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So, how often does one find 1940's, 1950's, 2009s, Buffalo & War Nickels in a $100 Brinks box. I have only been sorting nickels for about 6 months consistently. I get a $100 Brinks Box per week from the bank and I average the following:

1War Nickels (varying mint marks and years)
1 Buffalo Nickel ( dates mostly in the 1930's or no date)
Roughly a $2 FV roll of 1938-1959 Nickels
1 2009 ( P or D)

I rarely get more than that unless the widow drops off some guy's stash, but I rarely get skunked as well. Some weeks I may find 2 of one and none of the other, but for the most part, I average out 1 per box of each. I did find 2 1903 V nickels a month ago in a Brinks Box along with 5 dateless Buffaloes all in one box, so that was awesome but very rare. Just curious if what I am finding is normal, light, or heavy.

Not looking at CWR's or bags for this post. I rarely get them since the banks do not take wrapped coin. They have a service that takes the coin vault every day from under the lobby counter so no CWRs or bags for me. I wish, cause people are not smart and I probably would fare better....or maybe not.

Anyway, thanks for the input.

Yeah, that's about right. As I am sure you are aware the box with the V and the buffs was an anomaly. Where are you located at? There is some variation by region of the country. I summer in eastern Oregon and winter outside of Fort Collins Co. (North of Denver). There doesn't seem to be much difference between the two locations but I think others may show a somewhat high success rate.

Oh I see you are in PA. Question answered.

sounds about right to me... although my buff's has dried up and I find more 2009's.

Your finds are really close to mine, except I almost never get any 2009s, I find Buffs more often than 09s. One war nickel per box was about average for me, tho I haven't searched a bank box in quite a while.

My averages are a bit different from yours.

Buffs @ 1 / 3-4 boxes
War @ 1 / box
09 @ 1.5 / box

Total keepers pre 60s and 09 @ 22 / box over the past $4800 searched.

Keep up the hunt and 2 thumbs up with the V nickels. I still haven't found 1 in the wild and can't wait till it's my turn. One day - maybe one day.

Glad to see that some people think I am normal....at least in my finds. My wife thinks I am crazy, but that goes well beyond coins..... Don't worry, one day after I peel off the earth, she will give them all back to the bank so you all will be able to find them too!

My nickel averages here in CT were similar to yours.

I just take the silver, the v and the buffalo and throw everything back. Is their a fast way to search for years?

FatherRosado wrote:I just take the silver, the v and the buffalo and throw everything back. Is their a fast way to search for years?

I am not sure if there is even any value in keeping the 1939-1959 Nickels, but I keep them because I have hoarded dumber stuff in life and if anything, someone may want them enough to pay a premium at some point in the future. At least they will always be worth a nickel.... As for the fast way to sort by date, by hand, I do not know if it is fast, but this is how I do it.....

1. Crack all the nickel rolls into a small pail. while dumping, look for the well worn or dirtier nickels. as I pluck them, if they are pre-1960, I hold them off to the side, if not, they go into a second pail for return to the bank since I do not want to save nickels at this point.

2.Dump the pail into a pile. Sort based on heads or tails. tails gets slid to the side to be flipped and heads gets examined.

3. Once I am through the pile, I scoop up all the tails and try to flip them over into a pile (about 75% success they land heads up). sort tails out to the side, examine the heads, keep the pre-1960.

I do this until I am through the pile. takes me a half hour to an hour per $100 box from start to finish. I do it while watching baseball, football, or some commentated sport so that I devote attention to the nickel but also enjoy a game..... Like I said, I am not sure it is the fastest way, but that is how I do it.

I just run the Canadian nickels through my ryedale - pulling the US ones to deposit across the border. Don't think I have found more than a couple buffalos or war nicks in all my searching.

Gobirds66 wrote:

FatherRosado wrote:I just take the silver, the v and the buffalo and throw everything back. Is their a fast way to search for years?

I am not sure if there is even any value in keeping the 1939-1959 Nickels, but I keep them because I have hoarded dumber stuff in life and if anything, someone may want them enough to pay a premium at some point in the future. At least they will always be worth a nickel.... As for the fast way to sort by date, by hand, I do not know if it is fast, but this is how I do it.....

1. Crack all the nickel rolls into a small pail. while dumping, look for the well worn or dirtier nickels. as I pluck them, if they are pre-1960, I hold them off to the side, if not, they go into a second pail for return to the bank since I do not want to save nickels at this point.

2.Dump the pail into a pile. Sort based on heads or tails. tails gets slid to the side to be flipped and heads gets examined.

3. Once I am through the pile, I scoop up all the tails and try to flip them over into a pile (about 75% success they land heads up). sort tails out to the side, examine the heads, keep the pre-1960.

I do this until I am through the pile. takes me a half hour to an hour per $100 box from start to finish. I do it while watching baseball, football, or some commentated sport so that I devote attention to the nickel but also enjoy a game..... Like I said, I am not sure it is the fastest way, but that is how I do it.

I have to try this.

No war nickels yet, no Buffalo's either. Best I can claim is 1 V nickel.

JD

After a couple years of searching cent rolls by hand, I thought I would give a $100 box of nickels a try. I was surprised by how quickly the process took compared to $25 in pennies. A little easier on the eyes too. Findings...

30's - 2
40's - 7
50's - 14
War - 2 (both 43-S)
Buffalo - 0
2009 - 0

I get bags that are ready for shipment back to the fed from my local bank. I keep all 63 and back does anyone think this is prudent?

I keep all nickels. I keep nickels older than 1960 seperate from the rest.

tt

These are the keepers and averages per $100 bag or box at my house:

1938-1959: 20
War: 1
Buff: 1
Non US: 5
Errors: 1 per 5 boxes
V: 1 per 10 boxes
2009: 1 per 10 boxes
Proofs: 1 per 10 boxes

All of these have a potential market locally.

1 war nickel per $100 face searched. It's held true for me the last 5 years or so.

I think nickels for the most part are the one coin that hasn't been searched through. Of course dimes, quarters and halves have been searched for silver etc. Pennies for wheat and 95% copper. Nickels are the one coin you can basically fill collector books with yet for at least the Jefferson style. And I think all nickels should be held on to since they are actually valued intrinsically as much as face! Real money yet!

I got a 1929 Buffalo Nickel at my bank last Friday (can't see a mint mark). What a surprise!!!

They use a money dispensing system now so there was no coin drawer to ask for more of her nickels.

But one is definitely better than none.

Marcia - PTP

I average 1 war nickel or buffalo every two boxes, 1938-1959 about 20 per box, as well as 2-5 2009s.

Gobirds66 wrote:

FatherRosado wrote:I just take the silver, the v and the buffalo and throw everything back. Is their a fast way to search for years?

3. Once I am through the pile, I scoop up all the tails and try to flip them over into a pile (about 75% success they land heads up). sort tails out to the side, examine the heads, keep the pre-1960.

it.

Here's a tip for faster flipping of coins... Put them on a dirty towel or rag and just turn the towel or rag over. They won't all flip perfectly, but it should save quite a bit of time vs. flipping individually.

good idea