My Roll Hunting Adventures: Sharing Finds and Insider Tips

There’s nothing quite like the rush of cracking open a coin roll, not knowing what treasures might be hiding inside. After years of hunting through pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, halves, and dollars, I still get that same thrill every time—even when a whole box yields just one keeper.

My Go-To Spots for Coin Rolls

Let me share how I track down rolls—it’s part detective work, part luck! Local banks are my first stop, though I’ve definitely had tellers tell me they can’t order halves. When that happens, I recruit family to check their neighborhood branches. That strategy actually scored me a 1906 Indian Head penny once, tucked away in a work roll. For specialty searches, I turn to eBay for Mercury dime rolls or Jefferson nickel rolls. Most turn up common 30s/40s dates, but every now and then I’ll uncover EF gems from the teens or 20s. The secret? Just keep hunting. Not every box is a winner, but the surprises make it worth it.

My Favorite Finds Over the Years

Some discoveries still make me grin when I think about them. These finds have filled my Whitman albums and added some real sparkle to my collection:

• Pennies: Besides that 1906 Indian Head, I’ve pulled AU ’68-S and uncirculated ’72-D cents recently.
• Nickels: Wartime finds like ’43-P, ’45-P, and ’45-S nickels always excite me. My best was a 1913-S Type 1 Buffalo in solid F-12 condition. One incredible box gave me 42 pre-1960 nickels plus a ’89-S proof!
• Dimes: Mercury rolls helped me finish several sets. I’ve also found pristine 60s proofs mixed in—though some show telltale fingerprint marks.
• Halves: My all-time jackpot was a roll with 4 Franklins, 10 Walkers, 5 Barbers, and an 1878 Seated Half in VG-F condition—all for face value! More often, I find 40% silvers like the ’68-S.
• Errors and Varieties: I’ve spotted Jefferson RPMs (53-S and 54-S), a killer 73S Kennedy DDO-002, and missing clad quarters/dimes. For Morgans, I search for VAM die varieties—no rolls needed since many slabbed coins go unattributed.

Hard-Earned Hunting Tips

Want to improve your finds? Here’s what I’ve learned the hard way. First, train your eyes (and anyone helping you!) to spot key dates and errors—I keep a cheat sheet for things like Wide AM cents. Grading matters too: I’ve found truly uncirculated coins in ordinary rolls when original bank wraps survive. Persistence pays off—I’ve opened entire boxes with just one lonely 1959 nickel or zero wheat cents. That just means tomorrow’s another hunt! For errors, RPMs and DDOs are worth researching, but I wait for CONECA updates before getting too excited. And remember: online rolls can deliver volume, but local banks? They hide the real magic.

Why I Still Love the Hunt

Finding that Seated Half roll felt like hitting the lottery—a once-in-a-lifetime rush. But honestly? I get just as jazzed about completing a dime album page or spotting a proof in my change. Silver and errors hold their value well, so I always log and share my finds. To fellow hunters I say: embrace the dry spells, celebrate the small wins, and never stop looking. That next incredible find might be waiting in the very next roll!