On a long road trip, ideas for Coin Roll Hunting? Also, help!

[viachicago]

Hey folks, new guy here. Long time lurker. I need your help and ideas!

I'm currently driving from Chicago, Illinois to Houston, Texas. I'm not on a tight schedule, so I figured this would be the perfect opportunity to hunt older local banks (especially for CWRs!).

Here's the problem: I'm in Arkansas now. I've stopped at 15 local banks and credit unions so far, and EVERY single one has turned me away. Not just turned me away, but turned me away in disgust, as if I were asking for half of their paycheck. I don't know what I'm doing wrong.

I'm clean shaven, dressed conservatively and normally, and I go in and greet the tellers with a smile and a friendly hello. I don't ask for old coins, customer wrapped rolls, or even halves. I just ask, "Hello! I was wondering if there's any chance you had any extra coins you could sell me?"

The answers so far have all been either "No." or "Are you a customer?" followed by a "No."

The only bank I'm a member of is Chase, but there aren't a lot of those out here, and they put CWRs through their counter the second they get them -- with Chase I've only been getting NF String and Sons rolls or those clear Brinks rolls. Regardless, I can get boxes and fed rolls back in Chicago, so that's not really what I'm looking for.

Am I going about it the wrong way? Should I be checking grocery stores, liquor stores, etc? If YOU were driving halfway across the country, what places would you try? Any suggestions would be tremendously appreciated.

 

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[Yinzi50]

Call ahead and ask specifically for half dollars; If they don't have any or they ask if you're a customer by your area code, then skip through to next bank; Call as many banks as you can; only stop at the banks which has more than $10 worth. Good luck and report back.

 

[Diggin-N-Dumps]

Well, My method has been telling them Im getting coins for my kids Coin books. I used to just walk in and ask, and they would tell me they didnt have any halves without even looking, then when i brought my kids into the story, attitudes seem to change..Good Luck!

 

[agme]

Here's the problem: I'm in Arkansas now. I've stopped at 15 local banks and credit unions so far, and EVERY single one has turned me away. Not just turned me away, but turned me away in disgust, as if I were asking for half of their paycheck. I don't know what I'm doing wrong.

You may not be doing anything wrong. It could very well be that one or more rude or unknowledgeable CRHers have already destroyed that area. Try other areas.

 

[SnakemanBill]

Number one. I ask for halves specifically and if its a yes and I can buy them I'll then ask if they have any of the large dollar coins. Most tellers I've dealt with are more than happy to get rid of halves and the large dollar coins. If you have a GPS use it. Call ahead to banks you'll be passing on your way. Keep all the wrappers in case you have to rewrap and dump along the way or use the wrapped searched coins for food and gas along the way. I don't bother with the smaller denominations while traveling. I usually use the helping out my nephews coin collecting efforts. If they ask if I'm looking for silver I tell them I think he looks for mint marks misstrikes error coins as well as silver ones. One last thing smile.

 

[Hondo]

Not sure if you are looking to buy in bulk, if so I don't have much to offer for help when traveling. I work about 26 days a month on the road all over the country and the approach that works for me is a scattershot method. I will hit a town and go to each bank, ask for small amounts of whatever I am seeking (usually $10 worth of pennies, $20 nickels, etc). As they get that order ready I will casually ask if they have any halves and can sometimes score some cwr that way. I get turned away at a rate of about once for every 5 or 6 banks I hit. (Always for the "no account" reason, and even then they are apologetic and will tell me of another bank to try). Also, I don't really phrase my initial purchase request in the form of a question as you did, I will just lay cash on the counter and state "Good afternoon, I need $25 worth of dimes please.". Seems to work better if you act as though it's just normal business and with a polite expectation of receiving the requested service. On an average 6 or 7 day trip I can acquire several hundred dollars in coin rolls to search.

 

[ArkieBassMan]

Hey folks, new guy here. Long time lurker. I need your help and ideas!

I'm currently driving from Chicago, Illinois to Houston, Texas. I'm not on a tight schedule, so I figured this would be the perfect opportunity to hunt older local banks (especially for CWRs!).

Here's the problem: I'm in Arkansas now. I've stopped at 15 local banks and credit unions so far, and EVERY single one has turned me away. Not just turned me away, but turned me away in disgust, as if I were asking for half of their paycheck. I don't know what I'm doing wrong.

I'm clean shaven, dressed conservatively and normally, and I go in and greet the tellers with a smile and a friendly hello. I don't ask for old coins, customer wrapped rolls, or even halves. I just ask, "Hello! I was wondering if there's any chance you had any extra coins you could sell me?"

The answers so far have all been either "No." or "Are you a customer?" followed by a "No."

The only bank I'm a member of is Chase, but there aren't a lot of those out here, and they put CWRs through their counter the second they get them -- with Chase I've only been getting NF String and Sons rolls or those clear Brinks rolls. Regardless, I can get boxes and fed rolls back in Chicago, so that's not really what I'm looking for.

Am I going about it the wrong way? Should I be checking grocery stores, liquor stores, etc? If YOU were driving halfway across the country, what places would you try? Any suggestions would be tremendously appreciated.

Its your accent. We 'uns don't take too kindly to Yankees 'round here. There is NOTHING to see, and especially no silver in Arkansas anyway. Move along.

In all seriousness, I think you're being too vague. Ask for what you want, not just for "coins." Some banks though, will not give you change for a dollar if you aren't an account holder. Regions Bank in particular can be very bad about that.

 

[SilverFace]

Like others have already stated, since you're not an account holder at most of these banks it would probably be better to ask specifically for any halves that the tellers might have as opposed to just coins in general. Banks often times might use the excuse that exchanging coins for cash is against their policy for non acct holders if you're looking for most other coin denominations. But tellers are often times glad to get rid of their halves so they might be more likely to overlook and not enforce that policy if its a chance for them to get rid of some unwanted halves that they might have.

I still remember when I found my best score ever which was at a bank I didn't have an acct at, the teller thanked me at least 2 or 3 times because she finally found someone to take the half dollars off her hands that she had been holding onto for a while. But if I didnt ask her specifically for halves and just asked more generally for coins she might have at first asked if I was an acct holder and then denied to sell me any coins (maybe not even thinking I might be specifically interested in halves) and I might have missed out on my best score ever.

Good luck and H$H!

 

[BuffaloBoy]

I find that when you get out of your geographical region that accents play a big roll and are a dead giveaway that you probably aren't from the area.
I would assume that an Arkansas accent is much different than a Chicago accent..

 

[Zomotion]

When I head on a road trip I will order a box of halves from a local bank in that area in advance. I also ask for any cwr and if I can pick those up as well. Calling ahead helps.... The hunt can be fun, but you burn through a lot of gas and it sucks to not find anything.

Also I would stay away from credit unions. In my area they are member specific and won't even give you change for a dollar if you aren't a member.