So what is the best way?

[rwb83]

To go about asking these smaller banks if you can purchase hand rolled / loose halves when you are not a member I even feel a little hinkey when I ask my own bank...I don't know why...I just do. But, anyway I've seen some VERY nice results from some of these roadtrips for coins and I would like to do the same. Any bit of information on how to go about asking as well as any other info on how to have a successful roadtrip would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

 

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[fistfulladirt]

I no longer do that, although I used to all the time. It's a bit awkward at first. I just had to grow a couple and over time it wasn't a problem getting used to "are you a member?"
Now the thought nauseates me and I only seek out my own bank, multiple accounts.

ffd

 

[jim4silver]

Over time you learn which banks require you to be a "customer" and which ones don't. I found most of the bigger banks don't care, but the smaller ones to. Don't even try a credit union without being a member, I have never had luck with them.

If I was calling ahead I would ask if I had to be a customer and most banks would say no as long as you pay in cash. I found the ones that required me to be a customer would ask that question right after I asked them if they had any halves during the phone call.

It really sucks when you go to a bank and they say they have a bunch of old rolls that were in the vault for a long time but they won't give them to you because you don't have an account with them. I would rather know ahead of time what they require.

Jim

 

[Diver_Down]

Nothing ventured, nothing gained. You just need to overcome the shyness and politely ask. The worst they can do is say "No". Not to state the obvious, but here are a few tips for road-trips:

Shower and be well groomed. Don't go in looking like a bum with 3 day old scruff on your face, wearing a hat to hide your bed-head.
Leave the sunglasses in your car. Don't worry, your retinas will survive the 30 second exposure from your car to the bank.
Smile and be polite with a simple greeting (Good Morning/Afternoon). Just don't storm the teller window and demand half dollars.
At this point, you can just state the obvious ("I'm looking to buy half dollars, and was hoping that you had some available.")
Or you can go in prepared with a ridiculous story, if they look like a tough cookie to crumble. ("I'm looking to buy some half dollars for my niece. She really is fascinated with the large coins and enjoys counting and separating them by year. It is the only common interest that her and I share, and I really love spending this special time with her.") Or something like that. Keep it simple. Don't bore them to death with some convoluted story, but a sweet, simple backstory helps to crumble the old ladies.
Always, thank them for their time, regardless.

 

[gold eye]

Diver down i do the same thing and i have great luck and i always tell them thank you for your time and have a great day even if they said no some have said as i am walking away you know i do have some in the vault and went and got them for me . RON

 

[AGCoinHunter]

Most CU's wont hand them out without an account. They have to put the transaction through their system. While on a road Trip I ran into a CU with about $100 in old looking rolls. They brought them out and set them on the counter. I pulled out my money and was going to pay for them when they asked for my account number. I politely told them I didn't have one and the teller told me she couldn't sell them to me. She apologized and said they must track all transactions through their members accounts. Ticked me off a bit but on the same trip I went to another CU and asked. They said they didn't but would call around and see if they could find a branch that had some. Their main branch across town had ~$120 dollars worth so I headed to get them. Was in the process of buying them and they asked for my account. I explained I didn't have one but the other branch across town had called ahead and reserved them for me. The head teller was very nice and let me have them telling the teller to just swap out the cash for coins in the vault. She said she would do it since I had driven all the away across town.

So as you can see, its hit or miss. But I deal with CU's a lot now since they are great dump banks and they always track everything in and out. Most banks around me could care less if you have an account.

 

[golden silver]

You can always call them and ask if they have half dollars. It is less akward then face to face and it will save you the akward moment of them turning you down since you don't have an account because they will ask you over the phone. That is a pearl I am throwing out there.

golden silver

 

[quiksilver]

Diver down has the right attitude. In addition since i am in it for the long haul I join any bank that has multiple branches that asks me to be a customer. I currently have joined around a dozen. I just gotta keep up with the amounts needed to not get charges.

 

[USMCLion]

I've never been turned down too much on road trips, most of the time they are glad to get rid of the couple of bucks worth they have on hand because they are tired of counting it. If asked (especially when I see silver in the drawer or old wrappers, I tell them that they are fo rthe tooth fairy. Its the truth(sort of) my kids to get clad halves from the tooth fairy. It usually melts the ice and they give me whatever they have. Now ordering boxes on a weekly basis is a different story.

 

[buffhunter]

here's something that my daughter and i used a few years ago when she was just starting to help me. I went out and bought her a few Whitman blue half dollar coin books and she carried them into the banks with her. When i would ask for halves, i would also say "for my daughter's collection" and her and her little 8 yr old eyes would melt the tellers into putty. a few would ask if i had an account, then would say OK if it was for my little girls collection. We did have some halves in the book, just in case someone wanted to see how much she had. We did have a teller once that gave her a walker and told her this was a special old coin. She knew it was silver...

 

[fistfulladirt]

here's something that my daughter and i used a few years ago when she was just starting to help me. I went out and bought her a few Whitman blue half dollar coin books and she carried them into the banks with her. When i would ask for halves, i would also say "for my daughter's collection" and her and her little 8 yr old eyes would melt the tellers into putty. a few would ask if i had an account, then would say OK if it was for my little girls collection. We did have some halves in the book, just in case someone wanted to see how much she had. We did have a teller once that gave her a walker and told her this was a special old coin. She knew it was silver...

Buff, your method is the best I've heard of yet. Wonder if my 6 yr old would work.

 

[timbobwey]

I'll take small road trips. I go into banks all the time and just ask them if they have any half dollars. A lot of times banks just want to get rid of them. Sometimes a bank will tell you that you must be a member. Sometimes I'll call a bunch of banks ahead, and plan a trip so I'm not just driving around for nothing.
Just be very polite, and they won't have a problem

 

[dave5710]

"Hi, I collect coins and I was wondering if you had any half dollars I could buy?"......... works for me.

 

[quiksilver]

I'll take small road trips. I go into banks all the time and just ask them if they have any half dollars. A lot of times banks just want to get rid of them. Sometimes a bank will tell you that you must be a member. Sometimes I'll call a bunch of banks ahead, and plan a trip so I'm not just driving around for nothing.
Just be very polite, and they won't have a problem

The problem with calling ahead is that very often the person your talking to doesnt ask around and misses the tellers who have rolls others dont know about. I cant tell you how many times after being told there were no halves another teller upon hearing this says oh yeah i got some.

 

[maine_Jim]

If I have a teller refuse to sell me coins because of a lack of an account I threaten them with opening an account. Half the time they realize I'm not kidding and it will be another twenty minutes of paperwork for them and take the easy way out and just sell me the coins. The other times I open up an account and buy the coins. Sometimes I'll close it up the next week but usually I just add it to the stack of accounts.

Maine_Jim

 

[enamel7]

Also remember this. When you do find a bank that treats you good regardless of having an account, treat them well. Cookies and other treats go a long way.
HH
Gilbert

 

[golden silver]

Quicksilver, Yeah I get that at times but I usually can tell if a teller takes the time to go and ask the others. If they don't offer to ask around I request it. Never an issue. Other times I ask directly for the vault teller. Many tellers will sell the coins they don't need for their tray to the vault. I have always been very successful on the road trips and though I may miss some I think of it has some left for round two or that will eventually make it into my boxes. You can't get them all unless your LJ.

Golden Silver

 

[timbobwey]

yeah, I get the brush off a lot on the phone, you can tell if a teller just flat out tells you no, or if they actually check. A lot of the time I ask they will just immediately say no, like I am completely wasting their time. How hard is it to just check, I hate that.
Sometimes when banks say they have halves, I'll show up 15 minutes later, and they won't even have any. That gets old real quick. I think sometimes tellers know that they had a whole bunch the day before. And then someone buys them all, and I call them they think they still have a bunch, or some left. It's happened a lot too. But it's no big deal, bottom line, just go in and ask, can' hurt to try.

 

[rwb83]

Thanks everyone lots good ideas and valid points!

 

[CHAINCHOMP]

i would just ask for rolls of coins brought in by customers if they dont understand the "customer wrapped roll" theory, so be sure to specify rolls brought in by bank customers alreay rolled in the flat wrappers or what ever. on the loose coins, just ask for anyy halves they or the other tellers might have that are loose in thier drawer, they do though get a little confused on the CWR theorty sometimes.