Silver halves per box stats and more for the last 6 months of hunting

[Zero]

I have been getting boxes of halves from Brinks and Garda from two banks since February this year. I just computed some stats and here are the results:

Brinks had a silver coin per box ratio of 0.61 coins per box based off of 14 silvers in 23 boxes.
Garda had a silver coin per box ratio of 0.04 coins per box based off of 1 silver in 27 boxes.

For the less informed: A skunk streak is the # of half boxes that have been searched before finding silver.

Brinks had a skunk streak of 6-0-4-2-2-1-1 (this means I found silver in box #7, #8, #13, #16, #19, #21, and #23): 6-90% and 8-40%
Garda had a skunk streak of 15-11 (which means I found silver in box #16 only): 1-40%

How long do you stay with a skunky source?

 

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[theekman]

Im only able to get brinks around here. Ive never had any skunk streaks hit double digits so it hasn't been that bad for me.

 

[Ag_Forager]

My stats since Feb 2013:
Loomis boxes: 35.1
Silvers found: 32 (40%x21, 90%x11)
Silvers per box: .9117

 

[BuffaloBoy]

my largest skunk steak was around 55 boxes give or take a few, I still search the same source. I now average 1 silver every 2-3 boxes.

 

[CW3(ret) US Army]

I have been getting boxes of halves from Brinks and Garda from two banks since February this year. I just computed some stats and here are the results:

Brinks had a silver coin per box ratio of 0.61 coins per box based off of 14 silvers in 23 boxes.
Garda had a silver coin per box ratio of 0.04 coins per box based off of 1 silver in 27 boxes.

For the less informed: A skunk streak is the # of half boxes that have been searched before finding silver.

Brinks had a skunk streak of 6-0-4-2-2-1-1 (this means I found silver in box #7, #8, #13, #16, #19, #21, and #23): 6-90% and 8-40%
Garda had a skunk streak of 15-11 (which means I found silver in box #16 only): 1-40%

How long do you stay with a skunky source?

See my post of 7/18/13 12:00AM. I stuck with this bank to get the a Loomis box for over a year with not much great results. You never know when you might get a good one. Case in point; the box I got this past Wed made up for the bad boxes. When you see my post you will understand what I mean. With banks today being harder & harder to get boxes from I stick with my banks that do get me boxes. I wouldn't switch sources. That's my 2 cents worth on the subject.

 

[Sleepy Holow]

Brinks had a skunk streak of 6-0-4-2-2-1-1 (this means I found silver in box #7, #8, #13, #16, #19, #21, and #23): 6-90% and 8-40%
Garda had a skunk streak of 15-11 (which means I found silver in box #16 only): 1-40%

How long do you stay with a skunky source?

If you're in a population area of 200,000 or less this could be the result of your dump strategy. Do you dump at a Garda bank? If so, this could help explain why your Garda boxes have been so bad.

 

[Zero]

If you're in a population area of 200,000 or less this could be the result of your dump strategy. Do you dump at a Garda bank? If so, this could help explain why your Garda boxes have been so bad.

I am in a low population area. I having been picking up Garda and Brinks and dumping into Loomis. I don't mark my coins, but it seems like I am not getting them back. I guess I am going to just keep plugging away with them both despite the skunks.

 

[Dodeskaden]

These stats are really interesting. I've had to cut back on CRHing drastically in the last few months due to a move, though I was never a big volume guy. At my peak volume I did maybe 4-6 boxes of different coin types weekly, with typically just one box of halves. I know that's nothing compared to many folks on here, but it was a lot for me.

Now, with doing less than a box a week, I've been surprised to find that I actually enjoy the hobby -- meaning minute for minute -- considerably more. I'm less robotic about it, dumping isn't a thought (I can spend the dumps at my leisure or return rolls in my natural travels), and I value the keepers more. I also get less miffed at getting skunked. I know this will sound like pointless blasphemy to many here since it's nearly impossible to meaningfully "add to the pile" at such a snail's pace, but seeing the hit rate as calculated by Zero (mine was similar) has made me think about why I even bother to totter along so feebly rather than give up CRHing altogether in this period.

My thoughts -- I never get a box of halves just looking (hoping) to dig one 40%er or 90%er out of it, even that's the optimistic reality I consciously expect. I'm buying a lottery ticket in buying that box, and am hoping for a great score. It's the thrill of the hunt, as we've all mentioned so often. The chance to win.

Getting that lone box and hunting through it slowly still lets me feel like I'm taking my chance, however remotely. And honestly, I don't think I'd increase my chances by an amazing margin of getting that score if I did 100 boxes a week -- in the same way buying 1000 lottery tickets a week rather than one will not greatly increase your odds of winning a big payout.

At a certain skunk frequency, given the effort and gas involved, CRHing really ceases to be a logical, cost-effective means to simply acquire silver. In doing the cold math, just buying the Ag (or getting a part-time job and using the proceeds to buy silver) would yield steadier, cheaper adds to the pile for less overall effort -- but that's no fun. There's no thrill to it. So when logic isn't really in the equation anymore, if it ever was, you're left with the fun aspect as a motivator and reward. For me, doing lower volumes has increased the fun of the hobby, moment by moment. It may take me 10 years instead of 5 to get lucky enough to hit on that dream box -- but that's okay. And given that luck is such a massive factor in finding dream boxes, I'm probably roundabout nearly as likely (in a practical sense) to hit on it this year as a guy who's doing 50 boxes a week. If my reckoning isn't reasonable on this (or someone has looked at the actual incidence of "dream boxes"), please let me know.

 

[Zero]

I think the dream box odds go up significantly if you become a volume hunter, 30+ boxes a week. I don't have any stats to pull from, but a dream box seems to occur much more frequently than a lottery win. But when I am doing one box a week, it is much more enjoyable than six boxes and the increased probability doesn't seem worth it. The expenses seem like they tend to be a loss compared to finds when i am doing a lot of running around dealing with boxes. The occasional road-trip is fun but my last one was probably a break-even. For now, I am a low volume hunter with an occasional road-trip.