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Coin Roll Hunting War Nickels

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  • @JBK said:
    In celebration of this thread I went through a box of 2000 nickels tonight. One nice war nic, no buffs, and a a few Jeffs from 38/39. A smattering from the 40s and a couple from the 50s, and one 2009.

    AWSOMENESS!!!! That is just fantastic!! Great work and great stats. I'm assuming the box was sealed with bank-wrapped rolls. I've just been dissecting our thread here, and it seems to be favoring customer-wrapped rolls up to this point. So, your stats show 1 wartime silver nickel to 2000 nickels from bank-wrapped rolls. Do you have any stats, or even kept track, for customer-wrapped rolls?

    CoinRollin.blogspot.com

  • @JBK said:
    And one Canadian and one bermuda.

    Oh, man. I would love to get a bermuda!!! Still searching...

    CoinRollin.blogspot.com

  • @cecropiamoth said:
    When I was heavy into the roll hunting I enjoyed doing nickels. A $100 box was usually good for a silver war nickel or two. Sometimes as many as four, but there would be skunks too. Throw in the occasional (mostly) dateless Buffalo and it was a fun sort. I think I even found two or three V's, with one of those being on the end of a roll. The mintmarked 1938 and 1939 Jefferson's are very difficult to find as is the 1950-D.

    Jeff

    Thanks for the hope! I would definitely be posting pictures if I was lucky enough to find a V on an ender! Oh, man!!! That's great. Very encouraging.

    CoinRollin.blogspot.com

  • @mustangmanbob said:
    A local coin dealer culled his inventory several years ago. He punched out the 50-D's, war nickles, and a few others, and dumped all the rest. It filled 5 - 6 milk crates, about 6 feet tall, and took them all to the bank. He was in his 70's then, and often overlooked stuff. More than a few times, when buying an empty album, I would find a page or 2 full of coins that I would show him to put back in his inventory.

    Now, that's interesting, because you would think that a coin dealer would definitely know what he has. So, in this scenario, at 70 years old, he's tried to get top dollar for what he has, was unable to, and just said, "take it to the bank!" That's amazing!!! We can add that one to the list of how these coins get back into circulation. Thanks for the story!

    CoinRollin.blogspot.com

  • @ricko said:
    @TheGreatCoinRoller ..... Welcome aboard..... good luck in your search. I have not found a war nickel in change in quite a while... last one was about two years ago... Cheers, RickO

    I keep checking my change every time, and no luck yet either! Thank you for the encouragement!

    CoinRollin.blogspot.com

  • bronco2078bronco2078 Posts: 10,244 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I toss dateless buffalos into the change counter when I dump , somebody searching probably finds them and saves them. I leave them with tips at restaurants or throw them in the tip cup now and then too. What are they worth 7 cents each? I figure it might spark interest if it gets noticed

  • @mannie gray said:

    @bronco2078 said:
    The last $20 in nickles I searched just this past week , resulted in 1 buffalo 1924 p , and 1 41p , 52p, 57p, 57d, 57d, and a 59d. No silver My best find in nickles , about 3 months ago


    that is a CRAZY good find.

    Had to be stolen/spent by druggies or inheritors who were ignorant or lazy and just dumped into a coinstar.........
    I've been looking through rolls since 1972 and have never found a V nickel, and just a handful of Buffs.

    AS far as putting together a set of Jeffs from circulation....I tried but never found a 1939-D or 1950-D.
    The tough ones for me were 1946-S, 1947-S, 1950, 1951-S, 1955 and 1958.
    In a strange way, it may actually be easier today to put together a set as lazy inheritors are dumping collectiosns/accumulations into Coinstars and not bothering to try to find out what they may have...
    Maybe...??? Maybe not....

    It also seems that with the spot price of silver being so high and youtube and social media for CRH becoming popular again, it seems more likely that the silver wartime nickels have probably been scooped up. But, I think more people are going for the halves than the nickels just based on volume for effort, which still gives me some hope that the nickels could still be in there. But, as I understand it, isn't there also a law in place that ALLOWS for the melting of silver wartime nickels? Which, if that is the case, these coins are probably becoming even harder to find each passing year, with no hope of returning back to circulation!

    CoinRollin.blogspot.com

  • @mannie gray said:
    Regarding the Hennings coins

    4-5 years ago I bought a huge lot of pre-1960 nickels from the back pages of Numismatic News.
    I can't recall exactly what I paid but it was just a little bit over face and of course I paid shipping.
    The lot was almost entirely S mint coins, which was a surprise, and I found a 1944 (P) Henning which was another surprise, along with nearly a roll of 1941-S Lg S.
    I spent a lot of time looking but made a really nice profit on the deal.
    So if time=money, maybe I didn't make that much... :)

    That seems plausible. But, is there any way to determine if someone has counterfeit a Henning counterfeit? Let's just go top-gear down this rabbit hole! lol

    CoinRollin.blogspot.com

  • TheGreatCoinRollerTheGreatCoinRoller Posts: 45
    edited February 17, 2017 1:10PM

    @DCW said:

    @sellitstore said:
    "It would seem easier to find silver nickels than buffaloes and liberty nickels, given the obvious design changes.
    This thread suggests the contrary."

    It's about value more than design. War Nickels were worth $2 each for a while and over $1 for longer periods while low grade Buffalos and V nickels have been 25 cent items forever.

    I'm talking about pulling coins from change. The average person doesn't know that a bright white 1964 Washie is worth more than a 1965 clad. They are oblivious to silver vs clad.
    But yet people continue to save "wheat pennies" with no numismatic premium whatsoever, simply because they are "different."
    You really believe someone would notice a silver Jefferson nickel before a Buffalo or Liberty nickel?
    Worth less, yes. But foreign and interesting to the general public.

    A wartime nickel seems more likely to get passed over than a Buffalo or Liberty. Just look at some people's reactions when they receive a Canadian quarter in change! But, again, if we explore just HOW these coins are finding their way back into circulation, then maybe it's not as implausible as it seems...

    CoinRollin.blogspot.com

  • 1630Boston1630Boston Posts: 13,786 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I've had better luck with bank wrapped [armored car] rolls, at least with cents :smile:


    Successful transactions with : MICHAELDIXON, Manorcourtman, Bochiman, bolivarshagnasty, AUandAG, onlyroosies, chumley, Weiss, jdimmick, BAJJERFAN, gene1978, TJM965, Smittys, GRANDAM, JTHawaii, mainejoe, softparade, derryb

    Bad transactions with : nobody to date

  • mannie graymannie gray Posts: 7,259 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @TheGreatCoinRoller said:

    @mannie gray said:
    Regarding the Hennings coins

    4-5 years ago I bought a huge lot of pre-1960 nickels from the back pages of Numismatic News.
    I can't recall exactly what I paid but it was just a little bit over face and of course I paid shipping.
    The lot was almost entirely S mint coins, which was a surprise, and I found a 1944 (P) Henning which was another surprise, along with nearly a roll of 1941-S Lg S.
    I spent a lot of time looking but made a really nice profit on the deal.
    So if time=money, maybe I didn't make that much... :)

    That seems plausible. But, is there any way to determine if someone has counterfeit a Henning counterfeit? Let's just go top-gear down this rabbit hole! lol

    I have never seen a counterfeit of a Henning counterfeit, but anything is possible if there is a chance that some money could be made by doing so.

  • mannie graymannie gray Posts: 7,259 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @TheGreatCoinRoller said:

    @mustangmanbob said:
    A local coin dealer culled his inventory several years ago. He punched out the 50-D's, war nickles, and a few others, and dumped all the rest. It filled 5 - 6 milk crates, about 6 feet tall, and took them all to the bank. He was in his 70's then, and often overlooked stuff. More than a few times, when buying an empty album, I would find a page or 2 full of coins that I would show him to put back in his inventory.

    Now, that's interesting, because you would think that a coin dealer would definitely know what he has. So, in this scenario, at 70 years old, he's tried to get top dollar for what he has, was unable to, and just said, "take it to the bank!" That's amazing!!! We can add that one to the list of how these coins get back into circulation. Thanks for the story!

    This actually is common practice among a lot of dealers. Pull out the 38-DS, 39-DS, 50-D, warnix, and spend the rest.
    Not worth their time in their opinion to 2x2 and "work up" the remaining poo-poo.
    There are some dealers who have a guy or two that will buy the remainder at a little above face, but for those who don't have that guy, they are simply spent or given out as change or as freebies to kids at shows as a cheap incentive to bring Mom and Dad back for more good deals. ;)

  • @bronco2078 said:
    I toss dateless buffalos into the change counter when I dump , somebody searching probably finds them and saves them. I leave them with tips at restaurants or throw them in the tip cup now and then too. What are they worth 7 cents each? I figure it might spark interest if it gets noticed

    I really like this idea! And, you're AWSOME!!!

    CoinRollin.blogspot.com

  • @1630Boston said:
    I've had better luck with bank wrapped [armored car] rolls, at least with cents :smile:


    I love searching pennies. And, you just threw in a whole new source. Third-Party-coin-roll. Those are some very interesting finds!! Especially that off-set. I'm not as familiar with error coins, but did you actually find that in a roll? Seems like it would poke out the side or something. But, here's a question for the forum: Does anyone know where the Third-Party coin rollers source their supply from?

    CoinRollin.blogspot.com

  • @mannie gray said:

    @TheGreatCoinRoller said:

    @mannie gray said:
    Regarding the Hennings coins

    4-5 years ago I bought a huge lot of pre-1960 nickels from the back pages of Numismatic News.
    I can't recall exactly what I paid but it was just a little bit over face and of course I paid shipping.
    The lot was almost entirely S mint coins, which was a surprise, and I found a 1944 (P) Henning which was another surprise, along with nearly a roll of 1941-S Lg S.
    I spent a lot of time looking but made a really nice profit on the deal.
    So if time=money, maybe I didn't make that much... :)

    That seems plausible. But, is there any way to determine if someone has counterfeit a Henning counterfeit? Let's just go top-gear down this rabbit hole! lol

    I have never seen a counterfeit of a Henning counterfeit, but anything is possible if there is a chance that some money could be made by doing so.

    I have heard of instances of people counterfeiting the Lincoln 1909 - S VDB penny before. In these cases there are certain details that can be examined against the original. But, here is the rub on the Hennington. It's already a counterfeit. So, how could we possibly detect one?

    CoinRollin.blogspot.com

  • @mannie gray said:

    @TheGreatCoinRoller said:

    @mustangmanbob said:
    A local coin dealer culled his inventory several years ago. He punched out the 50-D's, war nickles, and a few others, and dumped all the rest. It filled 5 - 6 milk crates, about 6 feet tall, and took them all to the bank. He was in his 70's then, and often overlooked stuff. More than a few times, when buying an empty album, I would find a page or 2 full of coins that I would show him to put back in his inventory.

    Now, that's interesting, because you would think that a coin dealer would definitely know what he has. So, in this scenario, at 70 years old, he's tried to get top dollar for what he has, was unable to, and just said, "take it to the bank!" That's amazing!!! We can add that one to the list of how these coins get back into circulation. Thanks for the story!

    This actually is common practice among a lot of dealers. Pull out the 38-DS, 39-DS, 50-D, warnix, and spend the rest.
    Not worth their time in their opinion to 2x2 and "work up" the remaining poo-poo.
    There are some dealers who have a guy or two that will buy the remainder at a little above face, but for those who don't have that guy, they are simply spent or given out as change or as freebies to kids at shows as a cheap incentive to bring Mom and Dad back for more good deals. ;)

    I could be that guy! lol

    CoinRollin.blogspot.com

  • davewesendavewesen Posts: 6,224 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @TheGreatCoinRoller said:
    Ok, I'll bite. Why older than 1960?

    Nickels that can be sold for more than 5 cents, similar to cents that are older than 1959.

  • 1630Boston1630Boston Posts: 13,786 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Coinroller
    Yes the offset was in a 'bank' wrapped roll, I was amazed. It is not as oblong as you might think. :smile:
    And welcome to the boards [if I didn't say that previously].

    Successful transactions with : MICHAELDIXON, Manorcourtman, Bochiman, bolivarshagnasty, AUandAG, onlyroosies, chumley, Weiss, jdimmick, BAJJERFAN, gene1978, TJM965, Smittys, GRANDAM, JTHawaii, mainejoe, softparade, derryb

    Bad transactions with : nobody to date

  • mannie graymannie gray Posts: 7,259 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @1630Boston said:
    I've had better luck with bank wrapped [armored car] rolls, at least with cents :smile:


    You found that unc. 1909 VDB in a roll? :o

  • ms70ms70 Posts: 13,954 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Not a war nickel but close: Today I got a 1940-S in change at a convenience store! The first thing I thought of was this thread, LOL...

    Bonus- I needed it for my Whitman Folder as well!

    Great transactions with oih82w8, JasonGaming, Moose1913.

  • cecropiamothcecropiamoth Posts: 969 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @TheGreatCoinRoller said:

    @DCW said:

    @sellitstore said:
    "It would seem easier to find silver nickels than buffaloes and liberty nickels, given the obvious design changes.
    This thread suggests the contrary."

    It's about value more than design. War Nickels were worth $2 each for a while and over $1 for longer periods while low grade Buffalos and V nickels have been 25 cent items forever.

    I'm talking about pulling coins from change. The average person doesn't know that a bright white 1964 Washie is worth more than a 1965 clad. They are oblivious to silver vs clad.
    But yet people continue to save "wheat pennies" with no numismatic premium whatsoever, simply because they are "different."
    You really believe someone would notice a silver Jefferson nickel before a Buffalo or Liberty nickel?
    Worth less, yes. But foreign and interesting to the general public.

    A wartime nickel seems more likely to get passed over than a Buffalo or Liberty. Just look at some people's reactions when they receive a Canadian quarter in change! But, again, if we explore just HOW these coins are finding their way back into circulation, then maybe it's not as implausible as it seems...

    Definitely agree. I would say in the time I searched I found perhaps 6 or 7 war nickels to every buffalo. I really believe there are truly very few buffaloes legitimately in circ. Those we find are likely seeds from @bronco2078 and many other collectors.

    Jeff

  • OldEastsideOldEastside Posts: 4,602 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @TheGreatCoinRoller said:

    @OldEastside said:
    A couple months back at a Vons CoinStar I scored 3 war nickels

    Steve

    You've got to be kidding me! Really?! Now, I've heard of scalping CoinStars before and I've even tried it myself. But, I got a big fat goose egg every time. Do you work a Vons were you could check it regularly? Because, I've used the CoinStar before, and it always tells you to check the reject tray. I'm not saying I don't believe you, it could very well happen, but it just seems so unlikely. So, for that, I hope you also bought a lotto ticket that day, and GREAT SCORE, friend! You've inspired me to keep checking.

    Naw I was just lucky that day and ya I felt like I won the lotto, that day that's all that was there and another day at the same vons I scooped out about a dozen South Korean coins, but when I see a coinstar I usually check and its usually empty. We just shop their, I don't work their.

    Steve

    Promote the Hobby
  • DCWDCW Posts: 7,381 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Now you guys got me itching to roll search again!
    I always did Lincoln cents, but maybe I'll pick up a box of nickels. A little easier on the eyes?
    Problem is, Ive memorized most every decent variety to be found in the long Lincoln cent series. I would be lost amongst the Jeffs, save for the "biggies."

    Dead Cat Waltz Exonumia
    "Coin collecting for outcasts..."

  • OverdateOverdate Posts: 7,016 ✭✭✭✭✭

    When I was searching nickel rolls in the early to mid 1960s there would usually be 4 or 5 war nickels in each roll. I found all dates except the 1943-D, which was widely saved at the time in both uncirculated and circulated condition for its low mintage. Ironically, it's the cheapest BU war nickel today and is probably one of the more common warnicks in circulated condition. The other dates have been extensively melted, since there is little demand for them by silver stackers. I'm betting that the 1944-S has a lower surviving population than the 1950-D.

    My Adolph A. Weinman signature :)

  • Aspie_RoccoAspie_Rocco Posts: 3,259 ✭✭✭✭✭

    To quickly search large lots of nickels, seeking silver, look for black or extremely dark first. I have found hundreds of them roll searching over the last 7 years.
    I look and save anything earlier than 1959, silver, and anything eye catching.
    Finds; Dozens of Canadian and world coins, Proofs, buffalo, liberty, even a double heads magician nickel.

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