Why doesn't my bank have halves???

It never fails, I go to a bank and ask for halves and they say, nope don't got em, ain't gettin' 'em, never want em. I have visited at least 14 to 15 banks near me asking for halves and they all say the same things. Where can I find a half friendly bank, or am I approaching this all wrong?

 

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Most banks have no halves except the scattering turned in by customers. They don't order them from their supplier because the Chief Teller, Operations Officer, President, or whoever else is the vault decision maker, doesn't believe that the demand for them justifies ordering the minimum quantity - usually a box but sometimes as much as 5 boxes.

If you have a good relationship - including an active account - with a particular bank branch, you can frequently convince them to order boxes for you. Chances are you'll have to make a committment not to bring your rejects back to that bank.

Finding a bank that will special order them in order to sell you a couple of rolls is only slightly more likely than getting Pat Robinson to officiate at a same-sex wedding.

 

Here's an off the wall idea. If you live close to a casino you may be able to pick up half rolls there. Here in Florida the dog track has them and also the Seminole casino. They use them for the Texas Hold'em poker games.

Lou

 

That's Omaha for ya...

 

None here in PA. I'd go with Roy's idea, that if you have a good relationship with your bank, ask if they will order them for you. Good luck.

Phoenix

 

I had asked for rolls at my bank and they only had one, so I bought it. It seems my bank only orders one box per year. The tellers there are pretty nice about giving me the halves, they said they didnt want them and was glad someone took them off their hands. I told them to let me know when they'll get more in because I'll be there to buy them.

 

My bank rarely has any half dollars around, but will order a box if I ask (sometimes even willing to order a box if I don't buy all $500 worth at once). However except for special requests, they don't bother to order any or keep any around besides the handful people turn in. Just not really any call for them; if none of their customers want them, it's a waste of space to keep any in their vault.

A lot of half dollars I get have seen obvious slot machine abuse... we're not too far from the casinos in Blackhawk and Central City.

You can try asking your bank if they'll order you a box... most banks don't mind, especially if you're a customer. Always easy to get halves in and near casinos, though you might end up with a lot of slot machine victims that way.

I guess I'm just lucky I guess... though I have friendly relationship with one of the bankers; she lives in the same apartment complex I do and we chat often. Even when I was no longer a customer of the bank she didn't mind ordering boxes of half dollars for me, even if I didn't get all $500 at once.

And pretty sure you mean Pat Robertson, not Pat Robinson lol...

 

Someday I'll learn to spell.

 

A couple of days ago, I bought my first roll of halves and found a '39 Walking liberty!!! I went back the next day and apparently that was the only roll they had

Since then, I have been to four other (large) banks and no luck. In one of the banks, a teller in one of the adjoining queues chimed in that she had four of them (coins - not rolls), if I wanted them.

I guess I understand why they don't carry them. Since I bought mine, I discovered that none of the vending machines take the darned things. And I'm sorry, but try walking around with $3 of Kennedy's in your pocket for the afternoon - chafing is an issue!!!!

 

Simple answer, no one wants them. If they order a box they have to pay shipping to get it, while it just sits there in the vault it is an unproductive asset gathering dust, and thenwhen they decide to get rid of it they have to pay shipping to send it back. Ordering coins is a money losing proposition for the banks so they would rather not do it and just try to recycle the coins that come in. Try usually try to balance their coin orders or returns to just enough to balance their typical overage/underage for what they need for their commercial customers. (This is why so many banks hate roll searchers. It throws off their ordering, makes them run the risk of not being able to serve their commercial clients, and increases their shipping costs with no offsetting revenue.)

 

I've been thinking about going to the dog track off of old 41 and play some poker. The problem is I hate losing, not at the other guy but at myself so odds of me being happy means that I am better off staying away.
Then again, great idea thru about getting coins at the casiino, my children's american state quarter set is missing a few so maybe I'll make the trip there for cultural reasons and figure any loses to be part of that cultural experience up off Imokalee Road.

 

Andy, my girlfriend picked up some Kennedy Halfs at the dog track in Bonita. Some of the halfs where BU. As for the Immokalee casino they should have Kennedy Halfs that they use for the hold'em poker. I think that all the slot machines they have give out tickets not coins. You're right about the cultural experience it is a very diversified community.

Lou

 

They don't have halves because when was the last time you got one in change, their business customers don't want them because their customers don't want them.

 

The bank could always try actually using them, even if the goal is just to get rid of them. Give a customer a half instead of two quarters, until you no longer have any halves left.

 

my bank has halves and quarters but they dont have any sixteenths!

 

Just short bits then I guess.

 

I live in washington state, the only way to get halves is the casino. now and then the banks do have, but they are loose, not even a roll, some curb markets get them and they will hold them for you, if ask. anyway good look on your quest for the halves.

 

Well this interested me so I went to a few banks in my area (Florida). Not sure which of these branches extend to where you guys live, but here's what I came up with.

The following banks will not order halves, even for members:
Fairwinds
SunTrust (however, they did have 1 roll, which they would only give to members)
Seacoast National
Fifth Third
Trust Co. (VERY rude empolyees there!)
Washington Mutual
People's First

The following banks will order them for members:
Colonial
Bank of America

That was my experience driving around today. Bank of America informed me that they did not have someone to do that for me today, but that I should come back tomorrow and she would be there. Colonial Bank was very accepting of my request and said they would order me a box. I opened a checking account with them for $1.00, and they sold me the three rolls they had in the back! Colonial Bank does not have a minimum balance.

Found dates ranging from 1971-2000, a few keepers, including a 1997-S Proof (I've never found a circulated proof before)!

 

Slu,that is a cool find to get in change - a Proof $1/2.

When we had the old coins over here in New Zealand,I would look through my change.Once I found a well circulated 1993 50c. coin in change,which I still have.That is a date that was only issued in sets.

Aidan.

 

Yeah, because we can't have those non-customers taking all the halves. People will go nuts. :goof:
And, yes, I had an experience with a rude TrustCo employee, she was attending to me every time I visited. She looked thrilled to be there. When I approached the counter, we stared at each other for five seconds before I broke the ice. The Loan officer gives me a smile when I come in, though. What was your experience?

Bank of America is always willing to go into their "back room" when I ask for something, no matter who I ask, and I am not a customer, nor am I old enough to be one!

Odd question: does anyone else get the jitters when waiting for the teller to get what you ask for? I do sometimes -- excitement.