ways to find valuable coins

pulltabfelix

Bronze Member
Jan 29, 2018
1,011
1,631
North Atlanta
Detector(s) used
Currently have CTX3030 and Vanquish 440.
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
Here is what I have tried or have seen others I know to work.

coin rolling for qtrs and 50 cent pieces. observation: labor intensive for very few silver coins.

being friendly with tellers to get their silver coins, star notes and other valuable bills. (I have used this successfully)

coinstar reject tray: ok, if you just do when you shop and pass by constar machine. But would not be profitable if pursuing a daily route: too much gas and time. Done this but only when I shop at the store.

looking at the pavement under the money window at fast food restaurants by accidentally dropping change and picking up other coins: profitable when visiting fast food restaurant. used to do this, but too lazy now.

never giving exact change for purchase and looking at change: 1-3 wheats per month. I always do this.

developing a route of bars to check parking lots for bills the next early AM on sat and sun mornings. probably most profitable use of them. At least used to be 10 - 20 years ago. Never id this but knew a guy who did it and got an average of $200 per weekend. I figure with keyless ignition systems in use now guys leaving a bar at night don't dig in their pockets anymore to open their car door.

Quick trip and race track parking lots: - 5-10 years ago you could count on at least a dollars worth of dropped change. Now, virtually none due to keyless entry and ignition cars.

if you have the balls to do it:
dress up like a homeless person with a hand scrawled cardboard sign: lost job need to feed family of 4 and panhandle at Interstate Exits. Never done this but see them often in Atlanta and one reporter tracked a girl doing this going to the bank every afternoon after begging and back to her nice middle class home and late model SUV.

establish a friendly network of bar tenders and waitresses:

My late neighbor Marine Bill did this. Yes he was a Marine in Vietnam. RIP Bill. Bill was a consistent coin collector since he was 12 years old. At his passing he had a wheat penny collection of over 225,000 wheats and many complete sets of dimes, quarters, morgans, 50 cent pieces.

He was a very friendly and social guy and loved to visit bars in North Atlanta every afternoon. Thus he knew lots of bartender and waitresses and friends he met in bars.He probably had 50 people saving wheats, indians, old coins, silver coins for him. It was the damnedest thing I ever saw. He sorted and cataloged his daily collections in his garage in the evening. That is where I sat with him and shot the sh*t most evenings. Lots of the coins his friends and waitresses just gave them to him outright, some he paid them red book value. In any case, he would often end up with a double handful of valuable coins every afternoon. No he didn't collect from a bar or restaurant or convenience store owner or clerks or waitresses daily but rather weekly or every two weeks depending on what he felt doing at the time. So sad at his passing several years ago. RIP Bill W.

Always thought about establishing a route of gumball machines. But considered to much work for my limited amount of available time since I still was running a business of my own.


this information is provided for all and hopefully useful. If anyone can reveal their unique coins sources or collection techniques that are effective, please reply. Remember what works in one location will often work in other locations so I feel it is ok to share since we are all in different states, cities.
 

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Blak bart

Gold Member
Jun 6, 2016
18,632
98,134
FL keys
🥇 Banner finds
5
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
Mine lab primary fisher secondary
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Lots of used baggies and other paraphernalia. I throw it all in the can that's 2 feet away. I cant understand why they dump it all over the ground when the cans right there, but they do. The change litters the area around this vac. The very first circle-k gas station when you enter the keys, and the last stop before the 18 mile stretch to the mainland. Unbelievable traffic in and out of this gas station.
 

mark1982

Hero Member
Mar 24, 2012
568
436
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I miss TD penny arcade. I found so much jewelry and many times had over a $100 of coin that was stuck in the reject shoot. That was always my way of making up for gas money CRH. I estimate that I found close too a $1000 in rejected coins because people never looked. Also found a $400 Tiffany ring in the reject tray.
 

PetesPockets55

Bronze Member
Apr 18, 2013
1,651
2,914
Indian River Co., Fl
Detector(s) used
AT MAX & Carrot, Nokta Pulse Dice (:
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Lots of used baggies and other paraphernalia. I throw it all in the can that's 2 feet away. I cant understand why they dump it all over the ground when the cans right there, but they do. The change litters the area around this vac. The very first circle-k gas station when you enter the keys, and the last stop before the 18 mile stretch to the mainland. Unbelievable traffic in and out of this gas station.

Never again now that you've given up that honey hole! :laughing7:
 

Blak bart

Gold Member
Jun 6, 2016
18,632
98,134
FL keys
🥇 Banner finds
5
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
Mine lab primary fisher secondary
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Go for it.....I'm after the cobbs more than the clad. Consider it a gift to the treasure hunters of the world. I'll still check it on the way to beach. Hmmmm......now I'll have to watch and see how many people show up at the golden vac. Lol !!
 

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srcdco

Sr. Member
Dec 11, 2006
415
319
Western NY
Detector(s) used
Minelab Nox-800
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I've tried to check the vacuums at the local car wash, but they all have locks on them. I haven't found one yet that didn't. I guess the owners are wise to the treasures inside and wants them for themselves.

Scott
 

Death&Taxes

Full Member
Jan 2, 2017
180
61
Taxechusetts (It sucks)
Detector(s) used
The only two certainties in life are death and taxes.
Primary Interest:
Other
I've tried to check the vacuums at the local car wash, but they all have locks on them. I haven't found one yet that didn't. I guess the owners are wise to the treasures inside and wants them for themselves.

Scott

Water fountains are an excellent source for me. BTW I'm back after about a year in purgatory.
 

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