Date searching dimes?

bblair

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Dec 16, 2011
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Since I'm fairly new to this hobby and forum...how do most people search their dimes? Do most of you rim search everything, then check dates, or just rim search?

I currently check the rims then spread them out and check all the dates.

I'm sure there's probably a thread on this somewhere, but any helpful hints would be great.

Thanks & HH
bblair
 

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SilverFace

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Aug 21, 2011
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I edge search Brinks dime rolls still in the plastic wrap. Most rolls I don't even need to open. Then I just dump the rolls boxed just like I got them. This works most efficiently for me. :)
 

The_EE

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Dec 8, 2011
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bblair said:
Since I'm fairly new to this hobby and forum...how do most people search their dimes? Do most of you rim search everything, then check dates, or just rim search?

I currently check the rims then spread them out and check all the dates.

I'm sure there's probably a thread on this somewhere, but any helpful hints would be great.

Thanks & HH
bblair

I rim search and then date search any that I find suspicious.
 

Quick$ilver

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Feb 9, 2011
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I sound test everything. It's much faster to pour the coins into my hand or bag and listen for that distinctive sound. You would be surprised how many silvers are not spotted by edge check alone.
 

Canadian hunter

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You guys are so lucky. I have to date search all my dimes :BangHead:
I go fast though and now see the big difference between silver, nickel and steel colours.
 

The_EE

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SilverFace said:
I edge search Brinks dime rolls still in the plastic wrap. Most rolls I don't even need to open. Then I just dump the rolls boxed just like I got them. This works most efficiently for me. :)

I would have missed 2 dimes on Friday if I had done that. I looked at the roll and nothing stood out but I always search them anyways. It could have been the lighting in the car since I search in the car and drop off to grab more at another bank to search and then dump someplace else.
 

namster

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The_EE said:
SilverFace said:
I edge search Brinks dime rolls still in the plastic wrap. Most rolls I don't even need to open. Then I just dump the rolls boxed just like I got them. This works most efficiently for me. :)

I would have missed 2 dimes on Friday if I had done that. I looked at the roll and nothing stood out but I always search them anyways. It could have been the lighting in the car since I search in the car and drop off to grab more at another bank to search and then dump someplace else.

Yeah lighting is super important for edge checking, not too much or too little, good eyesight helps too ;D. Im confident I have not missed any, but even if I missed 2-3 40% halves the time it takes to date check simply does not make up for the loss of silver, IMO.
 

Generic_Lad

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Canadian hunter said:
You guys are so lucky. I have to date search all my dimes :BangHead:
I go fast though and now see the big difference between silver, nickel and steel colours.

Couldn't you just get a large enough magnet? Because the nickel ones (unless you are saving those too) are magnetic, as are the steel ones, and when you are done you'd just have silver and foreign coins.
 

bartholomewroberts

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Canadian hunter said:
You guys are so lucky. I have to date search all my dimes :BangHead:
I go fast though and now see the big difference between silver, nickel and steel colours.

Like you, I have to search the rolls..... But silver has a decidedly different colour than nickel... SO I spread them out, look for the silver colour and then pluck them out.... not that I get a lot... but enough to keep the interest active
 

The_EE

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namster said:
The_EE said:
SilverFace said:
I edge search Brinks dime rolls still in the plastic wrap. Most rolls I don't even need to open. Then I just dump the rolls boxed just like I got them. This works most efficiently for me. :)

I would have missed 2 dimes on Friday if I had done that. I looked at the roll and nothing stood out but I always search them anyways. It could have been the lighting in the car since I search in the car and drop off to grab more at another bank to search and then dump someplace else.

Yeah lighting is super important for edge checking, not too much or too little, good eyesight helps too ;D. Im confident I have not missed any, but even if I missed 2-3 40% halves the time it takes to date check simply does not make up for the loss of silver, IMO.

I will date check all halves, dimes are a different story. My problem was the clouds, sun coming out and hiding while sitting in the car and it being 20 degrees out. I wanted to be in the sun to stay as warm as possible lol. When in doubt, check the date.
 

SilverFace

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The_EE said:
SilverFace said:
I edge search Brinks dime rolls still in the plastic wrap. Most rolls I don't even need to open. Then I just dump the rolls boxed just like I got them. This works most efficiently for me. :)

I would have missed 2 dimes on Friday if I had done that. I looked at the roll and nothing stood out but I always search them anyways. It could have been the lighting in the car since I search in the car and drop off to grab more at another bank to search and then dump someplace else.

I should have specified that I also date check anything that looks suspicious - as you mentioned - but I still don't need to open most of the rolls. What were the 2 dimes that you found on Fri.? Were they dirty edge silvers? Those are the ones that I try to be carefull not to miss because they can sometimes be tricky. But I think searching them in clear wrap actually has it's advantage because you can see the entire edge of the coin which you can't really do as well if the coins are loose in your hand. And good lighting is a must to.
 

Canadian hunter

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bartholomewroberts said:
Canadian hunter said:
You guys are so lucky. I have to date search all my dimes :BangHead:
I go fast though and now see the big difference between silver, nickel and steel colours.

Like you, I have to search the rolls..... But silver has a decidedly different colour than nickel... SO I spread them out, look for the silver colour and then pluck them out.... not that I get a lot... but enough to keep the interest active

Sometimes I do that, but still prefer to hold them in hand. I did CRH of dimes for so long, I can even feel the silver with my fingers.
No kidding. I've noticed that when holding silver and nickel dime in hand, the silver one tends to get warmer first.
One advantage of Canadian cold and harsh climate ;D
 

The_EE

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SilverFace said:
The_EE said:
SilverFace said:
I edge search Brinks dime rolls still in the plastic wrap. Most rolls I don't even need to open. Then I just dump the rolls boxed just like I got them. This works most efficiently for me. :)

I would have missed 2 dimes on Friday if I had done that. I looked at the roll and nothing stood out but I always search them anyways. It could have been the lighting in the car since I search in the car and drop off to grab more at another bank to search and then dump someplace else.

I should have specified that I date check anything that looks suspicious - as you mentioned - but I still don't need to open most of the rolls. What were the 2 dimes that you found on Fri.? Were they dirty edge silvers? Those are the ones that I try to be carefull not to miss because they can sometimes be tricky. But I think searching them in clear wrap actually has it's advantage because you can see the entire edge of the coin which you can't really do as well if the coins are loose in your hand. And good lighting is a must to.

I found 3 Rosies and a Canadian silver dime. One Rosie I almost missed and the Canadian. Both had dirty edges next to two dirty clad.
 

fistfulladirt

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namster said:
I think date checking dimes would drive me insane. I edge check only.
Same here. After searching a million dimes, I feel confident I'm not missing any silver.
 

goldencoin

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I don't know why the canadian searchers don't use magnets? It would seem the quickest way to check...

HH
-GC
 

srcdco

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I do date search dimes. That's how I've found the three 1982 no mintmark dimes. Check the price on those and you'll see that they were worth it! I've also found silver that I would have missed by edge checking, including Mercury dimes. I know that the box that I have sitting at home (and I'll do tonight) has at least 2 silver dimes in it, one is Canadian. I've been finding a lot of Canadian silver dimes and quarters lately.

Scott
 

Bigheed

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Edge check and only date check suspicious black looking edges. After several thousand face you honestly won't miss any.

The 3 most important things in my opinion are.

1. Lighting - you need to have enough light
2. Background i.e. your table or paper that covers your table for working on to see the contrast
3. Focus on the task - dimes are alot smaller, but in general the lack of copper edge should stand out like a sore thumb. You'll be able to tell canadians and foreign just from the edge as well after a while. Of course I still check them to be sure but you can see the difference in steel vs. silver after a while.

I don't do many dimes anymore as I have found enough sources of halves to spend my budget on everyday. Even with "good results" on dimes you get about 4x as many ounces with "average results" on halves from my experience over the last 4-5 months. Also dumping brinks dimes (while way easier to hunt) are a pain in the arse because the bank managers even came up and asked me a few times.....these aren't even opened.

Anyways, I still pick up CWR dimes from 2 banks that usually produce a few but thats mainly just for fun now and some zombie bullets.......and still holding out for a longshot Barber to appear!

HH
Bigheed
 

The_EE

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srcdco said:
I do date search dimes. That's how I've found the three 1982 no mintmark dimes. Check the price on those and you'll see that they were worth it! I've also found silver that I would have missed by edge checking, including Mercury dimes. I know that the box that I have sitting at home (and I'll do tonight) has at least 2 silver dimes in it, one is Canadian. I've been finding a lot of Canadian silver dimes and quarters lately.

Scott

At my current rate of 1 silver Canadian dime a month, its going to be a while until I get a full roll :D

I would date search the dimes if I had the time. When I am on a road trip with limited funds, speed is the most important thing.

Hit bank in town, buy dimes, search.
Hit bank in next town, dump
Move to Buy Bank #2, buy dimes, quarters and all the CWR Dimes/Quarters/Nickels/Halves they have
Move to Buy Bank #3, buy dimes and all the CWR Dimes/Quarters/Nickels/Halves they have
Search and then Dump
Move to Buy Bank #4 buy dimes and all the CWR Dimes/Quarters/Nickels/Halves they have
Move to Buy Bank #5 buy dimes and all the CWR Dimes/Quarters/Nickels/Halves they have
Search and Dump
Move to Buy Bank #6 Pick up $1000 bag of Quarters from their Customer Coin Machine ( They call me when their bags get full and I take them off their hands )
Go home, Date and error search and Dump.

If I could take everything home with me, which is the plan as soon as I get enough cash on hand, I will date search everything because I will have the cash and time to do it. I would love to find some of the more valuable errors and key dates. I do date search all nickels, halves, Quarters and Pennies. Dimes are too time consuming to do in the car.
 

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