Been Awhile for Silver: My CRH Adventure and Quarter Finds

After a long break from coin roll hunting, I finally found some time to crack open a stash of quarter rolls I’d saved from 2019 to 2020. Finding silver quarters in circulation had become such a rare event that I’d almost given up hope – but this hunt brought back that old excitement. I turned up some real surprises that reminded me how much location affects what we find.

Revisiting My Quarter Stash

I’ve searched thousands of quarter rolls over the years, but this time I concentrated on uncirculated rolls from that specific period. What a payoff: two W mintmark quarters (a Lowell and a Tallgrass), a Pilipino coin, and – the real heart-stopper – a silver quarter. That silver find meant the most, since I hadn’t seen one in the wild for years. It’s moments like this that hook us on the hobby – that jolt of adrenaline when something special appears in your hand.

Regional Rarities: The Elusive El Yunque

If there’s one thing my CRH adventures have taught me, it’s that rarity depends entirely on where you live. Around here, the El Yunque quarter might as well be a ghost – I’ve never even found half a roll of them. But that’s not everyone’s experience. Tallgrass quarters turn up regularly in my area, Ws included, while other collectors tell me Samoa quarters with the bat design are their most common W finds. Your best bet? Notice what shows up frequently in your region and swap stories with local collectors. Your “common” might be my white whale!

The W Quarter Craze: What I Learned Too Late

Those W mintmarks sure stir up excitement, but finding them depends completely on how the Mint distributed them in your area. In my uncirculated rolls, only Tallgrass quarters contained Ws – about one every three or four rolls. That matched what I noticed back in 2020; Tallgrass quarters flooded my region while other designs mostly arrived via traveling coins. I’ll admit it: I kick myself for not buying every Tallgrass roll I could back then. If I had it to do over, I’d have cleared out my bank account. Here’s what I’d tell collectors now: uncirculated rolls from big years like 2020 are your best shot at Ws, and always check condition – these can often grade AU or MS if you’re gentle with them.

My CRH Tips From the Trenches

This hunt reminded me of some practical lessons that might help you:

• Hold onto key-year rolls: My 2019-2020 stash delivered exactly because I saved those uncirculated rolls.
• Watch your local patterns: Focus on designs that were heavily distributed near you – for Ws, that might mean Tallgrass or Samoa depending on location.
• Listen and look for silver: They’re still out there! Train your ear for that bright ‘ping’ when coins hit a surface, and always check edges for solid silver.
• Preserve condition first: Handle Ws and silver coins by the edges only. Even circulated examples can hold Fine details if they’ve avoided scratches.

Returning to CRH after time away felt like reconnecting with an old friend. It’s not just about the coins – it’s that patient searching and local knowledge that makes our hobby so rewarding. Here’s hoping your next hunt brings some excitement!