Original Unopened Mercury Dime Rolls
quarinteen
Posts: 68 ✭
I see alot of listings on ebay of unopened original mercury dime rolls. Are these legit? Where do people come across original bank wrapped rolls of dimes from 60 70 or 80 years ago?
Here is an example here
https://ebay.com/itm/1916-1945-MERCURY-DIME-ROLLS-SEALED-UNSEARCHED-ALL-DATES-MINTS-GRADES-POSSIBLE/183277481367?hash=item2aac306d97:g:yc4AAOSw9mpaNUmi:sc:USPSFirstClass!89178!US!-1
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Original rolls usually mean Unc. rolls of same date coins. The eBay roll you linked is a put together circulated roll.
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Don
Where do people come across original bank wrapped rolls of dimes from 60 70 or 80 years ago?
They don't...…..run away!
thanks I didnt think so.
They do exist. I know a dealer in WI a cpl yrs ago that had someone come in with orig. merc rolls. Then he came back several times with a BUNCH more. The dealer made an absolute killing. The seller had no clue as to the true value. Tons of MS67FBs were made. They are out there! (BUT NOT ON EBAY! HAHA)
I bought a couple once and was lucky to not take too bad a beating in selling, mostly sliders.
The one you reference is NOT legit.
Dave
I bought a full roll of BU 29-D Mercury Dimes at Stack's in 1977.
It was not "original bank wrapped".
All were FSB. Most were 65. About a dozen went 66.
I'm guessing that a few are now 67.
I know they exist because I have a few rolls !!!
Always nice to hear stories about a Dealer who ripped someone off because they didn't know what they had. Restores my faith in ...................no one.
I see that a lot on Morgan silver dollars. It amazing me (not really) that each end of the roll has an undated CC Morgan. What are the chances of that? They come from a bank and each end is a CC coin! Wow and are we not that stupid. Well correct that, obviously some buyers are as they do sell at a price of at least $200 a coin! Good grief obviously most are not worth one half of that. I suspect they are gambling that there might be a rare CC in the roll. Come on, were you just born yesterday or what. If it was that good of a deal why are they selling it?
Of course original rolls exist. People can be pack-rats, they put things away. I've had customers sell me original Merc rolls, Walker rolls, etc......You don't see them every day, but they're there. This is the 21st Century, for the most part, you can buy anything you want.
@ quarinteen, You might find this interesting. A discussion about the history of rolled coins from right here on this forum. Original post in 2013.
https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/883840/coin-rolls-history-etc
That is not true. It's probably an unsearched roll of Winged Liberty dimes no doubt found in a bureau draw of his great aunt Tilly of Desert Rock Oklahoma. Most Estate buyer dealers would rather pass along the savings to you or save themselves the time of searching for original gem coins and charge $89. per roll it only makes sense. What with wholesaling 21 D or 23 S or 16 D . dimes and the grading fees, cac fees and all. A person is just better off passing the savings onto the collector.
Of course original rolls exist. People can be pack-rats, they put things away.Back in the 90's, my oldest daughter was taking clarinet lessons from an elderly music teacher.
One day I arrived early and was invited to come in and wait. While waiting I noticed a stack of Coin World mags beneath a table.
After they finished up, I inquired about the magazines. Turns out he was a coin pack rat extraordinaire.
He showed me crates that contained original rolls of every date, mint, and denomination going back to the 1930's.
Apparently he had an aunt with ties to the Cleveland Fed Reserve who had helped him early on, and he just kept adding to it over the decades.
Years ago I purchased a couple of old rolls of '43 cents on ebay. They were (are) original. I would not do that now...the early days of ebay were much different. Cheers, RickO
ill pass on that one
I could post a story that would undoubtedly be the WORST RIP EVER on BU rolls of Walkers, SLQs, and Mercs.
Please do
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Bad transactions with : nobody to date
Walkerguy21D: Was there any rolls of '33 eagles or double eagles in the crates!
Sorry, cents through halves only.....
That dealer you know in Wisconsin sounds like one straight arrow stand-up guy. Yea, when some ignorant seller has "No clue," to the true value then cheat him. Make " an absolute killing. " What a laugh. A real knee slapper.....HAHA
To be fair, we don't have details here. A raw roll, no matter how original, will not sell as though it is all 66FB. And "killing" is relative. Keep in mind, dealers brag about scores the same way fishermen brag about fish.
You know what? You make some good points.
Hoarders ? Never !
LOL. Don't sound so shocked.
best edited out.
Sounds like it’s a 50 50 shot? I ordered one I’ll post what is in it if anyone is interested?
When I clicked on the link, the offering is now "gone with the wind."
Collecting OBW rolls is part of what I collect and has been for many years. Like anything else, you learn best by losing. Reading, research, talking with people and a lot of common sense will usually prevail in positive results.
The way i describe authenticating OBW rolls is that you really can't absent original ownership from inception. I look for red flags and things that don't pass the see, sniff and smell tests and an absence of red flags means a specimen may or may even be more likely than not to be on OBW. That is we can rule out but seldom rule in with absolution. There are some rolls we can say are original and unopened and unmolested with near certainty for sure and those are amongst my most prized choice examples.
When there are multiples from a lesser known bank all of the same "pedigree", same date , mm and overall look.
For Bank wrapped rolls from the 40s-60s the paper should obviously be old, often "soft", tiny hair like fibers protrude from the surface and ends of the rolls and the ink should be partially faded at a minimum
Ink that bright good and fully black is a red flag. End of roll coins obviously should mostly have some degree of toning but it's not an absolute requirement. Imperfect tons on end of roll coins are a very good sign.
I have 3 mercury dime rolls I'm virtually certain are original and 2 others that are more likely to be than not. Two, both 1944 Philly are from the same batch, thick stock paper as was typical for mid 1940s, and jd of roll paper plugs which I often use a sewing needle and a lot of care to cut open a "door" to reveal heads or tails while trying to keep the paper on the roll to promote more toning and protect from the immediate elements.
In the attached photos there are a few bogus rolls as far as "original" being but probably 90% are more likely original than not. There's a 1961 Franklin half roll in modern paper that was purchased at a "non premium BU Roll price", and a few others of similar pedigree. I will still buy rolls that may not be fully original bank wrapped origin if the price makes sense. I have almost as many tubed rolls as I do bank wrapped (which is kind of scary I realize). But I started collecting BU Rolls 15 years ago and the bug bit me hard. I focus now mostly on tough date rolls. I have a dozen or more 1940s Wash quarter BU Bank wrapped rolls. I still have only 3 S mint bank wrapped Franklin rolls and all of those are $20 double rolls. All 3 are 1954-S although one is a tails tails end sold to me as an unknown date - I'm just assuming it to be 1954-S... 😀.
I have two 1947-S Roosevelt dime OBW both Wells Fargo bank stamps, numerous 1946-S and a few 1946-D, one 1948-S, a handful each of 1951-D, 1953 P, and D, 1954 P & D, and I believe I'm up to six 1957-D dime rolls. I have more than I can count 1955 PD and S dime rolls.
My oldest quarter roll is a 1943, two 1945, five 1946, one 1947, two 1948, one 1948-S and a beautiful all original 1950-S
Half dollar rolls include 2x 1948-D $20 shotgun bank wrapped rolls, 3x $20 shotgun 1954-S rolls (mentioned earlier), 1x $20 double shotgun 1954-D roll, five 1955 OBW Franklin rolls and numerous 1956-1963 P/D of most dates when applicable.
As for nickels I only have a couple dozen 1949-1970
Lincoln cents - not too many with my oldest being a very original 1943 roll that's "falling apart" it's so old, another 20-25 of 1940s and a couple dozen 1950-1954
Although I do have probably 100 tubes of BU Wheat cent rolls including several from the 1930s including 1937, 3x 1938, 1938-D, 1939 x2, 1939-D, 1940, and too many to list from 1940-1958.
Highlight nickel rolls include 3x 1938, 1939, 1940, 1940-D, 1942 type 1, and several better date $150-300 rolls from the early 40s through early 50s
.
Wow... now THAT'S the way to resurrect an old thread!
Welcome to the Forum!
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@samscoinsheavymetal
That is one fantastic stash! It looks like you have quite an eye for the real deal original BU rolls.
I remember buying hoards that looked like that out of Sun City, AZ. Often in those old Army green ammo cans.
You’re onto something about there being so many 1955 BU dime rolls. It was known to be the final year that the San Francisco Mint dimes were going to be struck, and it seems like every single one was saved.
30+ years coin shop experience (ret.) Coins, bullion, currency, scrap & interesting folks. Loved every minute!
Wow, you have a lot of willpower! There is no way I would be able to resist searching through all those rolls.
Mic drop!
Casual collector, mostly Morgans & Peace Dollars.
Thanks everyone. I've been on the forum before under a different handle but it's been 10 years ...
it's definitely tempting to open some of these rolls. It's probably like the x-smoker resisting the itch to smoke. It will pass soon enough
I had a 1957 quarter roll with two beautiful toned ends both type B reverse that I literally just caved in and opened 2 weeks ago. First roll I unwrapped in 5 years
And you guys are right about the army green and the 1955 San Francisco dimes being saved en imass
g
uys
are right about
the 1955
Thanks for the show!
I do find it a tad unfortunate that the dates are written directly on the original paper. It seems a bit like stamping the grade on the face of a coin. But the rolls are sensational and bring me joy just seeing them. I am glad you enjoy them so well.
WTB: Barber Quarters XF
Great way to revive this thread! Awesome pics! You’ve done a fabulous collecting job with this - maybe some day you’ll enjoy opening a few!
“The thrill of the hunt never gets old”
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Copperindian
Retired sets: Soaring Eagles
Copperindian
A very impressive collection of OBW Rolls. Obviously the product of a long term search by a dedicated collector. Great job in putting your collection together.
Curiousity compels me to ask a question.
Have you counted how many 90% silver dimes, quaters and half dollars, plus 35% silver war nickels you have in your collection of OBW rolls?
If not you should count the number of these coins that you have. Once you have done so, you should do the calculations to determine how many ounces of silver you have in these coins. Then multiple the number of ounces by the spot price of silver to determine the current precious metal value of your collection.
Once you have determined the current precious metal value of your collection of OBW rolls silver coins you can then compare that value with the current numismatic value of these OBW rolls of silver coins (based upon comparable sales).
I would guess that the numimatic value of these silver coins exceed the precious metal value of same by at least a factor of 5.
If you crunch the numbers let us know what you come up with.
That same guy wrote on my cent rolls.
It been settled here years ago. Original BU rolls don't exist. Didn't you read the thread?
Amazing what AI can do these days.