Compared to all of your incredible cherry-picking finds, mine is going to sound so amateur! Found a Lincoln Wheat 1911S in VG+/F condition from a 600+ ct LOT of pre-40's pennies. Purchased all in total for somewhere between $46-60, so figured the 1911S to be a lucky, and quite random find that day, not to mention there were also a bunch of VDB's, indian heads, and AU's in the 30's, so this was pretty much 'a free lunch!'
I found an 1803 large cent in a dealers junk box for $6. Now that is a good story (anyone want me to elaborate? Anyone?)!
Picked this cherry out of a junk bin this past weekend. This is a F over E in the legend (Gr-703e), Jack Griffin called this coin a "rare variety" and assigned it R8. Coin dealers typically sell this coin for $600 to $800. I paid $2 for this one. It is described on page 105 of this monograph: http://www.charltonpress.com/NumismaticsBook.asp?v_ISBN=088968-313-1
I haven't found anything exotic, but I am proud of this one. Found it at hole in the wall "we buy silver and gold" shop. The owner had it priced at $180. I gave him $100 cash to hold while I went to the bank for the rest.
I was searching through a dealers GIANT junk box (probably several thousand coins), when I came across a very well worn large cent. The dealer had marked it "1833" (the date is barely legible), but I knew it was one of the early types I never paid attention to in my Redbook. So, I picked her up. When I compared the type with the one in my Redbook, it fitted the Draped Bust Cent picture! I used very many different types of lighting to make out an "1803". What I think happened (by forensic analysis of the writing on the 2x2 I bought it in) was dealer 1 saw the type, but couldn't make out the date, so he marked it "18--". Dealer 2 thought he saw the date, but didn't pay attention to the type, and thus crossed out dealer 1's and wrote "1833". I would like to know the die variety, but it's so worn...
I've told this story on this forum many times... I bought this coin, raw, for about $200 on eBay. It now resides in a PCGS 65 slab. You do the math.
I apologize that this is a little off topic, but I don't want to start a new thread and I bet most of you know the answer. Which Cherry Picker's Guide covers quarters? Thanks.
mine would be getting five '81 type 2 SBA's in proof sets in the bargin box of my LCS. http://www.cointalk.com/t212176/
Time to resurrect this thread. Let's play! Paid $5 for a roll of random wheat's last year. Pulled this out.