Why are quarters so much tougher than dimes?

[jamesandsons]

I haven't ever tried hunting quarters, based on learning from the experience/mistakes of others as documented on these forums. But it never occurred to me to question *why* silver dimes are so much more readily available in circulation than silver quarters.

Is it because more quarters were melted down/hoarded over the last 50 years? Is that solely because they are bigger than dimes?

These are my uneducated thoughts. Please educate me.

Dates:
both dimes and quarters went from silver to clad in 1964.
Advantage: even

Design changes:
(premise: silver coins are more likely to be found in circulation when they bear the same design as current-year versions)
Washington quarters have been around since 1932. 32 years of silver versions.
Roosevelt dimes have been around since 1946. 18 years of silver versions.
Advantage: quarters

Size:
Quarters are considerably bigger, thus a silver quarter is both more likely to be noticed in circulation and more likely to be considered "worth keeping". Silver dimes are more likely to not be noticed or not be considered "worth keeping" (especially in past years).
Advantage: dimes

What else am I missing?

 

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[Styfflin]

So correct me if I'm wrong, but it sounds like roughly three boxes of quarters have to yield one silver quarter to be on par with the low average of one silver dime per box.
From my personal experience, I have found zero silver quarters in about 15 quarter boxes. My silver quarters have been found in coin counter bags and have been given to me by tellers - that's it - and even those have been hard to come by.

 

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[boristhespider88]

In my own opinion, I think the state quarter program made them harder to find.

 

[Iamrussell]

So correct me if I'm wrong, but it sounds like roughly three boxes of quarters have to yield one silver quarter to be on par with the low average of one silver dime per box.
From my personal experience, I have found zero silver quarters in about 15 quarter boxes. My silver quarters have been found in coin counter bags and have been given to me by tellers - that's it - and even those have been hard to come by.

I've searched 20 boxes of qtrs with 0 ag

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just keep stacking, just keep stacking, stacking stacking stacking

 

[Styfflin]

I've searched 20 boxes of qtrs with 0 ag

It's rough. Though I'd be interested in seeing the final results of a scientific study comparing dimes and quarters, I sure wouldn't want to be part of it!

 

[50cent]

I've searched 20 boxes of qtrs with 0 ag

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just keep stacking, just keep stacking, stacking stacking stacking

try a different coin carrier, brinks used to produce a couple quarters for me but now they is as dry as a bone. ie, garda, loomis, ect.

 

[Styfflin]

try a different coin carrier, brinks used to produce a couple quarters for me but now they is as dry as a bone. ie, garda, loomis, ect.

Maybe you should change your name to 25cent?

 

[baddbluff]

I have never searched a box of quarters. I got ~$900 in CWRs from one bank once and got a worn '48. I just wanted to fill the hole in my type set folder. I think it was a fluke. I am done with quarters.

 

[toorude89]

Picked up a box today. Skunksville Daddio.

 

[Dozer D]

Recently (within last 6-weeks) bought 1-box and later on 1-bag, ZERO. I find most of my quarters in the wild, at the change dispenser near registers.

Scientifically, think about this thought. In the retail industry, they normally tell cashiers to make change going back to a customer using the Largest size coin denominations as possible. Example: something cost $1.19; you give cashier $2.00 (as singles), change should be $.81 cents. To make that combination would need only: 3-quarters, 1-nickel, 1-penny(=5 coins). If you used 2-quarters, 3-dimes, 1-penny(=6 coins). Then if you had a real dead-head cashier that could only count by tens, then ( 8-dimes, 1-cent =9 coins). When I was a vault/cash controller I always told my cashiers in the stores to use the largest coin denominations, thereby I would not need to order so many boxes of various coins. Yes, quarters would be used the most, thereby giving to more eye exposure to the white silver.

 

[Omega]

8 boxes of dimes, 4 silver dimes today. 250 $$ boxes.

 

[Styfflin]

One coin counter bag of $1000 worth of quarters. Five...Canadian...

 

[moff347]

$1000 bag of quarters. Zero silver, two Arizona extra leaf, 6 die cracks, and one minor cud

 

[Wickaboag]

$1000 bag of quarters. Zero silver, two Arizona extra leaf, 6 die cracks, and one minor cud

Atleast you found errors
Good condition or poor?
Wicka

 

[moff347]

The only reason i even do quarters is that i can find on average 4-6 errors per box. And a proof every now and then. Thus far i have found only 5 silver quarters. The errors are quite abundant if u know what you are looking for, however, not all that profitable.