Half searching tips for a newbie?

[Joogaler]

I've been mining copper for months, but am looking at getting into the realm of some half searching. Here are my questions:

What banks will order halves for you?
I bank at BB&T (Business) Woodforest (Personal), and First Citizens (Personal) Anyone dealt with these banks?

How do you dump?
I'm thinking about using one bank as a source, and one or two as a dump bank. I would have to roll them, has anyone had problems returning large quantities of rolled halves?

What else should I keep in mind? I'm completely in the dark on this.

[BamaJoe]

I haven't dealt with either of those banks, but have a few suggestions.

1. Have separate pickup and dump banks. I even went so far as to get two banks with different armored car services - figure this might reduce the chance of getting my dumps back. I pick up at Regions (Loomis) and dump at Compass (Brinks).

2. The tellers sure don't like to see me coming in, but haven't had anyone refuse the rolled halves. Lately I am dumping at least 10 boxes a week, but since I have alot of Compass banks in the area I never dump more than 2 boxes at once and usually only hit a branch every other week. I figure that will lessen the chance of my wearing out my welcome.

3. Don't get discouraged over a bad streak. My worst was 15 skunks in a row, but those nice boxes make up for it. I've done a little over 200 boxes now my my average haul is a little over 3/4 oz of silver each. I'm pleased with that considering each one takes me about an hour and do it while watching tv or the kids and I spend time together doing them.

4. Banks are not supposed to require you to put your account number on each roll, but I'm not going to get into a pissing match with them over it. If they do want that, I wouldn't personally spend time hand writing each one. Give me a shout and I can tell you where to order boxes of rolls with you account number already printed on them. The cost isn't bad - my last order of 6000 was only about $25 and that's enough to do 120 boxes. Besides, it's funny to see a pissed off teller pull a roll out of the box and you just know she's doing it to tell you that you need to write the account number on each one and then she sees that it's already printed on there.

That's all I can think of at the moment. If you have any questions just put them here and I'm sure someone will answer. Some have been doing it a lot longer than me.

[Joogaler]

Thanks for the info! About the wraps, I actually have a stamp with my Account number for woodforest on it that I was using when rolling zincs. So that's most likely where I'll be dumping my halves.

[fasteddy]

I even went so far as to get two banks with different armored car services

this is a must you dont want your sorts back...i marked my first $10K to see where they went....I closed two bank accounts when i picked up two boxes and had about 30 halves with my mark. After 1 year and $21k searched i have only received two halves with my mark on them from my current pick up banks...Its not the bank its the service they use that you really need to know about. I take in precounted loose bags and let the bank send out to be counted...the deposit hits two days later. I dump to brinks.

Try to get away from rolling....

[appjoe]

Ohhhhhh Nooooooo all my boxes I search are brinks boxes and that's where you guys say you dump. I've been lucky with brinks so far I guess you don't live in the northeast.

[BadKarma]

I'm not at the box stage yet, but when I do pick up a few rolls, I hand back the ones with numbers on them.

[fasteddy]

I hand back the ones with numbers on them

those are the ones you want, thats old school...i have scored silver from the CWR's with numbers on them...now if the numbers are like 1980 or something like that then yes send them back....however I pick up ALL the halfs they have even if like today it is only two clads, I dont want the tellers to think I am to choosy. You want the tellers to remember you and be friendly so if something special comes in they will save for you.

[lsujoeylsu]

Thanks for starting this thread. I'm trying to learn all I can.

[tbram88]

I am thinking about sorting halves too, this is a good thread. Keep up the good advise for us noobies.
Thanks.
All the best...Bob.

[fasteddy]

You want the tellers to remember you

case in point...yesterday at a penny pickup the teller said "I have some half dollars for you" so nice and so-swheat even if they were all skunks....maybe next time.

[beauanderos]

There are so many searchers out there... even if you aren't searching halves you've already looked thru, you're looking thru halves someone else has already looked thru. The point being, I wouldn't worry so much about where you dump, but build up your order to high volume... so you can search for freshly circulating silver dumps and find them before anyone else does. You're counting on the ignorance of the public to keep these old silver halves re-entering circulation from Gramma and Grampa's collections and their inheritances. The 40% can be so well-disguised that maybe they have been in circulation all this time. But you gotta know, if you find a Franklin, or Walker, or Barber... it hasn't been in freakin circulation all this time... someone just spent it after coming across it from one means or another.

[zerocd]

Try depositing the dump or paying bills. I can withdraw same day or next day to buy more.

Banks have a hard time refusing a deposit.

Spread out the dumps and if you are starting to do volume, pick up from several branches.

Many local banks here have free coin counters if you have an account. Investigate.

Some local banks offer a $100 incentive deposit if you open an account. At least three banks had this offer here in the last year.

I just got two one ounce silver rounds and $100 when I opened a checking and savings account at one bank.

Get to know the tellers names, especially the head teller.

I have accounts at 6 local banks and have about 20 branches within 20 minutes of my home.

Use what's available to you.

Always be polite even when you get grouchy bank employees. This goes a long way.

A little candy reward for helpful tellers can grease the skids.

I try and have a few interesting coins in my pocket to entertain and make conversation.

Happy hunting!

0CD

[SilverFossil64]

One of the most important tips is establishing good relationships with your pick up and drop off banks. Be friendly with the tellers, thank them, and if you do a lot of volume, bringing in stuff at holidays like cookies, chocolates, etc. go a long way. If the tellers like you, they are more likely to use discretion to help you instead of use discretion to shut you down.

[Kurr]

A rubber stamp will save you money on those "account numbers on rolls".

Then you can just re-use their wrappers (another small savings) and still satisfy requierments, while saveing time and hand cramps.

[AuStruck]

Dumb Question - How many coins or dollars worth in a “box” of halves?
How many coins or dollars worth in a “box” of dimes?
I haven't searched large quantities.

[fasteddy]

no dumb question if you dont know the answer
halves $500
dimes $250
Nickels $100