Giving Back

[T-Candy]

We all know that its common practice to purchase your favorite tellers a box of doughnuts or perhaps reward those at a remote branch after a big score, but how many of us have given back to the hobby of numismatics? An interesting idea crossed my mind as I was looking through a "junk" coin bin the other day, I promptly purchased the entire box, which included a wide variety of v-nickels, indian heads, buffalos, and 2 cent pennies. I had decided that I was going to share my hobby of numismatics through a variety of manufactured circumstances involving the planting and spending of these coins. These are just a few that you may enjoy -->

#1.) Headed to Mcdonald's for the usual, opted out of the meal so as to spend only $1.06. Paid the cashier with an Eisenhower dollar, a liberty head nickel and a two cent penny. ($1.07) She unfortunately didn't see the humor in spending a 147 year old penny and gave me no change in return, I didn't press the issue but rather let the gentleman operating the till to her left on to what I had done and advised him to purchase the coins for himself.

#2.) While waiting in line at a local branch office I noted that an elderly gentleman to my right attempting to cash a check was upset with being asked for his fingerprint and drivers license number. As he left I returned to him the penny(Indian head) that I believed that he may have dropped. I "tied my shoe" to "pick it up."

#3.) I have always been fairly interested in coin sleights and magic tricks, but the majority of the coins that I had picked up were no larger than a modern nickel. That being said neat things can still be done with some jimmy'ng. One of the things that I did involved; carmex, double sided tape, two canadian nickels, and a liberty nickel. I rubbed carmex throughly on my left hand and stuck the liberty nickel in place, then applied a piece of tape to my right hand. I told my coworker that I had been having s**ty luck and had only been finding s**ty canadian nickels, but that I had at least learned some sh**ty magic to go along with them. I then set the nickels on the tabel and explained the trick, that I would tranport the canadian from the right side to the left. As your hands close over the nickels the tape picks up the nickel on the right and simple contraction of your left hand releases the liberty nickel. She wasn't really surprised but was interested in the coin, I said "you can keep it, you just have to wipe the magic off." which felt rather spicy at the time.


I think these instances were worth it, and I certainly look forward to the possibility of turning someone on to the hobby of numismatics.


T-Candy

__________

P.S.


$60 CWR Dimes

1 - 1941 Merc (first one)
1 - 1960 Roosie

$10 CWR Nickels

2 - 1939 (in the same roll)
1 - 1946


Hit the antique store and found a neat container for my "junk" coins, as well as a tin toy register that remains locked until $10 is deposited. Pics are ruddy, still haven't grabbed a new cam.

 

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[jlr1076]

I don't really understand this post. Who are you "giving back" to - just a bunch of random folks who didn't seem to appreciate some person giving them an old coin? Why don't you volunteer to speak to some kids or boyscouts or something instead, and actually talk about the hobby and coins. Seems like a better way to give back, just my two cents.

PS - don't talk about silver

 

[fistfulladirt]

I used to reward tellers, but no more. They were pleased, yes, but soon figured out what I was doing, and cut out the middleman. I lost two good cwr pick-up banks to cherry-picken tellers.

 

[T-Candy]

I don't really understand this post. Who are you "giving back" to - just a bunch of random folks who didn't seem to appreciate some person giving them an old coin? Why don't you volunteer to speak to some kids or boyscouts or something instead, and actually talk about the hobby and coins. Seems like a better way to give back, just my two cents.

PS - don't talk about silver

^
Not really to a "who", but to the hobby of numismatics, hopefully in the form of new collectors. These coins were "junk", I am simply placing them into the hands of others or back directly into circulation. I know the first thing that I'd do if somebody unknowingly handed me a 100 year old coin is attempt to find its worth. In doing so folks will hopefully stumble across the historical significance of said coin, if not then they'll go back into circulation. I suppose maybe I have a greater appreciation for the little things, if I notice a penny on the ground thats tails up I'll turn it heads up for another to find.

I used to reward tellers, but no more. They were pleased, yes, but soon figured out what I was doing, and cut out the middleman. I lost two good cwr pick-up banks to cherry-picken tellers.

^
I've actually fully educated my local tellers as to what I'm doing, and help a few in their pursuit of filling whitman's folders. I've been able to keep an honest relationship with my tellers, and as I know the majority of them personally I have no reason to believe that they are dishonest with me. On two occasions I've traded rolls of wheat cents for face value in silver, can many of you say the same?

 

[austinosphere]

I think that sounds like an interesting idea. You never know what will get someone interested in collecting.

 

[jim4silver]

I used to reward tellers, but no more. They were pleased, yes, but soon figured out what I was doing, and cut out the middleman. I lost two good cwr pick-up banks to cherry-picken tellers.

Words of wisdom from FFD. While I go out of my way to be polite to tellers, and always say thank you, etc, if one gives too many "rewards" they are going to figure out that they are giving you, the CRHer, free or face value silver and eventually will ask themselves "why give this face value silver to the CRHer?"

Especially in the day of the internet, when the teller who is interested can look up the value of a silver coin in a manner of seconds it is important to instead just be a humble coin collector who likes to "build sets of coins" and not a PM tycoon.

Maybe somewhere out there some lucky CRHers deal with truly altruistic, benevolent tellers whose goal is to give you as much silver as they find, but they don't exist in my town.

Better to not draw attention to the value of what we find by making too big a deal of "thanking" the tellers who we deal with.

My 2cents.

Jim

 

[jlr1076]

T-Candy, You tell your tellers that you're looking for silver?

Pretty much the most foolish thing you can do. I hope you're nowhere near me.

 

[T-Candy]

T-Candy, You tell your tellers that you're looking for silver?

Pretty much the most foolish thing you can do. I hope you're nowhere near me.

^
I've told 3 tellers in particular exactly what I've been up to (looking for key dates, rarities and silver coinage), not only has this move been the least bit foolish but it has yielded many perks and silver multiple times. I wouldn't walk into just ANY branch and proclaim that you are a roll hunter, but being up front with your local tellers isn't always something to avoid, or to be ashamed of. If you're near me I'm sure you've been skunked, as the rolls are set aside for the kid who brings the candy.

 

[Moneypenny]

I think that sounds like an interesting idea. You never know what will get someone interested in collecting.

I agree, it's a fun idea. I read about a similar thing recently in the book "One-Minute Coin Expert". They spent a few rare pennies (can't remember which one, now--1909 VDB's maybe?) in New York City in order to raise awareness of a big coin convention that was about to take place. I don't think it worked very well for the purpose. Can't remember the details, but I know they said most of the pennies weren't seen again. Some people do set interesting-looking coins aside, but never look up the value or dig deeper for info. This is not to make you feel bad. I think many of us would say our coin collecting started when we found an interesting coin in change!

 

[Reverend B*IKE*]

I used to reward tellers, but no more. They were pleased, yes, but soon figured out what I was doing, and cut out the middleman. I lost two good cwr pick-up banks to cherry-picken tellers.

Ditto once I told them that a dime was worth more than a dime etc. She decided to save them for her grand kids! NO MORE educating. I just tell them I go thru them with the kids and look for the shiny ones.

 

[KyFreeBird]

Unusual way to promote numismatics, but I see your point !!

 

[T-Candy]

I used to reward tellers, but no more. They were pleased, yes, but soon figured out what I was doing, and cut out the middleman. I lost two good cwr pick-up banks to cherry-picken tellers.

Ditto once I told them that a dime was worth more than a dime etc. She decided to save them for her grand kids! NO MORE educating. I just tell them I go thru them with the kids and look for the shiny ones.

^
Bankers were some of the original coin roll hunters. I myself became interested in coin collecting when I was recently given a morgan dollar that I had inherited from my grandfather as a child. His first job was as a teller at a local bank where he remained for many years, finally working as a chain auditor until the time of his death. He never told me, but I'd bet that morgan didn't cost him but a single dollar.



Just noticed the roll tray in picture 3, further evidence of candy giving.

 

[AGCoinHunter]

T-Candy, I see your point of what you are trying to do and admirable. Many on here on this forum are not looking at CRH as a way to build a coin collection but as a way to make a few quick bucks on the arbitrage of silver prices. Yes, some find a nice numismatic coin here and there but many here know nothing about coins. Heck when I started CRHing, I knew very little. I was drawn into numismatic side after finding a few wheat's in my pocket change. Numismatic collecting is a dying hobby as our coins have been debased, modernized, and mass produced. The younger generations know nothing but plastic money. What you are doing is planting the seeds for future collectors. Very cool to think that a 2 cent coin is out there circulating.