How to get tellers to check the vault to see if there are halves in there?

db23

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Mar 18, 2011
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I went on my first hunt yesterday and it was mostly unsuccessful. I hit up about 8 different banks all on a 1 mile strip, came out with $7.50 worth of worthless halves. I took them anyway as they make good fillers when I find some in rolls in boxes, just swap them out.

I ask the tellers if they have any half dollars and they generally just check their drawer, sometimes will check with other tellers. What can I say to get them to actually check the vault? The usual response I get when I do ask is that they send them out and don't regularly keep them in stock. I can't believe they would all just know off hand that there are 0 in the vault...
 

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ivan salis

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Feb 5, 2007
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just be nice -- you need to recheck often to find "loose halves" -- halves are not common useage coinage these days --so most banks ship them out if they can (normally they try not to have much if any on hand --unless someone orders in a "box" --a lot of banks today charge a fee to "order in a box" or more for heavy hitter types)
 

dpy52081

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Feb 16, 2011
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If you find a bank that takes the time to check for you and you establish a good rapport with them, bring them donuts from time to time. I mean don't do it for just any bank, but when you get to the point where you find a steady pick up bank, and a steady dump bank, you need to take care of those people.

Never met a bank staff that doesn't love donuts :)
 

dave5710

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Mar 7, 2010
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I use to stop at a small small bank in a tiny little town when I happened to be out that direction and after about 5 stops, over three years, I just stopped checking. Every time I asked for halves I got the same answer. Somebody got all of ours yesterday. Every time.

Build a good relationship with the tellers, especially the younger ones, and tell them that you will buy every half and large dollar they get.
 

phrostie

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Dec 3, 2008
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Nap Town
for starters....ask. Seems pretty simple to me, if you want them to check the vault you'd have to parlay your request in words, writing or even sign language. Any mode of communication between yourself and the teller that relays your intent for him/her to visit the vault would work in this instance.

~phrostie
 

SilverQuest

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Oct 23, 2010
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Oklahoma/Kansas border
When I was younger, I had a job as a bank teller. Every week we had to go through the vault to do a "count", which was passed on to the Head teller. She then determined what was needed (coins, dollar bills, etc.). Now this was about 20 years ago, so things might have changed. Not everyone knew what we had in the vault, especially drive-thru tellers, but at least 1-2 inside tellers did have that information.

BTW Our vault had a $1000 bill in it!!! Dont even think you can get one now. I guess if the Fed keeps printing money we will se a lot of them in the future...wonder which one Obama will put his face on??? lol.

Ok sry off my soap box now. LOL :tongue3:
 

Diggin-N-Dumps

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Sep 9, 2009
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I always just tell them that its my "nephews b-day" ..and he loves his coins..and we really would love to find some halves..because the last 2 banks didnt have them..

As bad as it sounds..and Im sure I will catch hell for it..but I go to so many banks..I only have 1 lady that Im familair with (So I dont feed her that crap)...but the rest of the banks..I always make up some story..and it has worked 100 percent of the time...
 

cyberdan

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phrostie said:
you'd have to parlay your request....writing...Any mode of communication between yourself and the teller that relays your intent for him/her to visit the vault would work in this instance.

WRONG - BAD IDEA - Never walk into a bank and hand a teller a note. :icon_pirat:

You will get more than a half dollar. :-\
 

BullionBaron

Jr. Member
Feb 17, 2011
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0
phrostie said:
for starters....ask. Seems pretty simple to me, if you want them to check the vault you'd have to parlay your request in words, writing or even sign language. Any mode of communication between yourself and the teller that relays your intent for him/her to visit the vault would work in this instance.

~phrostie


:icon_thumleft:
 

Silver Stripe

Bronze Member
Jul 8, 2007
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I just go in and fire a shot into the ceiling (gets everybodies attention) and say I want ALL the half dollars or this old lady gets it. When I get them I say this ain't enough, open my coat (exposing highway flares taped to my chest), start mumbling something about Alah, this scatters everyone. Customers out the door and tellers to the vault- I hollar after them check for any half dollars while your in there. HH Mark
 

ArkieBassMan

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Dec 17, 2009
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db23 said:
I went on my first hunt yesterday and it was mostly unsuccessful. I hit up about 8 different banks all on a 1 mile strip, came out with $7.50 worth of worthless halves. I took them anyway as they make good fillers when I find some in rolls in boxes, just swap them out.

I ask the tellers if they have any half dollars and they generally just check their drawer, sometimes will check with other tellers. What can I say to get them to actually check the vault? The usual response I get when I do ask is that they send them out and don't regularly keep them in stock. I can't believe they would all just know off hand that there are 0 in the vault...

Its pretty simple. Just be very friendly and polite and simply ask the teller if he/she would mind to check the vault for more. Most of the time they will, unless they are extremely busy. Occasionally though you'll run into one of "those" tellers. When you do, just simply smile, thank them, and head to the next bank.
 

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