Coin Roll Hunting Part X

[emodx]

So this is the 10^th box of pennies that I have recorded my findings. This is the second box of pennies that I have hunted from a downtown Baltimore bank. I have to head into Downtown twice a month. The last box I got from this bank was a decent box. This time around I bought two boxes. I got them in the back of the Durango and and popped the lid on each to see if they were circulated or uncirculated. So when I peeked in, one box was Loomis and the other was an unmarked machine roll, both circulated.

So this review is of the Loomis wrapped pennies. The majority of my reviews are of Loomis wrapped rolls, and overall they have been a really good mix of years. The one thing I noticed is that the Loomis rolls tend to have a really good mix of years. I think that this is because Baltimore is halfway between D.C. and Philadelphia. The pennies are always well circulated.

So as I went through this roll I did my standard separation: Pre-60s, 60s, 70s, 80-82, and post 82 error dates, and keepers. What I noticed is how quickly I was running out of room. This box was loaded! Above average in copper content, above average in non-Cu error dates, average wheats, and a new foreign find – a Greek Dime!


But was really impressive was the amount and type of keepers. I found what looks to be a die break, Mint State coins, UNCs, and hole fillers! All in all I counted 56 keepers, talk about a huge score. That sould keep me busy grading and cataloging for a couple of days. Which means I won't be able to pop the second box until later this week.


I will try an upload all the pics from this box. I am trying a new lighting system which seems to work well with single coins but not too good with more than four coins in a row. This is still a work in progress. Also, I will post a separate thread recapping my first ten boxes with averages and links to the individual posts. Thanks for reading.

Date:	07/21/18
Total Cu	490
Cu %	19.6
Cu to date sort	130
Cu date sort %	5.2
Cu error sort	331
Cu error sort %	13.24
Cu bullion	29
Cu bullion %	1.16
Wheats	9
Wheat %	0.36
Keepers	56
Keeper %	2.2
Non Cu Error dates	542
Non Cu Error Date %	21.7
Foreigns	4

3 canadians, 1 greek dime

2016 P roll

2 2017 P Roll

2018 P Roll

Part X.jpg Part X Fillers.jpg 1957D obv.jpg 1957D rev.jpg 1961D obv.jpg 1961D rev.jpg 1979 obv.jpg 1979 rev.jpg 1981D obv.jpg 1981D rev.jpg

So I can only add 10 images per post, so I will continue on a reply.

[emodx]

1982 obv.jpg 1983 possible die crack.jpg 1983 possibe die crack 2.jpg 1983 possible die crack 3.jpg 1984D obv.jpg 1984D rev.jpg 1986 obv.jpg 1986 rev.jpg 1988 obv.jpg 1988 rev.jpg

[emodx]

1991 blister.jpg 1991 blister rev.jpg 1992 obv.jpg 1992 rev.jpg 1992D obv.jpg 1993 obv.jpg 1996 obv.jpg 1996 rev.jpg 1997 obv.jpg 1997 rev.jpg

[emodx]

1999 black blister.jpg 1999 black blister rev.jpg 1999D obv.jpg 1999D rev.jpg 2004 obv.jpg 2004 rev.jpg 2007 obv.jpg 2007 rev.jpg 2008 obv.jpg 2015D rev.jpg

[enamel7]

Sorry, but most of the keepers you have are damaged coins. The toned ones really look kind of not collectable due to circulation. Someone will show pics of good ones, even though technically toning is damage also.

[GrumpyEd]

Sorry, but most of the keepers you have are damaged coins. The toned ones really look kind of not collectable due to circulation. Someone will show pics of good ones, even though technically toning is damage also.

I wanted to say something like that but couldn't think of the right words and not sound like a grump.
Toning stuff is really based on the eye of the beholder, and I'm not talking about artificial vs natural.

But I think with many of your toners they're pretty but for me, to be a toner, (everyone's different) they sort of need to be purely from toning. If it's in any way changed by the pattern of skin oil on the coin or stuff from circulating or on a surface other than the original unc skin then I don't think of them as toners. I want my toners to be sort of the original unc surfaces and the pattern totally from toning, it's tough to explain it but it has to do with pattern (not shaped like skin contact or stain areas), progression (how the areas shift to the next color).

If you take a fresh red cent and bake it at 500 it will turn into an instant toner, cool magentas and purples and cherry reds but to an expert it's not natural.

Anyway.... to be in the running as a toner it probably needs pristine unc surfaces, no sign of oil contact in the pattern, cool colors.
And still then to the toner folks (ones that pay many times the coins value because of toning) they'll pick em to death to say if it's natural toning, artificial toning, slow toning, fast toning, enhanced toning, from chemicals etc... and they really only want their own view of what's natural and they determine based on pattern, color, progression and their knowledge. And like I said the baked coin with cool colors, may not have oil or anything on it but those experts will know right away (from color and progression) it was enhanced fast toning and not want it even if it looks cool.

[emodx]

So I have taken some time to give thought to the replies here. First I want to thank you for taking the time to read my thoughts on coin roll hunting. I know the comments were given to help me navigate the Numismatic angle of collecting toned pennies. But the reason I coin roll hunt isn't entirely in-line with being a Numismatist. While yes, I want to collect something that will be equal or greater in value in the future (store of value), I enjoy other things about coin roll hunting.

1. I like searching for the unknown... what am I getting next. I can take $25 and turn it into hours of fun. and when I am done with the fun, I turn in $24.50 back into the bank. What other hobby can you get 4 - 6 hours of fun for $.50?
2. I like pretty things. Cars, art, ladies, coins, beaches... And I find toned pennies mesmerizing... I don't care how they got that way, damage, commerce, a dryer, being burried for years.
3. I just had a conversation about pennies with my 11 y/o:
Him: How is your coin collecting going?
Me: Pretty good. Look at these pennies. This one is purple and blue.
Him: What makes it purple and blue?
Me: Chemical reactions with different elements in the air or surfaces it touches.
Him: I want to fry a penny in a deep frier to see what happens.
Me: Ok lets do it. Then we run experiments with different household cemicals to see what happens.
Him: Ok, but first we fry a penny.
4. Future conversations about pennies... when he needs a penny from my stash to fill a whole... I'll say ok, I'll give you this penny, Google the year, pick a historical event, read the article, and tell me what you think... hence, A penny for your thought.
5. Initial investment $.01 plus $.04 for the 2x2. Not gonna break the bank there.
6. 20 years from now I am retired and sitting at the local senior center for the monthly garage sale, I have this really cool pink and purple penny for sale for a dollar. Some little old lady sees it and it reminds her of her grand daughter that was born that year. She offers me a quarter and I accept. That penny that I liked 20 years ago that made me happy, now made this little old lady happy. See line 5, five cents investment. A simple store of value. Do I make any money overall? Probably not, but I wont lose any money because a 20 year old coin with cool colors will still get me the cost plus inflation.

So I know this is a little long winded. But when distilled... we all collect for different reasons. I coin roll hunt for fun. I buy slabbed coins as a fun way to store value, and I cherry pick to make a little money. This may be different for why you collect. And my son doesn't give 2 cents about any of this, he like action figures. But he goes to coin shows and coin stores with me the same way i goto Walmart or the comic book store with him... its fun to hunt what we like together. Thanks for reading!

- Emo

[makecents]

This thread got away from me for some reason, because I always like reading and looking at your threads. I have not opened the first pic and won't until tomorrow when I can appreciate them. First and foremost, you need to do what you are doing for yourself!! These folks here, in whatever way it comes across to you, do what they do for your betterment. So much knowledge, so many years and so, so many takes on the same question or issue, soak them all up.One thing I have learned the hard way, is tuning things or people out when it does not suit me, it does not benefit you in any way. You need to keep doing what you're doing because it's helped me and made my time here more enjoyable and taught me new things and made me look at things in a different way. Keep on keepin on!!

[Petespockets55]

Well said Emo, not long winded.

You articulated what a lot of us here enjoy about coins. The history, the beauty of different things to different people. Sharing with those we care for even if they don't understand our commitment completely.

We hear from quite a few people here that just got into collecting. They ask questions about damaged cents thinking it is a valuable mint error. Some people take the news better than others. Some times we forget you've been collecting off and on, and sound like a person who enjoys our hobby for lots of reasons.

Nobody here intentionally tries to diminish another collectors enjoyment. As you said, we all collect for different reasons.
I bet there was a time Spike heads or clashes or maybe even doubled dies were considered undesirable because they weren't a perfect example of a perfect newly struck die.
And I for one enjoy your "stats-on-bricks". Most of my bank rolls have been hovering in the 10-20% range so seeing some in the 20% is invigorating.
Thanks for sharing your passion.

[GrumpyEd]

Really that fits pretty well with how I think of collecting.

There was a time when I did spend too much and ended up with a lot of stuff most of which only took up space, bags, boxes, piles.
At some point later when moving I decided to get rid of 99% of it. On the bright side, silver and gold were up so the bullion did great and I didn't want to keep any of it anyway because I like varieties better. Some of my best cherrypick doubles did pretty well too. In the end it pretty much cancelled out whatever I had ever spent on collecting and still had my neat cherrypicks for free other than the time.

When my friends say "you are fool to spend time or money on cents" I don't care because like you said, I have lots of pleasure. Finding a cherry is as much fun as people have doing anything they do... And since I was busy doing it, I wasn't out blowing money on beer or stuff that also leaves you with nothing but an empty pocket.

Another aspect was, when young I loved working on cars. Always had a muscle car project and huge four wheeler. As I worked and made more, I spent lots more. Every week I was adding something to my huge 4x4, chrome, lift, winch, huge tires, stereo, 600hp of chromed out motor... everything was special. But, I was wasting tons of money (yea right back when saving it for the future would have been wiser) plus every weekend working on it to drive it to work on Monday. One day I was thinking I spend too much on that 4x4 that it was insane and wearing me out. I sold it and pretty much stopped car projects. I pulled out my wheat cent folders that had been in a drawer for 20 years and bought a CPG. It was more relaxing plus you can put it away when busy, you don't need to fix it by Monday. Then I went a little overboard on collecting until I did the big purge and reduced what I had. Then it was a smaller scale, just as fun and easy to put aside when life gets busy.

So, collecting the way that makes you happy and fills your time is the way to do it.
Even the biggest experts, newbies will ask them "so you do this for a living?" they almost always so NO, it's my hobby, they have a job and coins are their passion.

[jfines69]

I think those are cool looking toners and like you said in 20 years some little old lady will pay you a buck for a 5 cent investment I like the experiment idea especially with the kid helping out down rite cool... Just make sure it's not a million dollar coin If you come up with an excellent flavor for the deep fried coin you could make a bundle at a state fair Make sure to put a dental disclaimer on the package

[emodx]

I applogize for not responding earlier. Been a really busy week at work and at home. I just want to make one thing clear, I really enjoy reading each and every reply to my posts. I want to learn everything I can about Lincoln cents. Once work slows down a bit I will jumb back into coin roll hunting. I have a bo that has been sitting next to me for wat seems like 10 days now.

[jfines69]

I applogize for not responding earlier. Been a really busy week at work and at home. I just want to make one thing clear, I really enjoy reading each and every reply to my posts. I want to learn everything I can about Lincoln cents. Once work slows down a bit I will jumb back into coin roll hunting. I have a bo that has been sitting next to me for wat seems like 10 days now.

No problem... There is more to life than work or family or is that roll hunting