Hunting Wild Silver

[Hawkeye]

During the school year, I am a teacher. But, during the summer, I help my cousin deliver appliances for a little store in our area. It's fun, not too hard, gives me a little extra cash and keeps me out of trouble. When we take out old dryers, they are sometimes full of change. We have a good time tearing them apart and are like small children when coins start falling out. We found $55 in one last summer. Good times. Anyway, I'm always hoping for an old dryer with silver, but have had no luck. Then the other day, we were dumping a washing machine and found a handful of change in the bottom. They had been sitting in a little bit of water for over a month, and were a little blackish. Except for one beautiful, gleaming 1964 quarter. I've bought hundreds of silver quarters, but finding one like that was quite a thrill. That got me to wondering- what is the weirdest place that you've ever found "wild silver?"

[Dumpster Diver]

About 15 years ago I was in a booth at a restaurant that dated back to the 40's in North Carolina. I don't recall what I dropped, but I had to fish my hand down into the crack of the seat. When I pulled it back out, I was the new owner of a Peace Dollar! Still have it today.

[AGCoinHunter]

About 15 years ago I was in a booth at a restaurant that dated back to the 40's in North Carolina. I don't recall what I dropped, but I had to fish my hand down into the crack of the seat. When I pulled it back out, I was the new owner of a Peace Dollar! Still have it today.

Nice find DD. I had to read it a few times....with the words "fish" "hands" and "crack" it made me do a double take.

[blackrabbit]

When I was a wee lad I found a mercury dime in a crack in the sidewalk in Brooklyn, New York City in front of my grandmothers apartment. That was my first silver find and the only time I have found silver randomly on the ground. I know it is not that interesting but for me it was an incredible magical experience and I still remember the feeling of wonder to this day.

[wagsthadog]

Hi all-

Don't call me a scumbag, but I found a 1964 dime in the "tip jar" at subway one time. ....and I "liberated" it! (I put a couple common quarters in to counteract the negative karma-)

wags

[scrapper2010]

Hi all-

Don't call me a scumbag, but I found a 1964 dime in the "tip jar" at subway one time. ....and I "liberated" it! (I put a couple common quarters in to counteract the negative karma-)

wags

Lol, no I'd have done the same.

[beauanderos]

When I was a wee lad I found a mercury dime in a crack in the sidewalk in Brooklyn, New York City in front of my grandmothers apartment. That was my first silver find and the only time I have found silver randomly on the ground. I know it is not that interesting but for me it was an incredible magical experience and I still remember the feeling of wonder to this day.

You probably still have the chewing gum you found under the theater seats, too!

[nero12345]

Just two weeks ago my brother was visiting and came by the house. He had just got some coffee and threw the change on the table and said"so there anything good there?" while laughing. I looked of course and said are you serious. 1 65' and 2 63' canadian quarters. He said to go ahead and have em. I bought thousand's in dimes and quarters and found very little so I was pretty stocked. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

[scrapman1077]

Worked in a scrap yard years ago, ripped the back seat out of a car that was headed for the crusher and found a Morgan dollar stuck in the goo, still have it! We did the same thing with washers and dryers a the yard found a LOT of change.

[Coppercrazy]

Yeah,always knock the top off of driers and flip em on the ground,before you take them to the yard..there is always change in the bottom of the machine.MY favorite silver in the wild story would be finding an extra fine 1873 S quarter in a garbage pile of old stuff that was cleaned out of an old housE. You never know whats out there unless you look!

[amalekidad]

Fourty five years ago I was riding in the back seat of my grandparents car and found a 1919 dime. When I showed them they just looked at each other and kissed . Later they explained that was the year they were born and thought it was good luck to kiss when anyone mentioned that year.

[Thogey]

During the school year, I am a teacher. But, during the summer, I help my cousin deliver appliances for a little store in our area. It's fun, not too hard, gives me a little extra cash and keeps me out of trouble. When we take out old dryers, they are sometimes full of change. We have a good time tearing them apart and are like small children when coins start falling out. We found $55 in one last summer. Good times. Anyway, I'm always hoping for an old dryer with silver, but have had no luck. Then the other day, we were dumping a washing machine and found a handful of change in the bottom. They had been sitting in a little bit of water for over a month, and were a little blackish. Except for one beautiful, gleaming 1964 quarter. I've bought hundreds of silver quarters, but finding one like that was quite a thrill. That got me to wondering- what is the weirdest place that you've ever found "wild silver?"

By dumping I hope you mean, selling to a scrap yard.

[beauanderos]

[quote="Dumpster Diver"]About 15 years ago I was in a booth at a restaurant that dated back to the 40's in North Carolina. I don't recall what I dropped, but I had to fish my hand down into the crack of the seat. When I pulled it back out, I was the new owner of a Peace Dollar! Still have it today.quote]
Now... that's a new one on me, but I'll bet it works! What mugger is gonna double check your ass crack for a hidden stash when he swipes your wallet?

[Dumpster Diver]

About 15 years ago I was in a booth at a restaurant that dated back to the 40's in North Carolina. I don't recall what I dropped, but I had to fish my hand down into the crack of the seat. When I pulled it back out, I was the new owner of a Peace Dollar! Still have it today.quote]
Now... that's a new one on me, but I'll bet it works! What mugger is gonna double check your ass crack for a hidden stash when he swipes your wallet?

I sent it off to get graded and it came back Stinky Uncirculated.

[beauanderos]

About 15 years ago I was in a booth at a restaurant that dated back to the 40's in North Carolina. I don't recall what I dropped, but I had to fish my hand down into the crack of the seat. When I pulled it back out, I was the new owner of a Peace Dollar! Still have it today.quote]
Now... that's a new one on me, but I'll bet it works! What mugger is gonna double check your ass crack for a hidden stash when he swipes your wallet?

I sent it off to get graded and it came back Stinky Uncirculated.

Thus proving the only exception to the rule..."you should never clean your coins."

[chris6084]

In high school I was up on the roof of the school (I was a bit of a trouble maker) and I found a silver quarter in the rain gutter.

[Tourney64]

Bought some used cloth coin bags from AMPEX and there was a beautiful silver quarter in one of them. I quickly checked all the rest with no luck.

[aristobolus]

I bought a 63 Ford Galaxie 500 four door hardtop with a 289 cu inch (for all you car enthusiasts out there). It was Corinthian white with red interior; the most beautiful car America has ever made. I purchased this car in 1995, and while pulling up the old carpet I found a 1963 Franklin Half dollar.

My second story goes back to my childhood. When I was a wee lad of about four, I was looking in the small space under the moldings on the wall when lo and behold I found a 1909 wheat penny! I also found about five more wheaties from the forties as well. These were probably seminal moments that led to my interest in collecting coins.

[Economist]

I do auctions in class with my Econ students--usually auction off a $1 or $5 bill in an all-pay auction to demonstrate the wastefulness of rent seeking. Anyhow, on two occasions in the last 2 years students have included silver dimes in their payments! I always make money on this, but getting silver makes it extra special.

[Rodebaugh]

I have an uncle that was removing tile during a remodel and found a couple silver dimes hiding underneath......put there years before by my grandfather during construction.

Later rumors of a “jar” full over silver coins had my cousin and I (14-15 y/o at the time)tearing apart my aunt’s house. Pecking and metal detecting walls and such.

[Rob72830]

When I was a kid my father was a trash hauler. He would pick up cardboard boxes from businesses for recycling. Anyway at this shoe store I picked up an empty shoe box and found a silver English 6 pence that somehow made it from England to Arkansas. Had a very young Queen Elizabeth on it. Went to my coin collection. One other time, my dad was picking up trash at an antique store and found 5 Peace Dollars. Many times we found paper money and coins that were swept up and thrown away. I used to find lots of pennies. Those were the days.

[TwoAndAHalfCents]

Several years ago when I was mountain biking in the Southern California mountains after a bit of rain and snow, I spotted something shiny in one of the ruts in the washed-out road I was on. It was a Mercury dime unearthed and waiting to be found.

[creshka46]

Just a couple months ago I was at the bank picking up some dimes when the teller got to asking me about what I was doing. So I was explaining to him that some are made of silver when I glanced at his tray that they use to make change and said, "Actually, you might check that top dime in the tray" and sure enough, he looked at it and it was a 1964 rosey, right on top. I asked him if he wanted it but he passed so I took it.

[Hawkeye]

Just a couple months ago I was at the bank picking up some dimes when the teller got to asking me about what I was doing. So I was explaining to him that some are made of silver when I glanced at his tray that they use to make change and said, "Actually, you might check that top dime in the tray" and sure enough, he looked at it and it was a 1964 rosey, right on top. I asked him if he wanted it but he passed so I took it.

That is awesome. I've got a couple roosevelts in change over the last few years, but have never spotted one "at long range" like that before.

[knibloe]

Last year I found a silver civil war token in a bag of dimes.