It’s nice to live in an area where I can still take in a sack of pennies and they’ll count them for me. I weighed them first and the count was about right.
I believe I have heard that Allianz Bank or some other Euro-sounding bank has self-serve coin counters in their lobbies. CommerceBank?
I did a hell of a lot better, for a while, getting $1K worth of half dollars at the bank and searching them for silver. I would still recommened doing that at least a time or two if you are in a small town, if I am hearing you correctly. You may have to have the bank order them for you, which they will typically do at n/c & call you when they come in.
They can be searched VERY fast. First batch: 2 x 90%, 10 x 40%. Second batch: nada. Third batch: Nada!
Still. Even if you get only one stupid 40% half in 2000 coins:
In a $25 box of pennies you have 50 rolls * 50 coins = 2500 coins. If 10% are goodies, and that is right around my yield, you have (in crude terms) doubled the value of 250 pennies, meaning you made $5.
In 2000 halves, $1K worth, if you find one 40% half (really cruddy yield but sometimes you will get NONE) worth about $4.75 = $4.25 over face. Adjust that for 2500 coins and you’d have $5.31!
So IMHO, halves are a better bet. And if you get a pre-1964 one (abt $11.60 value) or even 2 measly 40% ones, the advantage devastates what you can expect from pennies. I don’t consider the “amount invested” to harvest your metals premium in the equation since it is theoretically never at risk (unless you get into a car crash on the way home or herniate yourself lifting stupid coins, LOL)
Make sure you are wearing your weight-belt when you go to lift $1K worth of halves. Or only do $500 at a time. Heavy!
I said,
“In a $25 box of pennies you have 50 rolls * 50 coins = 2500 coins. If 10% are goodies, and that is right around my yield, you have (in crude terms) doubled the value of 250 pennies, meaning you made $5.”
No, you made $2.50. Halves = much better.