Coin Finds: Rewards of CRH

We recently asked you, our readers, to share your best numismatic finds with us. Based on the long-running "Coin Finds" column in Coins magazine, which will continue to appear in print, this online version will give additional exposure to the thrill of the hunt.

Send your "Coin Finds" to numismatics@aimmedia.com and we'll get them in.

Please include your name, city and state. Names and addresses will be withheld from publication upon request. The editor reserves the right to to edit for content, style and length.

As a kid growing up in the 1980’s I avidly read Coins magazine and Coin Finds was always my favorite column. Unfortunately, as a kid unable to afford more than a roll or two of pennies from the bank, CRH never proved to be very fruitful. Now as an adult, I re-discovered CRH and wanted to share my experiences hunting my first two boxes of rolled pennies. My first box yielded a good assortment of Canadian pennies (not surprisingly) but my wheat cent haul was satisfying- 18 in all, mostly 40s and 50s but one 1937! I’m only halfway through my second box and have found 9 thus far, one of which was a 1934 and not one, but TWO 1919s! What a surprise and what are the odds of not only finding something from the teens in the box but finding two of the same date!

Brendan B.
Hollis Center, ME

When I go to the bank to make a deposit, my custom is to get a small amount of cash back in coins. This last time I requested half dollars. The teller produced two rolls, one wrapped in new paper with the year “1971” written on the side. I could see the coin on the end was indeed dated 1971. The other roll looked older and bore no writing leading me to choose it.

I couldn’t wait to open the roll so I peaked at the end while stopped at a red light. To my surprise, I saw the reverse of a walking liberty half dollar. It was a huge thrill and only the third time in twenty-seven years of collecting and coin hunting I found a Walker in circulation (I am amazed these beauties are still out there). When the light turned green, I focused on driving and headed to the office. Once parked, more good news followed - fifteen of the twenty coins contained silver. A single roll yielded three walkers, two Franklin halves, four 1964 Kennedy halves, and six 40% Kennedy halves ranging from ugly to BU condition.

Keep searching, great finds are still out there. As you can probably tell, I was barely able to contain my excitement.

Mark Vezzola Address withheld

My job takes me often into stores that have a Coinstar machine. I am always sure to check the reject bin every time I am able. In the last two years I found 11 silver dimes and one silver quarter as well as many newer coins. Not long ago, after being in line for at least 20 minutes watch- ing no activity at the Coinstar, I finally walked by and felt like I hit a jackpot. In the reject bin were 25 half dollars. One 1943 walking liberty, one 1963 Franklin, 4 1964 Kennedy, and 19 40% silver 1965 to 1969 Kennedy halves. All except the walker are in AU to UNC. The walker in good. I am certain this will be my best find ever.

Joe Greisiger
Address withheld

I would consider myself to be an aggressive coin roll hunter, getting boxes and rolls of coins quite often, both bank wrapped and customer wrapped rolls. I kept a record for all the coin roll finds for the 2020 calendar year. These are all the finds: 2 rolls U.S. mint wrapped 2006 Kennedy halves; 1 roll U.S. mint wrapped 2015 Kennedy halves; 1roll Ike dollars; 75 40% silver Kennedy halves, 3 walking liberty halves; 13 1964 Kennedy halves; 32 proof and s

mint quarters; 10 proof Kennedy halves; 1 1942 d nickel; 3 liberty nickels; 3 Buffalo nickels; 11 silver Washington quarters; 22 silver Roosevelt dimes; 1 mercury dime; 1 silver Canadian dime; 1 silver war nickel; 1 1987s proof nickel; 12 Kansas state “in god we rust “ error quarters; 5 rolls of wheat pennies; 18 w quarters both 2019, 2020 dates; 1 2009 proof dime; and the best find of the year- 9 rolls of Ben Franklin halves. It was a very productive year.

Dale C. Richards
Address withheld