Have silver halves dried up in PA

[Carlj]

I have been CRHing in SE PA since 2012. Last May (2023) I saw a sudden
drop off in silver per box. In fact, I went 20 boxes with nothing. The average
prior to that for that bank pickup was about 45% of the boxes had silver
and average silver per box was about 2. Prior to this sudden drop off on May of 23
I had six months of boxes (starting in Nov. 22) that had hand written on them
in magic marker "NO SILVER", even though I was still continuing to get silver
in the boxes up until May of 23.

I have always had at least two separate streams from two different
carriers (GARDA, LOOMIS, etc.) Two of my other streams went 0-13 and 0-17
late last year as well. During this time I also noticed that I was seeing
nothing else out of the ordinary (British pennies, halves from Mexico, Panama,
etc. magician halves, painted halves...)

MY QUESTION IS: Has anyone else, especially in the PA region, experienced a
similar abrupt drop off?? It is statically an anomaly - based on 13 years
of hunting, some years up to 5 boxes a week.

I did see a post from about a year ago (not on this forum) from a man who
supposedly worked in a coin wrapping facility who stated that there was
new software to take out 'damaged coins' which was pulling out 'everything'
out of the ordinary - including silver. I was wondering if that was why my boxes
started being marked 'No Silver'- maybe a little prematurely?

 

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[Avago]

I have been CRHing in SE PA since 2012. Last May (2023) I saw a sudden
drop off in silver per box. In fact, I went 20 boxes with nothing. The average
prior to that for that bank pickup was about 45% of the boxes had silver
and average silver per box was about 2. Prior to this sudden drop off on May of 23
I had six months of boxes (starting in Nov. 22) that had hand written on them
in magic marker "NO SILVER", even though I was still continuing to get silver
in the boxes up until May of 23.

I have always had at least two separate streams from two different
carriers (GARDA, LOOMIS, etc.) Two of my other streams went 0-13 and 0-17
late last year as well. During this time I also noticed that I was seeing
nothing else out of the ordinary (British pennies, halves from Mexico, Panama,
etc. magician halves, painted halves...)

MY QUESTION IS: Has anyone else, especially in the PA region, experienced a
similar abrupt drop off?? It is statically an anomaly - based on 13 years
of hunting, some years up to 5 boxes a week.

I did see a post from about a year ago (not on this forum) from a man who
supposedly worked in a coin wrapping facility who stated that there was
new software to take out 'damaged coins' which was pulling out 'everything'
out of the ordinary - including silver. I was wondering if that was why my boxes
started being marked 'No Silver'- maybe a little prematurely?

Yes. I was getting the exact same boxes as you in NEPA - "No Silver" in black Sharpie, even though I would find some silver scraps in them once in a while.

Was doing 4 boxes per week, and ended the year having 57 of those boxes marked No Silver and pulled 32 silvers total from them. 12 were in one box, most were skunks.

They ended up being 28% of the boxes I got for the year and only accounted for 17% of the silver, so they underperformed compared to the other boxes I got, almost all of which were from the same supplier. 0.56 silvers per box which is below average for my year overall, and way worse than my historical numbers 2014-2020.

This was the first year at a new bank for me that delivered from this supply. Pre-pandemic I had previously been getting the flat boxes from Garda with the holes in them, and they were much better.

By the end of the year I did 207 boxes and only found 181 silvers for 38.74 oz. This was a way worse rate of return than my previous years from the other source, and I couldn't justify the work to continue so I quit at the end of the year. If my previously supplier ever allows orders again I will probably start back up but this supply stunk it up.

Can't speak to why, I know the thread you're talking about on another forum. I do suspect they have that sorting method in place, it just might not grab 100% of the silver. Even if it only grabs 50% it's enough to kill the hobby for me since the finds are already so slim.

 

[Carlj]

Yes. I was getting the exact same boxes as you in NEPA - "No Silver" in black Sharpie, even though I would find some silver scraps in them once in a while.

Was doing 4 boxes per week, and ended the year having 57 of those boxes marked No Silver and pulled 32 silvers total from them. 12 were in one box, most were skunks.

They ended up being 28% of the boxes I got for the year and only accounted for 17% of the silver, so they underperformed compared to the other boxes I got, almost all of which were from the same supplier. 0.56 silvers per box which is below average for my year overall, and way worse than my historical numbers 2014-2020.

This was the first year at a new bank for me that delivered from this supply. Pre-pandemic I had previously been getting the flat boxes from Garda with the holes in them, and they were much better.

By the end of the year I did 207 boxes and only found 181 silvers for 38.74 oz. This was a way worse rate of return than my previous years from the other source, and I couldn't justify the work to continue so I quit at the end of the year. If my previously supplier ever allows orders again I will probably start back up but this supply stunk it up.

Can't speak to why, I know the thread you're talking about on another forum. I do suspect they have that sorting method in place, it just might not grab 100% of the silver. Even if it only grabs 50% it's enough to kill the hobby for me since the finds are already so slim.

Thanks for the reply. I know that post/thread was from over a year ago and was on the West Coast. I figured the technology had finally migrated to the East Coast by May of '23. Pre-COVID I was checking up to 6 boxes a week - now I do two a week, from two different banks/delivery services. So far this year I have hit on 2 out of ten boxes for a total of 2 silver halves. I agree that at this rate it is not worth the pick-up, checking, and dumping through the few remaining coin machines available. I am really surprised that I did not see any other comments on this forum concerning this abrupt change. Thanks again for confirming what I have been seeing here.

 

[7up2000]

Highly, highly suspicious. Probably the sorting machines have been re-calibrated to remove silver. Out here in Arizona about 10 years ago, Loomis in Phoenix recalibrated their machines to remove silver(I was searching dime and quarter boxes). I came to that conclusion when I went on an 0 for 20 box skunk streak(similar to you). It was at that point I gave up the searching of dime and quarter boxes. It's not hard to re-calibrate the machines. Then they make all the money and you make 0!
When is the last time you found a silver half? In other words, what is your current skunk streak? If the streak is 10 or more, and based on your recent history of depleted silver, I'd conclude the machines have been re-calibrated and give up searching. It sucks, but it's happening in other parts of the county too--as I've explained in Arizona.

 

[CRHer700]

My boxes had a noticeable drop off after September of last year. I had only been able to order boxes for four months before this, and probably had silver in one out of three, before suddenly I went like 7 or 8 boxes with nothing. I really slowed down my searching after that, and only recently started on the halves again. I did have a box last week that had four 40%ers, but that is all for this year. Also, this year most of my boxes are yellow flat Loomis boxes, while last year most of them were black/brownish square ones. My boxes on nickels are much better, but I keep on searching for a jackpot. Don’t ever give up, for when you do that, I find the silver instead. Just joking about that last part, but seriously don’t give up.

 

[blueberra]

I have been CRHing in SE PA since 2012. Last May (2023) I saw a sudden
drop off in silver per box. In fact, I went 20 boxes with nothing. The average
prior to that for that bank pickup was about 45% of the boxes had silver
and average silver per box was about 2. Prior to this sudden drop off on May of 23
I had six months of boxes (starting in Nov. 22) that had hand written on them
in magic marker "NO SILVER", even though I was still continuing to get silver
in the boxes up until May of 23.

I have always had at least two separate streams from two different
carriers (GARDA, LOOMIS, etc.) Two of my other streams went 0-13 and 0-17
late last year as well. During this time I also noticed that I was seeing
nothing else out of the ordinary (British pennies, halves from Mexico, Panama,
etc. magician halves, painted halves...)

MY QUESTION IS: Has anyone else, especially in the PA region, experienced a
similar abrupt drop off?? It is statically an anomaly - based on 13 years
of hunting, some years up to 5 boxes a week.

I did see a post from about a year ago (not on this forum) from a man who
supposedly worked in a coin wrapping facility who stated that there was
new software to take out 'damaged coins' which was pulling out 'everything'
out of the ordinary - including silver. I was wondering if that was why my boxes
started being marked 'No Silver'- maybe a little prematurely?

Massachusetts here -- same story.

I've gone six months or so with almost nothing; although two weeks ago I found two 40%ers. It wasn't like I was breaking the bank before that, but there has been a noticeable drop-off in silver halves.

Loomis is the supplier.

 

[halfdime]

A definite dropoff in Western PA. I do 12 boxes a week, Loomis, Brinks and Garda. Usually half my Garda boxes are rerolls, reboxed. I know they've been searched; I weigh them and then dump. Just when I think I'll never find silver again I get a good box so I keep at it.

 

[Ben Cartwright SASS]

Eastern Massachusetts here, I have been doing 2 boxes a week for ever and this year, actually starting in late 2023 I Have only found 8 40% and 1 90% half, today in 2 boxes I found 1 40% but had gone through 12 boxes with nothing. I am about to order my last 2 boxes of halves.
My bank does save the bag from their coin counter for me and that is when I can do ok as it is before Loomis gets their greedy hands on it.