What do I tell my pickup banks?

[gilpo]

Tried searching but no luck on results.

I'm just getting started and I'm trying to establish my pickup banks. I have secured 2 dumps. I've been grabbing a box from every bank I see to test the waters. So far I've identified 3 different 'suppliers' to local banks. One of the three has consistently higher copper percentage. The problem I'm facing is the dreaded 'why do you need so many pennies?' as I wait for my one (1) box to be retrieved from the vault. Lol. I don't lie so Ive been trying to just dodge the question but it's getting old. I also get asked what store or business I'm with.

I don't really want to tell them about my hobby but I'm at a loss of what to say without lying. The area I'm hitting is pretty affluent so i feel like a fish out of water in these banks. I do have an account at one of these chain banks and i hit 4 of their branches on the drive home. The rest I dont and I've never been asked, however I've only grabbed a box at a time just to test them out. However, I'd like to soon start going bigger with a few of the good ones.

Any advice?

[Morsecode]

Tell them you're with realcent.org (try to maintain a straight face)

Seriously, if they're already asking what store or business you're with over a single box of coin you can expect to be shut off sooner than later. Is it a commercial bank?

As you say, you're testing the waters, which is how most of us started out. Concentrate your efforts on the branches with the "don't ask, don't tell" policy, which will provide you with coin to sort while you continue to expand your database of friendly suppliers.

[Number21]

My personal favorite "none of your business". Ask them what they use their paycheck for and see what kind of response you get.

If you must, tell them you're the CEO of Penny Picker's International. Don't elaborate.

Or you could just say, I'm taking the valueable copper ones out - I'll bring the zinc crap back for you to count later.

[cesariojpn]

Say your sons/daughters/nice/nephew/cousin's school is having a Penny War and you need "ammunition" to fight the war.

[GTOJohn]

tell them you are a coin collector (or helping a kid get into collecting) - looking for old pennies such as 'wheats' -

[Sheikh_yer_Bu'Tay]

Here are my usual responses by order of usage:

1. "These babies make great poker chips!"

2. "I collect old things... like me!"

3. "I am an avid coin collector and I am looking for old coins." This one has worked very well for me in getting tellers on-board to my hobby. I even buy a coin red book and give it to the bank to keep in their break room for the tellers to read. It generates a lot of conversation and some tellers have sold me some old 90%.

4. "Article One, Section Ten of the US Constitution." This one actually got me cut off at my largest source bank.

Here are some replies for when you bring them back:

A. "I had a great win at penny ante poker last night!"

B. "I am cleaning out Granddad's old coin collection!"

C. "The Brinks truck rolled over in an auto accident... and I helped clean up!"

[gilpo]

Tell them you're with realcent.org (try to maintain a straight face)

Seriously, if they're already asking what store or business you're with over a single box of coin you can expect to be shut off sooner than later. Is it a commercial bank?

As you say, you're testing the waters, which is how most of us started out. Concentrate your efforts on the branches with the "don't ask, don't tell" policy, which will provide you with coin to sort while you continue to expand your database of friendly suppliers.

I might actually try that and see what the response is. Lol. And it's typically the women at these banks being friendly and trying to make small talk while they wait for the vault teller to fetch the box. One bank I had both tellers ask me the same question about the pennies. There is a ton of retail around that bank so I'm surprised they don't have people buying change often.

And how can you tell if it's strictly a business bank?

[Morsecode]

Most banks are not strictly one or the other anymore, though individual branches may disproportionately serve business needs. Ask, they'll tell you. Check out the branch signage...do the posters cater to personal banking, home mortgages, etc., or business loans and payroll services?

There's a branch nearby in a heavy retail zone that won't give me the time of day, much less a roll of coin...yet, 2 miles down the same road the same bank will sell me bags. It's funny, because even that branch was reluctant to give me sealed boxes, but when I casually mentioned an interest in their own vault bags they were thrilled to be rid of them.

So, ask and you shall (may) receive

[goldteam]

I tell them I have a disabled brother who has a tough life and I got him into sorting coins. It helps him pass the time.

Women are very compassionate and can't wait to get the pennies after that story.

They will then ask you if you want more sometimes.

You will also get some stories about another guy who comes in for coins and he sorts them. They have a smile when they say it.

Once you've been there a few times and know your story, they can't wait to help you.

It's a total lie, but what can I say.

[Country]

Order your coins, but start slowly. When you ask for boxes without ordering, you are reducing the stock of coins that the head teller had planned out for the week for all their customer needs. Ask for the head teller; this teller will be responsible for ordering coins for the branch. Build up a relationship with the head teller as time goes on. Always be courteous and thank the tellers when you get your boxes of coins. In the beginning, reassure the head teller that you will NOT BRING THE COINS BACK TO THEM. How many boxes can you order at one time? It's a touchy issue, but if you get vibes that it is too much for them, perhaps you might consider ordering less boxes from that branch. Sometimes, the vault or safes are small, so you have to consider that too. Occasionally, cutting back now and then will strengthen your relationship and make it easier for them. You'll know what to do when the time comes so that your relationship is not spoiled with the head teller.

I tell my source banks that I'm a coin collector looking for the "old coins" for my collection. In time, they will get used to you as the eccentric coin collector.

[henrysmedford]

Show and tell helps. We show off are book of odd finds. We bring are Dansco albums. Also when we found are first IH cent all the banks we go to thought it came from them. On the the weekends we get CRW at smaller banks and two of them gave us boxes and said they had ordered them just for us!

[avidbrandy]

Here are my usual responses by order of usage:

1. "These babies make great poker chips!"

2. "I collect old things... like me!"

3. "I am an avid coin collector and I am looking for old coins." This one has worked very well for me in getting tellers on-board to my hobby. I even buy a coin red book and give it to the bank to keep in their break room for the tellers to read. It generates a lot of conversation and some tellers have sold me some old 90%.

4. "Article One, Section Ten of the US Constitution." This one actually got me cut off at my largest source bank.

Here are some replies for when you bring them back:

A. "I had a great win at penny ante poker last night!"

B. "I am cleaning out Granddad's old coin collection!"

C. "The Brinks truck rolled over in an auto accident... and I helped clean up!"

Thank you I'll have to try a couple of these, such as the last one. Yesterday I brought in a 5 gallon bucket to my dump bank and when asked again (It's my normal dump bank and they keep asking. I keep giving different answers) I shrugged and replied "eh, it's just some loose change I've accumulated since yesterday."

As for the pick-up banks I'm just up front with them. I have one I pick up 100 a week from and they dont' seem to believe me that I sort them (they dont' even know about the other banks. grumpy old women there) I have another I pick up 500 a week and they're nice and dont' mind at all. That's the one I been bringing donuts to.

[beauanderos]

tell them you are self-employed with a small start up recycling business, and that you salvage copper from circulating coinage. I've been doing that and it seems to stop the questions.

[Morsecode]

tell them you are self-employed with a small start up recycling business, and that you salvage copper from circulating coinage. I've been doing that and it seems to stop the questions.

(kids...don't try this at home)

[HoardCopperByTheTon]

tell them you are self-employed with a small start up recycling business, and that you salvage copper from circulating coinage. I've been doing that and it seems to stop the questions.

Is that why you got cut off from your main source bank? Funny thing.. I work for a large recycling business and have this small recycling business of my own on the side.

I tell them the truth.. I am a coin collector and it is a cheap hobby. When I am all done, I still have all my money. I also tell them I once found a penny worth $1200.. but that it does not happen often. It doesn't hurt that I am willing to take all their CWR of all denominations so they never have to ship. I actually got $300 in pennies at a drive by at a branch out of town that I rarely go to but just happened to be stopping by last week to get some fiat to get through the day. They were extremely happy that I was willing to take all their spare rolls of pennies.. they had just been talking about what they were going to have to do with them that morning. I could have carried all 6 bags of rolls out at one time, but I didn't want to compress my spine, so I made 2 trips. There just wasn't enough to warrant getting the cart our of the trunk. The gf said "you just couldn't resist, could you?" I think she is learning.

[beauanderos]

I didn't get cut off... I got scaled back to my original order after my attempt to "ramp up." The big leagues isn't for everyone, you have to have access to a large metropolitan area, with MANY different banks, to make it work. Sometimes it isn't worth the effort.

[rickygee]

Spin them a possible, but not probable yarn.

Keep a straight face and explain: You're plating the interior of your dwelling, every room, closet, storage space, etc. with pennies. All make electrical contact with each other and are grounded to earth.

You're building a live-in Faraday cage.

Now, it's up to you if you want to do a quick look around and motion to the teller to come closer and whisper: "They're listening!!!" If that's not far out enough go into a rant about EMP . As a last resort explain you're trying to block out radio signals you pick up thru the fillings in your teeth.

[Sheikh_yer_Bu'Tay]

Here are my usual responses by order of usage:

1. "These babies make great poker chips!"

2. "I collect old things... like me!"

3. "I am an avid coin collector and I am looking for old coins." This one has worked very well for me in getting tellers on-board to my hobby. I even buy a coin red book and give it to the bank to keep in their break room for the tellers to read. It generates a lot of conversation and some tellers have sold me some old 90%.

4. "Article One, Section Ten of the US Constitution." This one actually got me cut off at my largest source bank.

Here are some replies for when you bring them back:

A. "I had a great win at penny ante poker last night!"

B. "I am cleaning out Granddad's old coin collection!"

C. "The Brinks truck rolled over in an auto accident... and I helped clean up!"

Thank you I'll have to try a couple of these, such as the last one. Yesterday I brought in a 5 gallon bucket to my dump bank and when asked again (It's my normal dump bank and they keep asking. I keep giving different answers) I shrugged and replied "eh, it's just some loose change I've accumulated since yesterday."

As for the pick-up banks I'm just up front with them. I have one I pick up 100 a week from and they dont' seem to believe me that I sort them (they dont' even know about the other banks. grumpy old women there) I have another I pick up 500 a week and they're nice and dont' mind at all. That's the one I been bringing donuts to.

Make sure you have a real good relationship with those tellers before you use that one and they know you are using humor. Otherwise... you might have some 'splain' to do.

[JerrySpringer]

I don't really want to tell them about my hobby but I'm at a loss of what to say without lying. The area I'm hitting is pretty affluent so i feel like a fish out of water in these banks. I do have an account at one of these chain banks and i hit 4 of their branches on the drive home. The rest I dont and I've never been asked, however I've only grabbed a box at a time just to test them out. However, I'd like to soon start going bigger with a few of the good ones.

Any advice?

Just tell them you collect the wheat pennies. You will get adroit in dealing with bank people. Just be polite. Never show any anger if the bank does not want to order or sell you boxes of coins. Be persistent, too, if you can. A bank may not have boxes of coins but may have customer wrapped rolls they could sell you. The bank may reserve the right to sell you anything if you are not an account holder but there is still no law that says you can not go into a bank and ask to buy coins.

[TheJonasCollegeFund]

How 'bout..... "Nun ya"............when they say "What?"......You say....."......none ya business!"

[Corsair]

How 'bout..... "Nun ya"............when they say "What?"......You say....."......none ya business!"

"Your business isn't welcome here anymore, sir."

Follow Hoard's advice on this one. Honesty is the best policy for banks, I've found, unless you are getting that vibe from them that they don't much like you. Then a little white lie won't hurt.

[TheJonasCollegeFund]

It was a joke!

[Corsair]

It was a joke!

I know, I know. Didn't want the noobies to get all confuzzled.

[ed_vantage17]

I tell them I'm a coin collector. Then around the time of my third pick up I come in with chocolates and a story of how I found a '99 WAM or a '31-S. I avoid the '09-S VDB because even bankers have heard of that one. I tell 'em I gotta spread the love and since they helped me I'm gonna reward them. It's nothing but love from then on if you keep 'em well fed with candy and stories. Never let the truth stand in the way of a good story.