I think they finally got the memo.

[John_doe]

I have been cutoff from every bank within 5-10 miles of my apartment, they must have caught wind of what I was doing back home. I can still buy halves and nickels thank god.


I have literally been going to gas stations to buy rolls. I havent operated on this small of a scale in years. This is painful.

[NHsorter]

They cut you off from pennies but not halves or nickels? Is it multiple branches of the same bank, or multiple banks as well? Are you cut off from dumping too? Sorry to hear about your troubles.

[John_doe]

They cut you off from pennies but not halves or nickels? Is it multiple branches of the same bank, or multiple banks as well? Are you cut off from dumping too? Sorry to hear about your troubles.

I have no trouble dumping. It is several branches of 2 different banks.

IS THE PENNY SHORTAGE HERE?

[NHsorter]

Dumping is the time consuming issue for me. I can get all the pennies I want. It's the loose cents that are harder to come by.

[John_doe]

Dumping is the time consuming issue for me. I can get all the pennies I want. It's the loose cents that are harder to come by.

I used to be in the same boat, but they decided to play a cruel joke and flip the script on me.

what ever will I do? I guess its time to start buying those ctu's, or make my nickel stack one to be respected.

[henrysmedford]

Dumping is the time consuming issue for me. I can get all the pennies I want. It's the loose cents that are harder to come by.

It like the dirt dumping in the movie "The Great Escape"

MARTIN PHILLIPS
Senior Feature Writer
Published: 30 Apr 2009
Great Escape dirt dumper dies at 97
HIS place in history was carved deep into the soil of German-occupied western Poland and immortalised in one of the greatest war films.

Hero ... Alex Lees had key role
Centre Press Agency
Alex Lees, who has died aged 97, was one of the few remaining veterans who helped to plan and execute the celebrated tunnel break-out from the notorious Nazi prisoner of war camp Stalag Luft III.
Steve McQueen’s fictitious part in the 1963 movie The Great Escape was Hollywood’s attempt to hijack a very British story of heroism.

Meanwhile, Alex’s role, as featured in one of the most iconic scenes in movie history, was authentic.

Alex was the gardener at the notorious camp and used that job to dispose of the dirt from the escape tunnels, which were codenamed Tom, Dick and Harry.

The movie shows how he and others, including a character played by David McCallum, dropped the soil from a bag hidden in their trousers on his vegetable patch.

Imprisoned

Alex, who spent his last years at a home for ex-service personnel in Erskine, Renfrewshire, was a Royal Air Corps driver before he was captured by the Germans on Crete in June 1941 and imprisoned in Stalag Luft III.


Brave ... war-time Alex
Centre Press Agency
He was not an officer so he was not given the chance to escape through the 33ft long tunnels, which were dug with tools fashioned from old tin cans and supported with pieces of wood scavenged from camp beds and old furniture.

They were begun in April 1943 and on March 24, 1944, the men launched their bid for freedom.

Seventy-six escaped, but only three made it back to Britain.

Twenty-three were caught and returned to the camp.

The other 50 were executed.

Alex had praised the film-makers for producing an accurate version of events.

Several veterans who survived the camp have been angered by the Hollywood adaptation of their story - which they feel trivialised their ordeal.


Role ... actor McCallum
But Alex said: “It was just the way it was portrayed in The Great Escape.

“I had been given the job of looking after the garden and I would take the dirt out to the vegetable patch, rake away the top soil, dump the earth and cover it back up.

"The German guards never suspected a thing.”

When Alex died he was living opposite a fellow Stalag Luft III camp survivor in the care home.

And he still had his hand-drawn map of the camp’s layout, including the tunnels.

His funeral took place yesterday before a cremation ceremony in Paisley.

[John_doe]

Dumping is the time consuming issue for me. I can get all the pennies I want. It's the loose cents that are harder to come by.

It like the dirt dumping in the movie "The Great Escape"

MARTIN PHILLIPS
Senior Feature Writer
Published: 30 Apr 2009
Great Escape dirt dumper dies at 97
HIS place in history was carved deep into the soil of German-occupied western Poland and immortalised in one of the greatest war films.

Hero ... Alex Lees had key role
Centre Press Agency
Alex Lees, who has died aged 97, was one of the few remaining veterans who helped to plan and execute the celebrated tunnel break-out from the notorious Nazi prisoner of war camp Stalag Luft III.
Steve McQueen’s fictitious part in the 1963 movie The Great Escape was Hollywood’s attempt to hijack a very British story of heroism.

Meanwhile, Alex’s role, as featured in one of the most iconic scenes in movie history, was authentic.

Alex was the gardener at the notorious camp and used that job to dispose of the dirt from the escape tunnels, which were codenamed Tom, Dick and Harry.

The movie shows how he and others, including a character played by David McCallum, dropped the soil from a bag hidden in their trousers on his vegetable patch.

Imprisoned

Alex, who spent his last years at a home for ex-service personnel in Erskine, Renfrewshire, was a Royal Air Corps driver before he was captured by the Germans on Crete in June 1941 and imprisoned in Stalag Luft III.


Brave ... war-time Alex
Centre Press Agency
He was not an officer so he was not given the chance to escape through the 33ft long tunnels, which were dug with tools fashioned from old tin cans and supported with pieces of wood scavenged from camp beds and old furniture.

They were begun in April 1943 and on March 24, 1944, the men launched their bid for freedom.

Seventy-six escaped, but only three made it back to Britain.

Twenty-three were caught and returned to the camp.

The other 50 were executed.

Alex had praised the film-makers for producing an accurate version of events.

Several veterans who survived the camp have been angered by the Hollywood adaptation of their story - which they feel trivialised their ordeal.


Role ... actor McCallum
But Alex said: “It was just the way it was portrayed in The Great Escape.

“I had been given the job of looking after the garden and I would take the dirt out to the vegetable patch, rake away the top soil, dump the earth and cover it back up.

"The German guards never suspected a thing.”

When Alex died he was living opposite a fellow Stalag Luft III camp survivor in the care home.

And he still had his hand-drawn map of the camp’s layout, including the tunnels.

His funeral took place yesterday before a cremation ceremony in Paisley.

They have a scene like this in shawshank redemption as well.

[cesariojpn]

Dumping is the time consuming issue for me. I can get all the pennies I want. It's the loose cents that are harder to come by.

It like the dirt dumping in the movie "The Great Escape"

MARTIN PHILLIPS
Senior Feature Writer
Published: 30 Apr 2009
Great Escape dirt dumper dies at 97
HIS place in history was carved deep into the soil of German-occupied western Poland and immortalised in one of the greatest war films.

Hero ... Alex Lees had key role
Centre Press Agency
Alex Lees, who has died aged 97, was one of the few remaining veterans who helped to plan and execute the celebrated tunnel break-out from the notorious Nazi prisoner of war camp Stalag Luft III.
Steve McQueen’s fictitious part in the 1963 movie The Great Escape was Hollywood’s attempt to hijack a very British story of heroism.

Meanwhile, Alex’s role, as featured in one of the most iconic scenes in movie history, was authentic.

Alex was the gardener at the notorious camp and used that job to dispose of the dirt from the escape tunnels, which were codenamed Tom, Dick and Harry.

The movie shows how he and others, including a character played by David McCallum, dropped the soil from a bag hidden in their trousers on his vegetable patch.

Imprisoned

Alex, who spent his last years at a home for ex-service personnel in Erskine, Renfrewshire, was a Royal Air Corps driver before he was captured by the Germans on Crete in June 1941 and imprisoned in Stalag Luft III.


Brave ... war-time Alex
Centre Press Agency
He was not an officer so he was not given the chance to escape through the 33ft long tunnels, which were dug with tools fashioned from old tin cans and supported with pieces of wood scavenged from camp beds and old furniture.

They were begun in April 1943 and on March 24, 1944, the men launched their bid for freedom.

Seventy-six escaped, but only three made it back to Britain.

Twenty-three were caught and returned to the camp.

The other 50 were executed.

Alex had praised the film-makers for producing an accurate version of events.

Several veterans who survived the camp have been angered by the Hollywood adaptation of their story - which they feel trivialised their ordeal.


Role ... actor McCallum
But Alex said: “It was just the way it was portrayed in The Great Escape.

“I had been given the job of looking after the garden and I would take the dirt out to the vegetable patch, rake away the top soil, dump the earth and cover it back up.

"The German guards never suspected a thing.”

When Alex died he was living opposite a fellow Stalag Luft III camp survivor in the care home.

And he still had his hand-drawn map of the camp’s layout, including the tunnels.

His funeral took place yesterday before a cremation ceremony in Paisley.

They have a scene like this in shawshank redemption as well.

And played to humorous effect in Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult.

[willy13]

It is hard to believe you can still order halves but not cents. What business even uses halves anymore, so it would be obvious that anyone who orders halves is looking for silver.

[NHsorter]

Yeah, just do TONS of half searching instead and sell off a percentage of your silver finds to buy CTU's. That's what I would do if the halves up here had a worthwhile yield. I was lucky to get a 40% half per box in my efforts. I probably did 50 boxes in the last year and finally gave up a while back. Pennies are holding around 30% though, so I'll keep going on them while the getting is good.

[thesilvertiger]

Hey John_doe,
You may want to keep an eye out for other types of businesses to pick up pennies from. I have found two places that advertise a "cheaper than Coinstar" charge to count change. One is in an antique store (which I will never step foot in again, unless I have to) and the other just so happens to be my favorite coin shop. With the worsening of the economy, he keeps me stocked up with all the fifty dollar bags I can afford. I know that he is only doing it for the quick money he makes as a percentage because in the last year and a half I have found seven IH and tons of wheaties. The copper percentage has been at 40% consistently. Hope this helps.

Brett

[Cu Penny Hoarder]

That sucks. I have experienced the same thing with one branch where the bank manager started to recognize me... she questioned me everytime I went in to get pennies and I got sick and tired of dealing with her. I only go in once every 2-3 weeks. IMO, some people just like being hassling people (me). I visit 3 other locations of the same bank and I've never had a problem.

Try traveling 15-20 miles away from your apartment. Also open an account at a few new banks. Do your pickup and dumps during the same trip, it will save you gas.

[John_doe]

That sucks. I have experienced the same thing with one branch where the bank manager started to recognize me... she questioned me everytime I went in to get pennies and I got sick and tired of dealing with her. I only go in once every 2-3 weeks. IMO, some people just like being hassling people (me). I visit 3 other locations of the same bank and I've never had a problem.

Try traveling 15-20 miles away from your apartment. Also open an account at a few new banks. Do your pickup and dumps during the same trip, it will save you gas.

I get asked what I am doing every time I pick-up and dump. I always have and always will. I just tell them I am a coin collector every time.


I get asked what I am looking for every time also, I usually just say "key dates".


If they want to do what I do I figure, they can spend as much time and effort as I have researching it. Plus I don't want to be stampeaded by the zombie heard.

[My2Cents]

Maybe that's what it's gonna come down to... buying CTU's for a cheap as you can get em. Stack em however you can I guess.

[adagirl]

Hey John_doe,
You may want to keep an eye out for other types of businesses to pick up pennies from. I have found two places that advertise a "cheaper than Coinstar" charge to count change. One is in an antique store (which I will never step foot in again, unless I have to) and the other just so happens to be my favorite coin shop. With the worsening of the economy, he keeps me stocked up with all the fifty dollar bags I can afford. I know that he is only doing it for the quick money he makes as a percentage because in the last year and a half I have found seven IH and tons of wheaties. The copper percentage has been at 40% consistently. Hope this helps.

Brett

Brett, do you know what fees the coin shop and antique shop are charging to be "cheaper than Coinstar?" Have you witnessed how they handle transactions when someone comes in with change? I ask because I have an office, and I could advertise this same deal. I am tempted to offer no fees, just to hoard the Cu that comes in. Thanks, Duane

[Robarons]

So cheaper than coinstar would be like 5%?

And how do they accept coins? Do they use a machine or accept rolls (I would assume they would accept loose because banks will take rolls)

And what does he do with all the nickels, dimes, quarters, halves and dollar coins?

[adagirl]

So cheaper than coinstar would be like 5%?

And how do they accept coins? Do they use a machine or accept rolls (I would assume they would accept loose because banks will take rolls)

And what does he do with all the nickels, dimes, quarters, halves and dollar coins?

9% is cheaper than Coinstar too. I was wondering what fee they are charging to motivate folks to come to them. I am assuming they accept loose too, but maybe they take rolls as well.

[dannan14]

i've rolled the idea of offering a coin cashing service around in my head many times since discovering this avocation. My obstacles consist solely of start-up capital. The fee i've been basing my assumptions on has been 5% since the first time i considered creating such a business. This means i am assuming i can deposit the unwanted coins (along with any bank fees for a commercial account), pay rent and utilities on the retail space as well as a bit of advertising.

i don't know how much volume would be necessary to cover all those costs. If i were to do this, i would want all the copper, silver, and numismatic coins to be pulled AFTER all expenses are paid. i cannot say for sure that 5% would cover that unless the volume was enormous. Then again, once the volume gets enormous tweaking the fee can make a big difference.

For now i think i will satisfy myself with coin roll hunting and gold panning. However, since Coinstar basically has this market cornered it naturally follows that huge inefficiencies exist. i am going to keep thinking of the best way to exploit those inefficiencies and pull the trigger when i've got all the tools (capital and information) that are necessary to get the job done.

[adagirl]

I hear you Dannan14. I'm not sure that it would be profitable to set up and only collect coins for counting. You would have to do a tremendous volume just to cover your expenses (not including your time). My overhead is covered by my business, so this would be a no cost proposition other than advertising and a coin counting machine. Advertising could be free too via Craigslist. I wonder how that antique shop and coin shop advertise their services. Keep hoarding!

[cesariojpn]

So cheaper than coinstar would be like 5%?

And how do they accept coins? Do they use a machine or accept rolls (I would assume they would accept loose because banks will take rolls)

And what does he do with all the nickels, dimes, quarters, halves and dollar coins?

9% is cheaper than Coinstar too. I was wondering what fee they are charging to motivate folks to come to them. I am assuming they accept loose too, but maybe they take rolls as well.

Maybe they take a quick look in the piles and pull out collectible coins and whatnot and use that as the "fee."

[John_doe]

I think im just going to stack nickels and buy their cwr's of cents when they come in. I'll probably up my half sorting diet as well.

[penny pretty]

depends where ya are, I guess. When banks have too much "coin" in stock, they have to pay to ship it out. I buy from my credit union( rotate through ten branches) and ask for 20 bux, or any that they want to get rid of. most times I get $20, ONCE they only had $10, and a few times, buy all you want, we a re glad to get rid of them! maybe a bigger city, with branches in a poorer section where more folks might be depositing the change jar....

[thesilvertiger]

Hey John_doe,
You may want to keep an eye out for other types of businesses to pick up pennies from. I have found two places that advertise a "cheaper than Coinstar" charge to count change. One is in an antique store (which I will never step foot in again, unless I have to) and the other just so happens to be my favorite coin shop. With the worsening of the economy, he keeps me stocked up with all the fifty dollar bags I can afford. I know that he is only doing it for the quick money he makes as a percentage because in the last year and a half I have found seven IH and tons of wheaties. The copper percentage has been at 40% consistently. Hope this helps.

Brett

Brett, do you know what fees the coin shop and antique shop are charging to be "cheaper than Coinstar?" Have you witnessed how they handle transactions when someone comes in with change? I ask because I have an office, and I could advertise this same deal. I am tempted to offer no fees, just to hoard the Cu that comes in. Thanks, Duane

Adagirl,
I'm not sure about the antique shop (I've only been there once), but the coin shop charges 6% and only accepts loose change. He's got this really old, large metal counter in the corner. It separates the coins after counting into canvas bags. He then brings the bags of halves, quarters, dimes, and nickels in the back room. He pulls all the greenish/yellowish nickels out to look for war nickels and then has an employee edge check the other denominations for silver. He empties the pennies into the plastic $50.00 bags he gets from the banks. If I don't get there in time to buy them, then he simply deposits them at his bank. He said he simply does not have the time or staff to go through them. I know that is true for a fact. I have bought them right off the machine dozens of times and have found too many semi-key and key dates along with the seven IHs I mentioned earlier. His advertising consists of a large sign in his window and ads in the free "super seller" booklets you find in restaurants and gas stations around here. It also helps that he is on one of the main highways with heavy traffic. I stop by two to three times a week because it is on a sales route I have, plus he is one really cool guy to talk to. He says that I would not believe how many 90% coins get dumped in with the regular change. When someone brings in silver and presents it to him as such, he is more than fair with his buy prices. He said he just doesn't have time to sort when they are right there only wanting to get paid and get out.

My normal search of pennies from the banks around here yield 18% to 22% copper, but his are consistently in the 40% range. He has even offered to buy back the plastic $50 bags of my zinc, if I used the money to buy more silver. He will just deposit it at the bank which means I am not polluting my source. Pretty cool. No more re-rolling for dumps.

[adagirl]

Brett,

Thank you for the information. Yes, you do have a sweet deal with this coin dealer!! That is awesome that you are pulling 40% Cu. Similar to you, when I get coins from the banks I run about 18% - 22 %. I guess my next endeavor will be to look into a coin counter. I know I have seen other folks on here discuss coin counters and sorters, I just can't seem to find the thread on it from the past. Then I will just have to advertise. I am in a professional office, in a high traffic area, but I don't think I will have the same volume as your coin dealer because of my setting. So finding an inexpensive yet reliable coin counter will be critical to the bottom line. Thanks!!

[thesilvertiger]

Adagirl,
I look for any little advantage I can find to avoid going to the bank and the smaller percentages. At Christmas time, I let everyone at my office know that I will count their pennies and give them the cash in return. Everyone here knows that I can be trusted and would never take what is not mine, so I end up with a lot of takers. One guy even recalled that he had a jar at his parents' house. He brought it to work and I got started on it that night. I ended up with right at 35% from all of them. With you working in an office, you may be able to bump up your take and have no advertising costs. Just a thought.