A few people are in the process of getting a Ryedale right now, and I've gotten some PM's with questions on how to best use the machine. I'll answer here, so that others can also read what i say, learn my thoughts about the Ryedale, and also share their own thoughts. (I may learn something too!) So, here is how "I work my Ryedale", and what I have learned after using it for many many boxes of pennies. It may work for you or you may find another way to do it, but at least it gives you some input. :-)
First, some information about the Ryedale itself. It comes from Andy. Andy is a GREAT source of information. I called him a FEW times in the beginning, because I couldn't get a few things figured out. Don't be afraid to call him. He will answer your questions and is a great guy. Secondly, there is not a copper side and a zinc side to the Ryedale. There is only an accept side and a reject side. That is important, in that if you use a 1980 - 1981 penny (they work the best) then your accept side will be all copper pennies form 1944 - 1982. The reject side will be all other things. That means zinc. AND Indian head pennies. AND older wheats. AND most foreign coins. Anything not a copper penny goes there. So although most of us call it the zinc side, it is really all things other than copper.
Now, as to operation.
I set up with two penny boxes. (The $25 ones that the coins come in.) I cut slits in each near one side so I could slide them under the chutes, and put them on the table right with the Ryedale. As they fill up, I empty them into other boxes, and either store them (the copper ones) or dump them (the rejects). That works well.
I unroll my pennies and dump them in the top. Simple. I normally gather some up there to start, and then after I turn it on I continue to unroll and add to the top as it is sorting what is already in there. To make them go smoother I frequently put my hand in the top sorting area to flatten the coins so they don't miss a hole by being bunched sideways or something and just spin around and around.
As I am unwrapping, I am constantly watching the REJECT side of my machine. Why? Because the older wheats and rare Indian head pennies do NOT go to the copper side. The inconsistency in copper earlier than 1943 (the steel year) means many don't respond as a match for the 1981 penny, and it is rejected. How do I do this AS I sort? As the pennies come out, I look at the ones that land face down, as I can see the wheat or memorial, and if a dark coin lands face up I flip it over very fast to look at the rear. Some wheats go to the copper side, even from the 1910s, so not all the older ones are on the reject side, but some do go to the reject side. This approach takes care of that problem for me.
I continue dropping coins in the top while watching the reject side, until I am done sorting. Then, I take the reject side and empty them into a box to take to the bank for dumping. The copper side has one more step before storing or selling. I pour them out and check for wheats. It takes a little more time, but I like saving the wheats so it is worth it to me.
I get about 6.7 wheats per box and around 17% copper. But regardless of how much copper you get, you just want to separate them and save the copper. So I check for wheats and then empty the coppers into a box to store.
I do NOT run either side through a second time. I have heard of others doing this, but I feel this way about it. I may get one 1930s or older wheat in every 5 boxes or so. Not many. And I normally CATCH that one by watching the rejects as I sort. So I get “most” of them. If I miss one that could be gotten with a second sort, then i miss it. The time it takes to sort a SECOND time I spend instead sorting another box the FIRST time. Instead of catching 1 more older wheat every 5 boxes by running them a second time, I have done 5 NEW boxes in that same period of time, and have found about 50 more wheats - including at least one more older wheat ANYWAY. It is all about volume. Do all you can, and if you repeat what you already did you are reducing what you get done.
One other thing on the second sorting. The Ryedale gets gummy after a while from the dirty coins. It needed cleaning about every 250,000 in the beginning. Now mine needs cleaning about every 130,000 coins. If I run the rejects through a second time, I need to clean the machine twice as often for the same amount of copper pennies actually saved. That too takes time, and reduces the number of boxes you do. So don't worry about the one or two you “might” be missing, but instead get 20 more in the same time by doing more new boxes - including ones just as old as the one you might be searching for.
Make sense?
That’s the basics of sorting. I’ll post something about jams and machine issues soon too, and maybe about selling coins, but I gotta go right now. My wife just left and I have to watch my son. Hopefully this helps though to give you some ideas on how to use your new Ryedale. I know you’ll LOVE it. And with copper prices going up, it will become more valuable over time.
First, some information about the Ryedale itself. It comes from Andy. Andy is a GREAT source of information. I called him a FEW times in the beginning, because I couldn't get a few things figured out. Don't be afraid to call him. He will answer your questions and is a great guy. Secondly, there is not a copper side and a zinc side to the Ryedale. There is only an accept side and a reject side. That is important, in that if you use a 1980 - 1981 penny (they work the best) then your accept side will be all copper pennies form 1944 - 1982. The reject side will be all other things. That means zinc. AND Indian head pennies. AND older wheats. AND most foreign coins. Anything not a copper penny goes there. So although most of us call it the zinc side, it is really all things other than copper.
Now, as to operation.
I set up with two penny boxes. (The $25 ones that the coins come in.) I cut slits in each near one side so I could slide them under the chutes, and put them on the table right with the Ryedale. As they fill up, I empty them into other boxes, and either store them (the copper ones) or dump them (the rejects). That works well.
I unroll my pennies and dump them in the top. Simple. I normally gather some up there to start, and then after I turn it on I continue to unroll and add to the top as it is sorting what is already in there. To make them go smoother I frequently put my hand in the top sorting area to flatten the coins so they don't miss a hole by being bunched sideways or something and just spin around and around.
As I am unwrapping, I am constantly watching the REJECT side of my machine. Why? Because the older wheats and rare Indian head pennies do NOT go to the copper side. The inconsistency in copper earlier than 1943 (the steel year) means many don't respond as a match for the 1981 penny, and it is rejected. How do I do this AS I sort? As the pennies come out, I look at the ones that land face down, as I can see the wheat or memorial, and if a dark coin lands face up I flip it over very fast to look at the rear. Some wheats go to the copper side, even from the 1910s, so not all the older ones are on the reject side, but some do go to the reject side. This approach takes care of that problem for me.
I continue dropping coins in the top while watching the reject side, until I am done sorting. Then, I take the reject side and empty them into a box to take to the bank for dumping. The copper side has one more step before storing or selling. I pour them out and check for wheats. It takes a little more time, but I like saving the wheats so it is worth it to me.
I get about 6.7 wheats per box and around 17% copper. But regardless of how much copper you get, you just want to separate them and save the copper. So I check for wheats and then empty the coppers into a box to store.
I do NOT run either side through a second time. I have heard of others doing this, but I feel this way about it. I may get one 1930s or older wheat in every 5 boxes or so. Not many. And I normally CATCH that one by watching the rejects as I sort. So I get “most” of them. If I miss one that could be gotten with a second sort, then i miss it. The time it takes to sort a SECOND time I spend instead sorting another box the FIRST time. Instead of catching 1 more older wheat every 5 boxes by running them a second time, I have done 5 NEW boxes in that same period of time, and have found about 50 more wheats - including at least one more older wheat ANYWAY. It is all about volume. Do all you can, and if you repeat what you already did you are reducing what you get done.
One other thing on the second sorting. The Ryedale gets gummy after a while from the dirty coins. It needed cleaning about every 250,000 in the beginning. Now mine needs cleaning about every 130,000 coins. If I run the rejects through a second time, I need to clean the machine twice as often for the same amount of copper pennies actually saved. That too takes time, and reduces the number of boxes you do. So don't worry about the one or two you “might” be missing, but instead get 20 more in the same time by doing more new boxes - including ones just as old as the one you might be searching for.
Make sense?
That’s the basics of sorting. I’ll post something about jams and machine issues soon too, and maybe about selling coins, but I gotta go right now. My wife just left and I have to watch my son. Hopefully this helps though to give you some ideas on how to use your new Ryedale. I know you’ll LOVE it. And with copper prices going up, it will become more valuable over time.
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