New Member Introduction + Initial Stats

[steelsoldier]

Hi Everyone,

I recently started the hobby and just joined to Tnet and wanted to introduce myself. Actually, I have been collecting coins for several years (focusing on types from foreign countries). My main sources were friends and family traveling overseas and occasional trades. With the economy and everything that well dried up so I developed the profound idea of searching US coins to find foreign coins I have been meaning to start a US collection anyway, so that served well. After a month in the hobby my initial thoughts are: the dumping process sucks (not many banks with coin counters around here (NC), so have to re-roll or take the hit at coinstar) but an excellent way to jump start a coin collection. I am already done with the easy folders (post 64 quarters, dimes, etc) and got pretty deep in nickels and pennies. I search about a box per day. Here are my initial stats:

Quarters: (3 boxes, 1935)
Dimes: (2 boxes, 1964)
Nickels: (6 boxes, 5 war-time, 187 pre-60)
Pennies: (18 boxes, 220 wheats (oldest 1910), 99 wide, 98 wide (3))
Machine vs. Hand rolls: So far no statistically significant difference, hand rolled pennies do a little bit better, while machine rolled nickels produce more war-time and pre 60s.

My best find was a full hand roll of wheats. My biggest disappointment has been the lack of foreign coins. With 65435 coins searched with the exception of Canadians (84) I found only 10 (UK (3), Panamas (2), Euro (1), Thailand (1), Cayman, Bahamas (2)). Hopefully it will get better.... My goals for the year are finding an IH, merc, buffalo, 2000 wide and as many foreign coins as possible. I am always open to trades, especially if anyone wants to dump their foreign coins... By the way, this group is great a lot of knowledge and insights, helped me a lot to get started, thanks all...

 

[treasurefiend]

Great job and welcome aboard!!!! As for foreign, ask the banks that have coin counters not accessible to the public what they do with the foreign coins that get stuck to the magnet or get to the reject bin. Almost all of my banks toss them in the garbage. I asked a few if they can hold them for me and most said ok. I did this last week so I figure I will make my way around this week to see if they saved anything for me. Also check the reject bins on the coinstar machines, usually there is foreign coins and maybe some silver in there.

 

[Darth Walker]

Welcome aboard

I do not do foreign coins but if I come across one I will be happy to do a fair trade with you.

DW

 

[HolyDiver]

Welcome to the addiction! Looks like you can help CRH out with some foreign coin knowledge.

 

[golden silver]

Hey Steels, Welcome to the family! You would be one of the first on the forum that specifically targets foreign coins I believe. I find tons of foreign coin but unfortunately they are at the coin counters. Good luck.

Golden Silver

 

[enamel7]

Welcome.
can you post a photo of the 99 wide?

 

[GMan00001]

You will find more foreign coins in either hand rolls or if you can find a bank that will sell you bags off of a coin counter.

Machine rolled coins have been run through at least one and usually two machines prior to being rolled with each kicking out the foreign stuff.

So most of the odd sized foreign coins don't make it into US rolls. Only those that match almost perfectly with regards to size and weight (and are non-magnetic).

I get a lot of foreign, but its almost all from doing bags.

 

[steelsoldier]

Thanks all for the warm welcome, and the advice... I already start hitting the coinstar rejection bins, this morning got a dime and two pennies, all clad but I will take it I am still adding bank accounts, I will start asking about the bags and rejected coins... Also, the comment about handrolls is very accurate, I checked my stats and of the 10 interesting foreign coins I found 8 are from hand rolls, only 2 Panamas came from machines (dime and penny rolls). For 99 wide: I do not have a digital camera, should be able to get one in couple of paychecks, will post all the pics when I do. Thanks again..

 

[how u do n]

Hi there.
Welcome to the board.
It's nice to have you join us.
And, now when we find a coin we are not sure of maybe you can help us.
Keep up the posts and we "love" pictures.
Once again, hi there and welcome
HH
Dan

 

[goldencoin]

I don't get too many foreign coins here, but I can tell you that most foreign coins come from nickels, hand rolls are the best, besides bags were you can get them. Machine rolls work too (I've seen ground down pennies fit into them), but are the least likely to give foreign coins, the closer one is to a metropolitan area, the more likely foreign coins are. Some of the best foreign coins I've gotten, are a Nazi Germany coin, Somalian coin (I bet not too many family members stop there), and a large Canadian dollar. Also, I've noticed that half the coins will be from the Caribbean (around here, but probably in most places). I know you'll have fun looking for them.

HH
-GC

 

[goldencoin]

Oh, I found one of Gman's old posts that I bookmarked because it was so cool http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,133403.0.html

HH
-GC