Realcent.org

Just wondering why anyone would sort pennies (or anything else) instead of halves
I know that I only sort pennies when my cash flow and circumstances won’t allow me to sort halves.

copper.

I don't have a CASH flow problem, but SILVER halves have dried up in my area. I ask for loose halves and CWRs, but really don't get any. Halves are just not worth it anymore. I play with the dimes (boxes and CWRs) to get a few SILVER coins.

Most of my time is now spent harvesting COPPER these days. I get about 25% COPPER and am very happy.

amalekidad wrote:Just wondering why anyone would sort pennies (or anything else) instead of halves
I know that I only sort pennies when my cash flow and circumstances won’t allow me to sort halves.

i only sort pennies BECAUSE my cash flow and circumstances won't allow me to sort halves.

The cents are a sure thing.

You have a greater chance of finding something numismatically worthwhile.

Half dollars are unavailable. Can't be bought, ordered, or begged for in my neck of the woods.

Because I got tired of getting skunked with halves.

why not both?

No one usually gives a Lincoln cent a second look. There are still some very valuable Lincoln's floating around. I know more people who search halves than I do pennies. All who search halves have never found much compared to their time invested in ordering, picking up, and then dumping all the halves. Plus, the price on a box of Lincolns is much more reasonable for most than a bag/box of halves.
I have found more silver in the coinstar reject trays that I ever have searching from the bank.

I just like that with pennies, you always win! Cant beat that

With pennies.. there's a prize in ever box!

Besides, who can afford to hoard tons of halves?

Cents are a sure thing. Careful sorting can be very tedious and is not for the easily distracted. Here is how I do the cents. 1) separate copper alloy from zinc alloy. Can be done with any of the comparators available, although the Ryedale is top of the heap for speed and accuracy at this time. 2) visually sort out wheats, canadas, and indians. These can frequently be marketed for higher premiums. 3) Check for dates that have errors of significance and check for those errors. 4) All errors of any significance should be marketed separately.

I like halves and large dollars as much as the next coin freak, but with so many people searching coin, much of the silver has been removed. I do not discount that there is still a lot more to be found, but it is less and less as time goes by.

I do not play favorites with coins. I have standing requests at two branches for canvas bags whenever they are full, regardless of what kind of coin. The vault teller seems to appreciate this, since it reduces costs and labor for them. I will even take the gosh awful small dollars if it will keep me the the good graces of the tellers.

I do both. Silver is instantly profitable, copper is not as liquid and only obtains a fraction of its worth when you sell. Each help sustain the search for the other by paying for gas and ancillary expenses.

I only sort pennies because I know for a fact that after all expenses are factored in I'm going to net a 10% profit on what ever I sort. i.e. Sort $400, net $40 when I sell. No chance of seeing that kind of instant (and virtually guaranteed) return on halves.

No halves around here. The stores refuse to carry them because they want to use that cash register hole for rolls. Some of the clerks also grab every half that floats through for their own stash, I don't know why.