Do you ever dump at retail stores?

[clovis97]

I've been spending/dumping some of the halves that I've gotten at some retail stores. I've had positive comments at all the places when I spend halves.

Do you ever spend halves at stores?

What is the most you will spend at one store on one transaction?

.50?
1.00?
10.00?
More?

 

[MentalUnrest]

The money I set aside never gets spent on anything so I have to always get cash back and put it right back to next weeks order.

 

[clovis97]

The money I set aside never gets spent on anything so I have to always get cash back and put it right back to next weeks order.

I basically do the same thing, but generally 'buy' my halves from my CRH dumps with cash from my wallet. Generally, I 'buy' $10 or $20 at a time for spending. It is kind of amazing how many halves you can dump on a day to day basis while spending at retail locations.

If I could just get my wife (and my entire extended family) to do the same, I could effectively go through 4 boxes a week, and never have to dump at a bank.

 

[clovis97]

Its really funny how many young cashiers will think they are quarters or dollars despite the coin clearly saying half dollar on it.

I've had the same experience. Two that come to mind have happened in the past few days.

One guy tried to count them as quarters, and one young girl counted them as dollars at first.

 

[clovis97]

Sorry to turn this thread into my own personal blog about dumping at retail:

Story #1:
I filled up my wife's car the other night, and used $20 worth of halves. The 20-something cashier's eyes just about bugged out of his eyes. "People collect these" he said, and had the biggest smile on his face during the entire transaction. It was as if I were a slot machine, and he had just hit a huge jack pot.

Story #2:
We eat at Wendy's about twice a week, which is a perfect place to dump halves. Yesterday, I overheard a conversation where one of the shift managers was saying, in such an excited tone, "Did you see all of those half dollars come in the other day? I bought every one of them!!"

Both were funny...

 

[clovis97]

I own a very small business, and have been able to dump a bunch of halves at retail this past week.

I been to two post offices this week:

One teller was THRILLED to get 3 rolls of JFK's. "I'm going to buy them all!" she proclaimed.

The other post office teller in the big city was not so happy. "I dunno what I'm going to do with these. Nobody wants them." To compound the issue, the teller offered them as change to the guy next in line. "Who would want those things? Not me" he said.

I've found that most people enjoy getting JFK halves, and many people want to buy all that the cashier has in her drawer. I guess I found two people in the big city that want nothing to do with them!

 

[clovis97]

I'm still dumping, or uhhh, spending halves any time that I can.

Aside from the teller at the big city post office, all the tellers seem to love getting half dollars.

Last week, I stopped at a McDonald's for a Coke. When I paid with halves, the teenage boy had no idea what they were. He called me "the man with big silver."

As a side note, here is something that I've noticed:

Most of the gas stations in our area have gone to pre-pay before pumping, which is something relatively new in our area. I've been pre-paying with halves.

Sometimes, I have no idea how much gas will fit in the tank. Each and every time that I've pre-paid with halves, the money due back to me for unused gas is always in greenbacks...they never give me my halves back.

For instance: Over the past few weeks, I walk in and hand over $30 in rolled halves, and say "I need $30 on pump #4." Even though my old car would only hold $20, when I went back inside to get my $10, the same clerk hands me back a $10 bill.

Works for me...and works for the enthusiastic clerk who wants those "old coins some guy paid with", especially since dumping coinage is difficult in our area.

There is a part of me, I admit, that wants to walk in to a gas station and say "I need $500 on pump #4", as I hand over a box of halves!

LOL!!!!

 

[SeaninNH]

I pay for drinks, lunch, snacks and gas with halves. I usually only spend $10-$20 in halves though so I've never had anyone say anything.

 

[santafeboy]

Last year I walked into a small rural post office to buy some stamps I handed the clerk $4.50 in halves She had a look of elation as I handed them to her, She says these are really rare, I said really? I had some more in the car I was taking to the bank if she wanted to buy them I ended up selling her $40 worth of clad

 

[StevoCBR]

I have used solid 2010 dime boxes for gas $50 at a time. Sometimes it takes a little convincing on my part, but since most clerks that handle money know what dime rolls look like usually no problem. I dump most of my clad halves but those are great for fast food, etc. Love the looks I get from teenagers that have never seen a half dollar. It's funny how many people get all crazy thinking they are worth something, and make the comment...who I'm going to buy those. I just keep my mouth shut

First rule of fight club. You do not talk about fight club!

 

[SeaninNH]

Went to KFC tonight and got $25 worth of chicken with halves. The girl at the register loved them. I asked her to trade me 2 rolls of dimes for another roll of halves. She said yes so I pulled out my canvas bag with $150 worth of loose halves and started counting our $10 and I thought she was going to faint.

Just for kicks I dumped out the bag on the counter and her eyes almost popped out of her head. She said that she's only see a few halves in her life. She could not believe that I had that many.

It was nice to make her day.

BTW: out of the $150 in rolls that I got only 1 was a 40%, but I'll take it. I also got a roll with 19 halves and 1 susan b so I'm up $.50 and a 40%er lol

 

[clovis97]

Thanks for the great stories!!!! It is enjoyable to hear about your experiences.

I dumped another $30 for postage at the post office today, BTW. The 55 year old clerk broke every roll open and edge searched them while I was still there. "I'm going to buy them all anyway" he said.

 

[FreedomUIC]

I have two uses for Clad Ikes. I run softball tournaments at least twice a month and have a crew of about 12 umpires that I rotate through each month. I have found that the Clad Ikes are the best flip coins for them as the Obverse and Reverse are so
apparent that neither team has to question the flip. The second use that I have done with them is to soak them in Sterling Silver cleaner for about 15 - 20 seconds to get them nice and shiny. I then rinse them under running water to get all the chemicals off of them then just wipe dry with a soft towel. Once they are nice and shiny I drill a small hole in the top of the coin about a quarter of the way down from the rim towards the head. I then attach a Red and Black Ribbon holder (Over the neck type holder and happend to be the colors of our high school) and use these as rewards for the track athletes that perform above and beyond at meets. I alway keep at least five of these on hand to hand out after the meet, Only one individual gets one per meet so the kids look at them as something special when I hand them out.

The rest I use as tips at local restaurants, they think they are real cool.

 

[clovis97]

I'm still spending as many halves at retail as possible.

I've been spending so many that cashiers are starting to ask for them. "When are you bringing me more of those half dollars?" they ask every time I stop in.

I've gotten so many requests that I need to start carrying $100 worth of rolled halves in my car. Dumping is a real problem for me, and there has been numerous times that I could have easily sold more halves than I had. Just last night, I sold $20 worth to a cashier, and she would have taken more if I would have had them.

I encourage all of my fellow CHR's to do the same...dump your halves at retail whenever possible.

Like someone else said in this thread, "many of them will never see the light of day again" because people will buy them out of the drawer, take them home and save them. If they don't buy them, most often another customer will come along and buy all that they can.

The teenage and 20-somethings often buy them because they are cool, and the older generation is either looking for silver, or wanting to give them to grandkids.

 

[clovis97]

As a side note:

I generally re-roll the halves that I'm going to spend at retail. I used to just hand over the wrapped rolls, but now I tear them open and hand them the coins.

When you tear open the rolls, there is a much higher chance that they'll get bought out of the drawer instead of turned into the bank.

 

[mlayers]

I spent them here also. Pay for my gas or lunch leave halfs as tips. I will be going on vacation this month and I will be picking up my $1000 in halfs and they will me going with me. I will pay for everything on my trip with my halfs. Get them out of town and out of state.....Matt

 

[GrayCloud]

$3.75 Diesel = 180 halves per fill-up.

 

[AU24K]

With all this talk of half dollars,
I'm kinda glad I'm so poor my worries about dumping is with pennies!

Best Wishes,
Scott

 

[legend76]

I checked the "self-checkouts" al Wal-Mart at a town about 30 miles from home. One accepted halves, the other did not.

 

[clovis97]

Thanks for the new replies!!!! It is interesting to read what others are doing!

Just today, I stopped at a gas station and spent $10.50 in halves.

Even before my transaction was complete, the cashier was buying the halves out of her drawer. She bought an additional $6 worth of halves when I offered that I had more. I wish she would have brought more money to work with her because I think she would have bought $50 worth!

Sure, it was only an additional $6 on top of the $10.50, but that is another $16.50 of skunks that will go into a sock drawer collection, and clad that I won't have to dump!!!

 

[clovis97]

I've mentioned before that I have a small, tiny business.

When I buy for my business, I try to use halves whenever possible. In the past two days, I've dumped $210 in halves at retail, plus another $40 for gasoline and $20 for a gift card. In total, that is $270 in halves that I don't have to dump.

Even though dumping has gotten easier for me recently, dumping is still difficult. I'm getting great customer service at my dump bank for the time being. I still like dumping at retail because it will hopefully extend the time that I wear out my welcome at my dump bank.

Oh, and by the way, since I've been dumping at retail, I met a guy who collects bicentennials, of all things. He bought $20 worth from me today. It will be years until those get circulated again!

Keep spending those JFK halves!!!!!