Half Dollar Searching in SF Bay Area

[SFBayArea]

Anyone coin roll search in the SF Bay Area? I've been doing this for years.. only ordering one box $500 per week and recently have been stepping up to $1000 per week. I dump at BofA since I started getting skunks there years ago.. switched to Chase but they don't order coins anymore for customers.. at least that's what they told me. I went to Union Bank but they told me that I needed to pay to get halves. Does anyone have any input on what bank would allow free ordering of halves besides BofA. BofA uses Brinks and I believe that someone that works there culls the silver so I dump there. BofA is also convenient since they have branches everywhere. Does anyone have any ideas.. How do people here order 6 to 8 boxes at once? Banks allow that without charging?

The only bright side of being on the SF area is that I do get "S" minted wheaties often but not a lot of silver like everyone else here. Found a 1926-D Wheatie today and get "S" wheaties one out of three times.

 

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[nicholaswb]

I don't live in California, but I have accounts with Wells Fargo, which is based in San Francisco, California.

They have never had a problem ordering anything for me, whether it was a strap of $2 bills or a box of halves, and the tellers are always willing to go into the vault when I ask for something out of there. I have an account with them, so I would try opening up a free checking account and getting them to order you some coins. They've never charged me a fee or anything, but then again I don't order all that often from them either.

Good luck and HH,
Nick

 

[SFBayArea]

Thanks alot.. I asked the Wells Fargo here and they use Brinks. I guess it all depends on where they order from. I actually opened a Wells Fargo checking account months ago.. I closed it since they never ordered the halves that I asked them to. Seems like I have to find the right place where they're willing to do so. I guess some Wells Fargo branches are more friendly than others. Thanks for the input..

 

[65gt350]

What side of the bay are you on? There are probably 5 couriers (Garda, Loomis, Brinks, ATS) etc... that could service your banks so you should take that into consideration.

HH,
65GT350

 

[SFBayArea]

65GT350

I'm on the SF Peninsula.. Are you in the Bay Area too? As far as I know.. BofA uses Brinks.. Chase used to use CWI before they said they don't order for customers... I asked Union Bank.. they use Guarda. Union Bank told me they would charge for boxes. Chase used to have these CWI boxes that were dated 2007 that had a good amount of silver but then gave me ones dated 2009 & skunked me. I don't want to go back to ordering from BofA since I had gotten a bunch of skunks from them and that's where I send my skunks. Where do you go and where do you order from? It's good to know since we won't run into eachother's skunks. Is it also possible to tell say the merchant teller at BofA to order from Guarda instead of Brinks? Let me know about your experiences.. are you still pulling silver? I've started to run dry. It's really good to know eachother's banks since we don't want to run into eachother's skunks. Wachovia gets their coins from Guarda since they told me that they use the same source as Union Bank. They don't order coins for me.

 

[SFBayArea]

Oh 65GT350.. do you also know what banks use what services? Garda, Loomis, Brinks, ATS? I don't know what ATS is.. The only ones I've dealt with are Brinks, CWI, & Garda. Who uses Loomis? I wish I knew more about the coin wrapping structure so that I won't run into other people's skunks. Believe me .. Brinks has a lot since I hadn't gotten anything from them & I dumped there for the last 5 months that I've coin roll searched this year. Is CWI the same that Loomis provides? CWI has the yellow striped HF String & Son rolls for halves.

 

[65gt350]

I am on the other side of the bay. I do know that Union Bank uses Garda. Wells Fargo uses Loomis in my area but I have seen Brinks trucks on your side. I know that Chase gets CWI boxes and I agree with you on the 2009 dated boxes but I think they are done and the silver is flowing now. Don't worry about others dumps just power through them. It is amazing the number of marked coins but the boxes still produce. ATS was a service company but they may have been bought by Garda.

HH,
65GT350

 

[SFBayArea]

Thanks for letting me know... What bank do you use to supply & dump? It's good that you're on the other side and so we're not really competing. It'd be good if we get on the same page. I've probably dumped about $15,000 worth at BofA this year. I just don't want to get any of mine in return and I'm sure you probably wouldn't either. Have you had anyone in Chase tell you that they can't order coins for you anymore? I did get some boxes from Union Bank Garda before they were going to charge me. They produced some silver but not much compared to the 2007 CWI Chase boxes I got back in March. Last 4 Garda boxes produced 1 90% & 1 40%, really weak.

 

[65gt350]

Thanks for letting me know... What bank do you use to supply & dump? It's good that you're on the other side and so we're not really competing. It'd be good if we get on the same page. I've probably dumped about $15,000 worth at BofA this year. I just don't want to get any of mine in return and I'm sure you probably wouldn't either. Have you had anyone in Chase tell you that they can't order coins for you anymore? I did get some boxes from Union Bank Garda before they were going to charge me. They produced some silver but not much compared to the 2007 CWI Chase boxes I got back in March. Last 4 Garda boxes produced 1 90% & 1 40%, really weak.

I would rather not post that information. Again, don't worry about the dumps all these coins get moved around. You just have to power through the skunks and enjoy the silver when it comes. As far as Chase not ordering I think it depends on the branch.

HH,
65GT350

 

[SFBayArea]

Thanks alot 65gt350

I'll try some other branches.. well.. at least you know where I dump. I thought for a while that someone or employee at Brinks took out all the silver. I've got Brinks boxes that was obvious that someone look through them.. they had bicentennials all out at the end of the rolls or there were marks on them. It made me really suspicious if they gave a sealed box with all ones that someone arranged a certain way. I'm sure Brinks still has some silver but less since someone there filters them. Every once in a while you get some through but I really feel like punishing that employee now that I've dumped at BofA this year. Left 3 boxes for Foster City Branch last weekend. By the way..Do you mark yours? I put a permanent marks on the "99" of 90's issue beat up halves. You might've seen some. I've done this for a little while.. silver is out there as much as the early 2000's when silver was a lot lower in price. I just started doing cents. They're fun but not money makers (got 1917-D, 1929-D, & 1930-S last box). Bay Area does have more shares of "S" mints. Any luck with dimes.. I've never tried them?
As far as being worried about too many CRH's out there at least in the Bay Area.. I don't think there's that many since most people at branches think that I'm the only one that does it. I've only noticed there's a few other variations in Roll Markings in the ones I've gotten. Again, thanks for the input.

 

[SFBayArea]

Oh.. I sound like I'm spilling my beans on what I do but I think it would benefit all other searches out there too. No one wants someone else's skunks.. OUCh.. I also use halves as much as possible too.. I've paid $200 in halves at a Fry's Electronics store before.. you should've seen their face.. most Indian or foreign people at Fry's get shocked at seeing them.. They have to consult their managers.. I use full rolls to pay at Costco, supermarkets, retail stores, fast food joints, bars, dmv, & gas stations. I use up full rolls of halves & pennies anywhere I can spend cash. Paper money seems more valuable to me now. It's funny how some will look at them and want to keep them. It's great so there's less chance of getting them back. I even give them as payment to friends if I owe them any.

 

[65gt350]

I have done a few dime boxes and they yield about a dime a box. As far as marking coins, I do mark some gold plated coins with the date that I deposit them. I have started seeing some marked coins that have a "s" punched on the front or back, black lines on the rims and I think I have seen your date mark too.

As far as getting presearched boxes around here that is part of the game. If the people who dumped didn't return the coins in the original wrappers we would have less of those boxes.

I use to do cents when copper was higher.

HH,
65GT350

 

[SFBayArea]

I guess the person the marks the rims must go through a lot. I see them everywhere. I can't recall seeing yours.. so that means we're not cross contaminating. It's good that you're in a different area. I always thought that even if you returned halves in their original wrappers... they would be ripped open & recounted at their facility anyways. At least this was the new system that BofA told me. They told me you don't even have to have them rewraped. They take them in a bag and send it to their facility (probably Brinks) to count and can credit your account with what they count. If I returned skunks in a box.. they just throw the box away.. put all rolls in a bag and ship it. It's a new system. Just curious have you ever gotten a Brinks box with silver in it of late. I can't imagine going through 30 boxes of skunks in a row.. That would make me pull my hair out.

 

[65gt350]

As far as getting silver from Brink's yes I am still getting some silver. I am positive that more than one person is marking the rims in the area. I have seen multiple color stripes (2 purple, 1 green) (1 red 1 green), 1 black, 2 black etc.. red dot on sheild, line through IGWT, red neck, so we have quite a few hunters in our area.

HH,
65GT350

 

[SFBayArea]

Yeah I've seen the lines on the side and dots on the reverse. I guess it all does get moved around. I just can't imagine getting too many dumps that I'd feel like quitting. Have you ever gotten a super great box? The best box I ever got was back in 2002 when silver was lower. I pulled $30 face in 40% Kennedy's but that's the max. It's sad that it was years ago.. I'm lucky now just to pull 1 90% & 3 % from a box. The next one was a $15 face in 40%'s in a San Diego box but that's it. It's best to spend the coins I guess or encourage others to send them because most people keep them if they get them in change. What's the most skunks you got in a row?

 

[65gt350]

Yeah I've seen the lines on the side and dots on the reverse. I guess it all does get moved around. I just can't imagine getting too many dumps that I'd feel like quitting. Have you ever gotten a super great box? The best box I ever got was back in 2002 when silver was lower. I pulled $30 face in 40% Kennedy's but that's the max. It's sad that it was years ago.. I'm lucky now just to pull 1 90% & 3 % from a box. The next one was a $15 face in 40%'s in a San Diego box but that's it. It's best to spend the coins I guess or encourage others to send them because most people keep them if they get them in change. What's the most skunks you got in a row?

I have had a couple of "dream boxes" but I also consider a single key date or variety a great box. The most skunks was 18 but the skunk buster was only a single 40.

HH,
65GT350

 

[65gt350]

Thanks alot 65gt350

... By the way..Do you mark yours? I put a permanent marks on the "99" of 90's issue beat up halves. You might've seen some.

SFBayArea,

Would this be one of yours? I found it along with a 64 in today's box.

65GT350

 

[SFBayArea]

Yes.. that is correct.. did you get that from a brinks box?

 

[SFBayArea]

Gonna go down to Sun Diego for a week to apply for a job.... dump some down there... maybe order some and bring back here.. last time I got a box down there.. I only got 1 90%. Anyhow, coins gonna be last priority down there.. sun, beach, beach scenery if you know what I mean, and gonna watch Chargers vs. Ravens game. Everything's cheaper down there so I got a 1st row ticket for $100 instead of the overly inflated prices of the bay area .

 

[65gt350]

Yes it did. Good luck down in San Diego.

HH,
65GT350