Very common to get a box of halves ($500) and get skunked?

[Nate in Ohio]

This was only my first box so I was just curious. Didn't expect much, but was a little surprised there wasn't a 40% at all or anything else. Guess maybe I haven't done it enough to know better. But especially considering that when I asked the teller for any tray halves the other time, she only handed me 2, but with one of them being a 1964. I did find about 15 rolls that had a half marked with a black sharpie though, so definitely some of them were someone's dump. Tons of bicentennials (found 7 in 1 roll occasionally). A few dated 2000s but didn't bother saving anything.
Will have to experiment a little more, maybe even try another bank with a different supplier.

 

[jarlbartar]

What you are finding is what most of us have been: nothing but a bunch of marked up clad. It's to the point now that I don't even expect to find a 40% in a box now, I just keep at it because it's still out there and you never know when you are going to land that dream box!

 

[namster]

http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,456252.0.html

 

[baddbluff]

I was in the same boat as you about this time last year. I discovered this site while on spring break with my kids... I read for 6 days straight about everyone's finds. I got home and ordered my first box. I opened it, hoping to find 5-10 enders staring up at me. Box was a skunk. It was a pretty big letdown, but I just kept at it. Since then, I have had some pretty sweet boxes (including my best ever just last week... 88 silvers!) You just have to keep at it. VOLUME is the key... the more you look through, the better chance you have of finding a monster. So far this year, I have searched 59 boxes and had 16 skunks (27%). And that is actually better than alot of people on here!

Keep it up, you'll find some!

HH
BB

 

[The_EE]

. So far this year, I have searched 59 boxes and had 16 skunks (27%). And that is actually better than alot of people on here!

Keep it up, you'll find some!

HH
BB

31 boxes searched this year ( and 2 bags ) 17 boxes skunked 54% skunk but I have still managed to pull out 21.32 oz

Best haul was 6.85 oz from one box, 17/40% and 12/90%

OP, Keep at it. Volume is key and you will work through the skunks.

 

[The_EE]

Looking at my numbers for the last two months.

January I did 2 boxes of halves.

31/40% and 12/90% found, total 8.9253 oz

February I did 18 boxes of halves.

41/40% and 12/90% found, total 10.5522 oz

I did more volume but I also managed a 9 box skunk streak in the process.

Its all hit and miss, your time will come.

 

[SFBayArea]

Again, as discussed many times before.. it's all about the area. Some areas are better than others. My area used to be much better.. now it's not so great. I get skunked very often. There's competition here in these parts. Numbers wise, one has to do 3-4 times the amount of boxes one needed to get the same result 2 years ago. The numbers do not lie and have been going down. People that have been doing well in their areas might not have much competition or just started. Over time, they will realize by doing more volume that the numbers diminish. Draining their areas. I've been doing this for longer than most of the posters here so I know what the box numbers are like. But if you're in a great area for it, you might be ok for a while.

I've read so posts here from members in Ohio that it's not good for halves boxes. Mlayers is one that has had bad luck with halves boxes in Ohio. Ohio is a fairly decent sized state so you could be far from him. You have to do a few boxes to realize whether your area is good or not.

 

[Nate in Ohio]

Very interesting, thanks for the input everyone. I see nowhere close to being an exact science.

 

[Novapax]

I started with 2 boxes a week. The first few were good then they went south. I went through an 11 box skunk streak. My 12th box gave me 1 40%er. Sad. Just keep with it.

I'm going to up my order of halves from 3 different places. CU-2 boxes, Bank 1 --2 boxes, and bank 2 --4 boxes. With that, I'm going to up my dimes with bags from the CU and boxes from bank 2.

We will see how it goes.


Novapax

 

[CW3(ret) US Army]

Unfortunately skunks do happen. You can't come to a conclusion based upon your results with 1 box. The secret to this hobby is perservence. You will run across skunk boxes & you will also run across boxes with silver in them. You will also run across boxes that are short coins & boxes that have extra coins. My last 2 boxes 1 was short 1 half & the next one had 1 extra half. In the long run, they will even out in the end. Just keep plugging away. Welcome to the hobby. It can be both frustrating & exciting at times.

Good Luck & HH

 

[penman77]

My experience is that most boxes are skunks. 38 of 50 in 2012, a blistering 76% skunk rate.

But...... when you open up a box and see a few enders, or open a roll and see 2 or 3 silver edges, you forget about the skunks.

 

[agme]

More times then not.
Keep at it, somewhere out there is that Dreambox.