The Banker’s Secret: How to Start “Coin Roll Hunting”
Imagine walking into a bank, exchanging a twenty-dollar bill for a stack of paper rolls, and walking out with twenty-five dollars worth of silver.
It sounds like a magic trick, but for a dedicated community of enthusiasts, it is just a Tuesday.
Welcome to the world of Coin Roll Hunting (CRH).
While most collectors buy their coins from dealers or online auctions, coin roll hunters prefer to find their treasures in the wild. They search through massive quantities of bank-wrapped rolls, looking for silver coins, old designs, errors, and rarities that have been circulating unnoticed for decades.
It is the ultimate treasure hunt, and the best part? It costs you absolutely nothing but time. If you don’t find anything, you simply take the money back to the bank.
How It Works: The Pick-Up and The Dump
The premise is simple: You acquire rolls of coins from a bank, search them, keep the “keepers,” and return the rest. However, there is a strategy to doing this efficiently and maintaining a good relationship with your bank tellers.
Step 1: The Pick-Up
You need to establish a “supply bank.” This is where you buy your coin rolls. You can ask for customer-wrapped rolls (which are often better because they come from regular people clearing out old jars) or machine-wrapped rolls (the clear plastic or tight paper ones from the armored car companies).
- Pro Tip: Be polite. Tellers are doing you a favor. If you become a regular, bring them donuts or coffee occasionally. A happy teller might set aside “weird looking” old coins they find just for you.
Step 2: The Hunt
Take your rolls home. Never search them at the teller window; it’s rude and holds up the line. Spread a soft cloth on your table to protect the coins and get to work cracking them open. You are looking for anything that isn’t a standard modern coin.
Step 3: The Dump
This is the most critical rule of Coin Roll Hunting: Never return coins to the same bank you bought them from.
If you buy rolls, search them, and immediately bring the loose change back to the same teller to count, you will become a nuisance very quickly. You need a designated “Dump Bank”—a different branch, preferably with a free coin-counting machine in the lobby, where you deposit your rejects.
What Are We Hunting For?
Different denominations offer different treasures. Here is a quick guide on what to look for in each type of roll.
Pennies (The Volume Game)
Penny rolls are cheap (50 cents each) and fun because you find “keepers” frequently.
- Wheat Cents (1909–1958): These feature two wheat stalks on the reverse. They are common enough to keep you interested but old enough to be exciting.
- Indian Head Cents (1859–1909): Rare, but they are still found in circulation occasionally.
- Copper Cents (Pre-1982): Before mid-1982, pennies were made of 95% copper. Today, they are mostly zinc. Many hunters hoard pre-1982 pennies simply for their copper melt value, which is currently higher than one cent.
Nickels (The War Horde)
Nickels are often overlooked, which makes them a great target.
- Silver War Nickels (1942–1945): During WWII, nickel was needed for the war effort, so the US Mint made nickels out of 35% silver. You can spot them easily by the large mint mark (P, D, or S) placed above the dome of Monticello on the back.
- Buffalo Nickels (1913–1938): With their iconic design, these are a thrill to find, though the dates are often worn off.
Dimes and Quarters (The Silver Search)
This is the main event for most hunters: free silver.
- 90% Silver (Pre-1965): Any dime or quarter dated 1964 or earlier is made of 90% silver. These are worth significantly more than their face value based on the metal content alone. The easiest way to spot them is to look at the edge of the coin (the reeded edge). If it’s solid white/silver, pull it out. If you see a copper stripe, put it back.
Half Dollars (The Jackpot)
Half dollars are the holy grail of coin roll hunting. Because halves don’t circulate as much as quarters, old silver coins tend to sit in bank vaults for years until a hunter requests them.
- 90% Silver (Pre-1964): Like other denominations, 1964 and older are 90% silver.
- 40% Silver (1965–1970): Uniquely, the Kennedy Half Dollar kept some silver content (40%) until 1970. Many people miss these because they look similar to modern clad coins, so check the dates carefully!
The Reality Check
Coin roll hunting requires patience. You might go through $500 worth of quarters (a “box”) and find absolutely nothing. Other times, you might crack open a roll and find it is entirely filled with silver coins that someone unknowingly deposited.
It is a game of volume. The more you search, the more you find. It is a hobby that combines the thrill of gambling with the safety of a savings account—because even if you lose, you still have your money.
Found a Rare Find in a Roll?
If you hit the jackpot and find a key date, a high-grade older coin, or a strange error while searching your rolls, don’t just throw it in a jar. Find out what it’s really worth.
Contact Keywell Collectibles today to appraise your coin roll hunting discoveries!
