non-album wheaties just go into a big tupperware. I weighed them recently, I've only got 500 or so. Ebay searching suggests that one can sell a roll of wheaties for between $7 and $10, but you gotta provide free shipping, and you gotta pay Ebay its cut, so I'm not sure how much that would net per wheatie at the end of the day. Less than a dime, probably.

[shinnosuke]

I'm maintaining a Dansko penny album for wheaties, trying to fill as many slots as possible. When I find a nicer condition penny, I upgrade the album.

All my non-album wheaties just go into a big tupperware. I weighed them recently, I've only got 500 or so. Ebay searching suggests that one can sell a roll of wheaties for between $7 and $10, but you gotta provide free shipping, and you gotta pay Ebay its cut, so I'm not sure how much that would net per wheatie at the end of the day. Less than a dime, probably.

I've thought about ways to sell my wheaties. eBay's fees are a turn-off to me. Locally, many people use the OfferUp app, but I don't think many buyers look there for deals. Most of the OfferUp sellers in my area have set ridiculous prices.

[Silver4face]

I'm maintaining a Dansko penny album for wheaties, trying to fill as many slots as possible. When I find a nicer condition penny, I upgrade the album.

All my non-album wheaties just go into a big tupperware. I weighed them recently, I've only got 500 or so. Ebay searching suggests that one can sell a roll of wheaties for between $7 and $10, but you gotta provide free shipping, and you gotta pay Ebay its cut, so I'm not sure how much that would net per wheatie at the end of the day. Less than a dime, probably.

I would stay far away from FEEBAY unless you are selling key date Morgan dollars. Perhaps you can sell them on this site.

[shinnosuke]

First inventory report…
1900’s
1896 Indian Head, quantity = 1
1906 IH, quantity = 1
1907 IH, quantity = 1
1909 Wheat, no mint mark, quantity = 1

1910’s
1910, quantity = 2
1912, quantity = 2
1914, quantity = 1
1916, quantity = 1
1917, quantity = 1
1918, quantity = 2
1919, quantity = 3, one of which is mintmark D. All other 1910’s have no mint mark.

All are very circulated condition, but if you need a hole-filler let me know.

[fasteddy]

Shin,

...hit me up when you are ready to sell...I will bounce on over to SA...Heck I can save you the trouble right now, I will be there this weekend. Do you have my phone number?

FE

[shinnosuke]

Shin,

...hit me up when you are ready to sell...I will bounce on over to SA...Heck I can save you the trouble right now, I will be there this weekend. Do you have my phone number?

FE

I’ll send you a PM. Thanks

[shinnosuke]

Well, happy ending to this thread. Today I met Eddy (and his wife and uncle) here in my town for a face-to-face deal. All my wheat pennies are in his possession now. Thanks for buying and for the stories, Ed.

[Cu Penny Hoarder]

Received a 1946 in my change yesterday... very nice XF condition. First one in about 6 months.

I guess it’s in your 40’s bucket now for safekeeping. Or do you maintain separate storage space for the pennies in better condition?

If in worse condition than the one already in my Whitman folder, it goes into the bucket. Only the more rare ones in better condition get special treatment.

[DC_Penny_Guy]

If you only have a few hundred wheats, then I would use one plastic tube or baggie for each decade. For larger collections, start using coffee cans or buckets for commons. Then use smaller boxes for 20's and 30's. Then maybe use a tube for each year of the teens. Any key date wheats should be in 2x2's. Also any wheat AU or higher should be kept separate from the rest. I use tubes for BU and AU wheats from 1940-1958. Any pre 1940 wheat in AU or higher should be in a 2 x 2

I've found one 40's wheatie in AU condition. Everything else that with even a tinge of red to it has been from the 1950s. I can't imagine opening up a bank roll of pennies and finding a pre-1940 wheatie in AU condition, let alone BU!