Re halves- they've taken out the 90% but left the 40%?

[50centsaver]

This has happened more than a few times: it appears that the rolls I've gotten at the bank have been gone thru (say I've gotten $200 worth) because they've been newly rolled- and I find several 40%, sometimes I'll find 1 or more 40% in EACH roll- but NO 90%! It's like someone has went thru them but didn't care to take out the 40% for some reason? I can never understand this? This has happened maybe 6 times in all my half hunting. Any idea why anyone? Obviously the 90% are the prizes/worth more, but don't these people know the 40% are worth keeping too?

[cesariojpn]

Newbie scanner.

[BlackOut]

Nope because they are harder to see. It is much easier to distinguish a 90% from clad than it is a 40% silver clad. The general public is becoming more aware of pre 65 coins. I wouldn't be too upset because if they were aware of the 40's, you'd be getting skunked.

[50centsaver]

I agree that the 90% stick out more than the 40%, but when I edge search half rolls it is very easy to also see the great majority of 40%ers. 90% are brighter/easier of course. Sometimes the 40% stick out so bright I think it is going to be a 90%.

Once in awhile a 40% will try to sneak by me as some are slightly hard to see- seem to show a copper/clad look. I've done it so many times your eyes get trained. It is great fun when one or more of those gems sticks out. I've found 19 out of 20 once in a roll, some 90, most 40.

I travel across the US (47 states) for my job so have honed my searches to small, out of the way/off the main drag banks- more chance halves have not been searched. When I've gotten boxes at banks I have found very few.

And in no way am I ever upset to only find only 40%! Quite the contrary, I'm delighted, just puzzled that if they searched the roll why not take out the 40% too?! It's absolutely fine they've left them for me!

It is fun to find money!

[Bluegill]

You have to keep in mind you're looking at this through the eyes of a Ag hunter. Our perspective is different and very niche. Other than coin collectors, Ag hunters and bank tellers, who actually has rolls of halves to edge check? Also, who besides collectors and hunters can differentiate the white hue of Ag from the clad, or the distinctive ring Ag makes? Even bank tellers fail in that regard (unless they are also a hunter).

Most of the very small percentage of the general public who are even aware or care about Ag date check when they come across a half. Although the numbers are growing, most of them aren't aware that the `65 thru `70 were also Ag. They probably looked right at the date and saw it was not "`64 and earlier" and got rid of it.

I gotta ask, how are you so sure that there were 90% in those coins that somebody else found in the first place?

If you have that much wild silver in your area I would be milking it for all it's worth. Make a second career out of it. My area dried up 3 years ago.

[50centsaver]

"I gotta ask, how are you so sure that there were 90% in those coins that somebody else found in the first place?"

Can't be sure, but like I mentioned, it's happened maybe 6 or more times from different bank stops when almost every roll I go thru (of many) has one or more 40% but no 90%.
I'm guessing the coins were searched but only pre 64 were kept. It does make sense that maybe the person hunting for them just checked the dates- didn't edge search- kept only the pre 64. But if they knew the pre 64 were silver why didn't they know about the 40%ers? Just a curious thing. Of course I"M GLAD they didn't know!- if that was the case.

"If you have that much wild silver in your area I would be milking it for all it's worth. Make a second career out of it. My area dried up 3 years ago."

I WISH that was the case. I don't search at banks around here where I live in MN anymore. I'm a school assembly performer traveling to 47 states so when I come to a rural off the main drag little town with just 1 or 2 banks I'll stop and check. I'm having less and luck these days. It stinks to go thru 400-600 coins and not find a one. Happens more than I'd like. All part of the game. I won't quit, that's for sure. What state do you live in?

[Coppergot]

there are plenty of 90 percent ers left!!! I've started about 3 weeks ago, and I found 2 franklin's and 5 64's, the key is quantity. In the 3 weeks I have whent through about 15,000 face. So there are some still out there, my local banks use brinks too.

[Coppergot]

My buddy just brought me a roll from a podunk bank out of state last week. The roll was marked "68-69" & that they were!!! All 40% a whole roll. My guess there was a roll or two of all 90%ers too, needless to say the remaining in their vault are in the mail now, ill post my finds.

[ZenOps]

People tend to forget that silver wasn't all that much back even in 2001, when it was $4.20 per ounce, where a 40% was pretty damn close to face value (I believe a 40% would be 1.3x face back then)

Which any refiner would never have given anywhere near that for a 40%er, so many of them simply got thrown back in.

When nickel hit $1.60 per ounce back in 2007, Canada had a significant decrease in the number of available nickel nickels, but many have since returned to circulation over the last few years as price dropped.