Skunkfest February

[xxmrrightxx]

Hi everyone,

I've been going to this one bank since summer of last year and I'd usually find something in each half dollar box BUT this month has been the complete opposite. I've searched 20 boxes and only found a 64 D and (5) 40%ers plus tons of marked coins. The large amount of marked coins started showing up in December which lowered my totals but no where near as low as this. I search for the fun of it, not for the money but it's not fun to find so little from so many boxes. Out of 20 boxes, I've had 16 skunks I love searching half dollars, even if I don't a lot of silver, I'd be happy if I found even 1 a box. These coins and any coin really bring so much happiness to me, I plan to keep everything till I'm old and pass them on. FYI - The rolls are Loomis & the last 4 boxes I searched, all skunks.

Bottom Line - Is the silver in my area gone? (I'm 15-20 mins from the bank I use)
What should I do? Any ideas or suggestions?

 

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[ArkieBassMan]

They can't all be winners can they?

This is your first and only somewhat skunky streak since summer? Consider yourself very, very fortunate.

The silver is likely no more gone that it ever was. IMO 99% of the silver has long been gone since 1980. I personally don't believe in the "old dusty boxes sitting in a corner at the courier that's full of silver that you can get if you do enough volume" theory. What you have been finding, again IMO, is silver that has been dumped somewhat recently. If you're lucky, some of that silver finds its way into your boxes. You've been very lucky.

Only you yourself can answer your own question. If you are doing it, as you say, "for fun", and its not fun...well, there's your answer. I very regularly hit skunk streaks of 10-12 boxes, only to be broken by a lone 40%, and then followed by another 10-12 box skunk streak. Compared to some on this forum, even that would fall in the "could be worse" category. I no longer order boxes. It became "not fun" for me as well.

 

[CC-Hunter]

They can't all be winners can they?

This is your first and only somewhat skunky streak since summer? Consider yourself very, very fortunate.

The silver is likely no more gone that it ever was. IMO 99% of the silver has long been gone since 1980. I personally don't believe in the "old dusty boxes sitting in a corner at the courier that's full of silver that you can get if you do enough volume" theory. What you have been finding, again IMO, is silver that has been dumped somewhat recently. If you're lucky, some of that silver finds its way into your boxes. You've been very lucky.

Only you yourself can answer your own question. If you are doing it, as you say, "for fun", and its not fun...well, there's your answer. I very regularly hit skunk streaks of 10-12 boxes, only to be broken by a lone 40%, and then followed by another 10-12 box skunk streak. Compared to some on this forum, even that would fall in the "could be worse" category. I no longer order boxes. It became "not fun" for me as well.

Well said. I am on my own skunk streak of 5 boxes. Not nearly as bad as others, but seems bad to me given my low volume (took a long break and then only went back to about 1 box per week). My longest skunk streak is probably 7 boxes. I also see nothing "old and dusty" about my boxes - I get my boxes from a bank that uses Brinks and the boxes are fresh, clean String & Son boxes with new-looking MWRs inside. Starting not to be fun again - the same reason I have stepped back in the past.

I am sure that, for the most part, I am just searching the halves that fellow CRH's have dumped given the comparatively low number of halves circulated by regular folks these days. One way or another, we are all just trying to catch those few silvers that are ignorantly deposited into banks and therefore added to the "system". I don't believe there are hoards of silver halves sitting around in old boxes at the courier companies or anywhere else. The best way to catch silver halves is to have friendly tellers that are setting aside all halves for you. You will still get lots of clad but will search less volume. If you have the time and inclination, just hit as many different banks as you can and ask for halves. Best way to catch any silver that may be sitting there. To me, boxes are just a secondary way to catch deposited silver that makes in out of the bank without a teller or other CRHer getting it first.

Also, I used to dismiss those that said the couriers are culling silver. Google the Brinks super sorter machine and you will pick up some interesting pieces on the web. One story mostly focused on culling copper pennies, that I found to be credible, mentions at one point a Brinks manager saying that at one point they sorted out silver dimes and quarters to sell to smelters. Brinks doesn't "own" the coins they handle, but they could certainly substitute clad for silver profitably. Given the low amount of silver in circulation, this culling activity may have ceased, but the super sorter still sorts our silver, which in some cases is just tossed back into the bid by operators (finding its way into our boxes).

 

[Liu21]

You can BET there is BU 1964 JFKs sitting in the back of the FED regional vault..