JACKPOT!!!!! I almost had a heart attack! Bank hopping bonanza

[utah hunter]

I went to my bank today to pick up the $1500 in half dollars I ordered last week. The person I talked to wasn't in, but she had forgot to actually place the order. I left disappointed but had a little time and decided to hit some of the local banks. The first few I was happy with as they had several rolls and the loose halves had 2 40%ers. I then went into a Wells Fargo and the teller told me they had $140 in the vault besides about $5 in loose halves, so I said I would take all they had...

When he came back with the $140 in halves he said they all came from the same client. I said that was interesting but I was thinking it was another CRHer. He then told me the client was a local McDonald's and one "kid" had spent them all. This of course piqued my interest, why would a teenager have $140 in halves? The suspense was killing me when I got out to my car, and I had to look at one of the rolls. I usually wait until I get home to open them with my kids who love hunting through them with me, but I couldn't resist. I opened a roll and a 1964 Kennedy was staring back at me. I tipped the roll so I could look at a few edges and they were all 90% silver. I opened another roll and the same thing happened.

I waited until I got home to open the rest with the kids. I still didn't believe they could all be 90% silver, but I was hoping of course. The final tally was 109 Franklin's and 171 1964 Kennedy's. All $140 face was 90% silver. I am still pinching myself. I have been getting 1 or 2 40%ers from 3 boxes, so this was an unbelievable hoard.

The other about $400 I got was decent also with 2 64's, 6 67's, a Panama coin, and three proofs, 1972-s, 1973-s, and 1987-s. I thought I would never top my beginners luck find in August of a full roll of Franklin's and Walkers at a local bank, but this blows that away and I doubt I will ever top it, but with this hobby you never know......

 

[Timberwolf]

Awesome Utah!!!!!!
Congratulations, that is a super find

TW

 

[Skrimpy]

Ha Ha! What a moron that kid was! He had 10 times face in melt value! It's a shame he probably nicked his pops or grandpops stash. Too bad for them good for you!

 

[zartan7779]

yeah the bank is a great place to possible get silver , i hit my local bank once a week and buy them out . then i just respend the non silver junk later .

i dont get many silvers that way but fun to try . Another not working register at stores are another great way ,when i worked a the hardware store i would get almost everyday 1 wheat pennie

 

[SilverFox167]

Must have been destiny for you to go out to the banks that day.
Wow, what a SCORE!!!!!!!!

 

[nuggetshooter323]

I would love to to see that order the kid made at McDonalds... . The other thing I can't help to think about, is what the parents did to the kid when they found out...

 

[AnOldPro]

Congrats on an outstanding find... the time you spent going through all those rolls that did not contain any silver is now MORE than justified!

Reminds me of a similar story that happened to me but sadly ended up being filed under "The one that got away".

I was behind an old beat-up 53 Chevy pick-up at a drive-in bank teller window at a big bank in Dallas, TX some years back and watched the driver, very likely an old farmer, pass BAGS of un-rolled 90% SILVER DOLLARS to the teller. How do I know what was in the bags? He took out a handful of the coins in one of the bags and showed them to her. I could see them clearly. I watched as she looked in the bags, confirmed the contents and handed 2 banded stacks of $1000 in currency to the farmer in trade without even making a serious effort to count them. My heart was about beating out of my body as I quickly grabbed my business check-book and wrote out a check for $2000.00 with which to buy those silver dollars from the teller after the old man departed. I was even prepared to give the teller a generous cash tip of $100 once I had them in my possession. When I got to the window I said "I would like to buy those bags of coins and save you all the trouble of having to roll them". The teller, who was turned away from me, then turned around holding a personal check she had just written the bank for $2000.00 saying to me "I ASSURE you that it will be no trouble at all for me to roll them!". Smiling sweetly, she informed me that I was too late. No dummy, that young lady! I just BARELY missed buying 2000 GORGEOUS silver dollars... MANY in the 1800's... for one dollar each! At the time GENERIC, common and worn silver dollars were bringing a minimum of $13 each. And... there is no doubt in my mind that MANY of the old farmers coins had NUMISMATIC VALUE in addition to the silver content value. At the very least TWENTY-SIX THOUSAND DOLLARS WORTH OF SILVER for 1/13th of that value "sliipped through my fingers" in that exciting but crushing few minutes at the bank window.

Sometimes the gap between "rags and riches" can be mighty small!

Keep up the great work... and pray that the kid's dad is NOT a TNET'er and NOT a Mafia Hit Man.

DC

 

[trashdude]

Blown away by this one. Congratulations.

 

[Ray S ECenFL]

You are truly blessed.
Great post.

Ray S.

 

[MalteseFalcon]

I could be mistaken, but aren't 1987 halves kinda rare? And you found a 1987-s proof?

Pretty cool!

Congrats!

 

[thurmownator]

While proof versions are typically a fraction of what was minted for general circulation, the '87 halves (P & D) were not released for general circulation (see below) and the proof version was actually minted in greater numbers. Still, they are all a fraction of what is typically minted; hence their collectability.

Date Gen Cir. Proofs

1987-P 2,890,758 0 These were issued only as parts of Uncirculated and Souvenir sets

1987-D 2,890,758 0 These were issued only as parts of Uncirculated and Souvenir sets

1987-S 0 4,227,728 Issued only in Proof Sets.

 

[rwsnc]

Fantastic !! There's a story you don't hear every day. Congratulations.

 

[lucky6]

Wow! That tops any day at the bank I've ever had!

 

[maine_Jim]

Way to go there. I haven't moved any of my coins like that on ebay but am getting closer to doing it. Congratulations again way to start off the new year.

Maine_Jim

 

[exnatomp]

Don't you love it when that happens!

 

[silvercop]

right place right time congrats......

 

[crazyjarhead]

Wow, what a great find

 

[mistergee]

truly a great find...BTW...you guys know this post is 2 yrs old right?

 

[50centman]

What a great story! Talk about being in the right place at the right time! Way to go!

 

[CHAINCHOMP]

HEHE. Now it's 3 years old.

 

[rileyboy]

Utah Hunter,
Just read your post from 2007. Happened to me in May 2007 in NJ. Got 23 rolls of all Walkers and Franklins. This was before I knew about this Tnet site. Was a real thrill for me too, back then. One of the most recent huge scores was made by "Joad" on December 10, 2009. Check out his post with pixs. It's on page 7. 37 rolls of all walkers. I think that's the all time high and it was only a few months ago. Anyway! Your hit was a good one.
rileyboy