I search cent boxes(2500 rolled cents each) about once or twice a week on average. In the past I have been averaging approximately 10 wheats per box, usually 1940’s and 1950’s. My last three boxes have been somewhat disappointing – the amount of pre-1982 bronze coins seems to be going down to about a quarter of the box and my averages for numbers of wheats have gone down too. After searching two boxes on Tuesday of this week, I was on the verge of giving up. I cashed in the zincolns at one of my banks that has a free coin counter and got my cash. Yesterday I had to go to one of the grocery stores to buy milk, it has one of the in-store banks and on a lark I asked if they had a cent box I could buy. The teller, who was new apparently and didn’t know me – said no, we don’t have any. Just then a teller behind her that knows me well, said yes, he can buy one box. At this point I wondered why I bothered, not having much success with the previous two boxes, but I figured different bank maybe different results.
Well the pre-1982 bronze was consistent with my recent results, rather disappointing. Wheats were a disappointment too:
1944
1946
1950 – harshly cleaned
1951-D
That was it, four stinkin Lincolns.
San Francisco mints were a bit better than average, considering that I am deep in the Midwest and they are all nearing 40 years old now:
1968
1969 x 3
1970 x 2
1972 x 2
1974
I also had fewer Canadian earlies too
GVI
1943
QEII YH
1961
1964 x 4
But my best find, the one that made it all worth it was this one, about midway through the box when I let out a scream my kids outside heard and came in wondering what happened…
My earliest find in a cent box yet… I found a 1909 VDB and a beaten up 1909 back in 2007, my earliest finds so far until yesterday…
I have probably searched 350,000 cents over the past four years – this is the first one of these I have ever gotten:
Yes, 109 years young and Mr. Longacre’s daughter!
