My Very Lucky Coin Find: A Cat’s Tale of Silver Surprises

You know those moments that remind you why we love coin hunting? I had one recently—a spontaneous bank visit turned into stumbling across a little pile of silver half dollars. I’d just grabbed some quarter rolls to stash when I noticed a teller stacking halves, which almost never show up around here. Of course I asked for them, and they handed over a pawful that left me grinning like a kid.

The Unexpected Discovery

After years of coin roll hunting, I’ve learned not to expect half dollars in the wild. But that day? Jackpot! Mostly 90% silver pieces with one stray 1996 coin. The real showstopper was a 1923-S Walking Liberty half dollar. When I held it, that beautifully aged patina just sang compared to the others—you could practically feel its history.

Assessing the Treasure

At first, I thought it was just a neat old coin. Then I spotted the details: the wear on Liberty’s gown where the stripes flatten out. I initially pegged it as VG+, but research taught me early San Francisco Walkers often had weak strikes—making sharp examples rare. Numismedia values a 1923-S in XF40 around $990. Mine? Could be knocking on that door, maybe even XF if there are no surprises. I’m treating it like glass while I prep better photos.

Grading Insights for Rare Finds

Since this might be my first grading candidate, I had to think practically. Services like ICG or NGC want membership fees—overkill for one coin. Here’s my game plan:

• Find a dealer buddy who can slip it into their bulk submission (saves membership hassle)
• Hit a major coin show for on-the-spot grading—though they’ll likely want five coins minimum. I’ve already set aside a few contenders.
• If it’s a keeper, ask yourself: is grading worth it? Sometimes a simple holder does the trick for personal collection pieces.

Preservation and Storage Tips

For now, my haul’s going into Whitman holders—simple, clean, and no scratch risks (learned that lesson after some accidental claw marks!). The ’23-S stays in a flip until I decide about grading. Whatever happens, keeping it exactly as-found is priority one.

This whole adventure reminded me why we keep hunting—that electric jolt when luck drops treasure in your lap. Next time you’re checking rolls, stay alert. Your own “lucky cat” moment might be one bank visit away!