This is quite possibly the best hobby ever!

[SpareTime]

Hello fellow CRH's! Just want you to know that I am a late comer to the game.... Had a friend ask me to pick him up a box of .50 from the bank. What's wrong with you I asked...... roll hunting he replied. Six weeks later I am hooked! So look out world, here I come.

A few newbie ?'s...

1) Pre 82 pennies. Who can I sell them to? I contacted a local scrap guy and he called me more names than a drunk sailor.

2) For now I am a silver hunter. How should I hunt... .50 then .10 then .25.....etc etc. Thanks for the help!

 

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[dave5710]

To answer your questions, 1. Just keep the copper and hope in your lifetime that the laws change. Most bakerys will get frosting in 3 to 5 gallon buckets, these come with lids, so that you can stack them in your basement. I doubt if they would charge you for them. 2. Most folks here will tell you the order would be halves, dimes, nickels, then quarters.

 

[ArkieBassMan]

1) It is illegal to melt copper cents...for now - as I'm sure your scrap guy told you. The only market I know of to sell them is eBay.

2) Search whatever you like to search and/or what produces best in your area. Halves will probably give you the most silver, but you'll probably be more likely to "skunk" searching halves than anything else except quarters. Long runs of nothing but box after box of clad halves are pretty common for most of us. Speaking generally, as your area may differ, dimes probably will give up the most consistent silver.

I feel I need to throw this in there as well: Most of us search more because we enjoy it than "for profit." Its entirely possible...maybe even probable that after you factor in gas, time, and all other expenses associated with this hobby, that it would be cheaper to just buy the silver outright. At nearly $4 per gallon, it doesn't take much gas to eat up all your silver profit. Thats nearly 2 silver dimes or 1 40% half per gallon of gasoline. If you enjoy searching coins, and can tolerate sometimes long runs of not finding much (or anything), you'll enjoy the hobby. Good luck!

 

[SpareTime]

1) It is illegal to melt copper cents...for now - as I'm sure your scrap guy told you. The only market I know of to sell them is eBay.

2) Search whatever you like to search and/or what produces best in your area. Halves will probably give you the most silver, but you'll probably be more likely to "skunk" searching halves than anything else except quarters. Long runs of nothing but box after box of clad halves are pretty common for most of us. Speaking generally, as your area may differ, dimes probably will give up the most consistent silver.

I feel I need to throw this in there as well: Most of us search more because we enjoy it than "for profit." Its entirely possible...maybe even probable that after you factor in gas, time, and all other expenses associated with this hobby, that it would be cheaper to just buy the silver outright. At nearly $4 per gallon, it doesn't take much gas to eat up all your silver profit. Thats nearly 2 silver dimes or 1 40% half per gallon of gasoline. If you enjoy searching coins, and can tolerate sometimes long runs of not finding much (or anything), you'll enjoy the hobby. Good luck!

I guess I should have said that.... Its a ton of fun. I pick up by stopping by the 23 local banks in my town and asking the tellers if they have any loose or rolled they would like to get rid of. Usually good for 20-30 bollars a pop! So Im using ano more than a mile worth of gas on any said trip! Thanks again!

Is there a place on the fourm thhelps explain which .50 after 70 are silver "pprof S coins? Im reading alot and not fully finding it.

 

[ArkieBassMan]

Proof coins after 1967 have an "S" mintmark.

The mintmark is that little letter near the date on the coin.

 

[SpareTime]

Proof coins after 1967 have an "S" mintmark.

The mintmark is that little letter near the date on the coin.

Are all proof coins silver content?regardless of year?

 

[mlayers]

Sparetime. the answer to your question is no. I found a 1993S today and it is clad not silver. Get a Red Book and it will tell you what the coin is made of. It will have prices for a S-clad and a price for a S-silver.......Matt

 

[Generic_Lad]

Silver proofs started in 1992 (from 1965-1991 there were no silver proof sets made), all bear the "S" mintmark and are 90% silver (except for the 40% silver half dollar, quarter and dollar made for the bicentennial) and will have solid white rims with no copper.