The Zillionth "Unsorted Wheat Pennies, Honestly!" Offer

Discussion in 'US Coins Forum' started by Jim Leff, Apr 4, 2020.

  1. Jim Leff

    Jim Leff Member

    This one's legit, though.

    When I was nine, my Dad gave me a ton of miscellaneous wheat cents. He'd been dumping them into a jar in the 50s and early 60s, planning to go through them as a rainy day project, but he never got to it. So he handed them off to me. By then, my coin interest had faded, so I procrastinated for nearly 50 years, and am ready to pass them on, as well.

    There are about 50 rolls. I opened three out of curiosity, and noticed a 1909 (not VDB), and plenty from the teens and twenties. A few 50s still have luster, and there were some 30s and 40s with partial luster (cool!). Condition seems to range from good to fine, if those rolls were representative (and I'm sure they were, considering the source).

    Like many of his generation, my dad was always on the lookout for wartime steelies, so I'm sure there are none of those. But aside from that culling, these aren’t crappy cast offs, they’re legit unsorted.

    So what's my move? I don't need top dollar, I just want to get these off my hands and won't insult my Dad's memory by dumping them back into circulation. Do I sell on eBay? Is there a coin club by/for inner city kids who'd be excited by this if I donated? I definitely don't want to hand them off to some sharpie who'd rifle through for 55 double dies and chuck the rest in a Coinstar machine!
     
    Last edited: Apr 4, 2020
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  3. ldhair

    ldhair Clean Supporter

    Hi Jim. Welcome to CT.
     
    Last edited: Apr 4, 2020
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  4. Long Beard

    Long Beard Well-Known Member

    I'd scroll through EBAY to judge the average selling price and list them just under. I'm sure they'd find a home.
     
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  5. Jim Leff

    Jim Leff Member

    Thanks, Long Beard. Thing is, I'd rather take less $$ and be sure it's going to someone who likes pennies. eBay seems...idunno...speculative.

    I realize "likes pennies" sounds ridiculous, but I was such a person once (and still am, a little)
     
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  6. desertgem

    desertgem Senior Errer Collecktor

    When schools around you gets back into session, ask some history teachers if they are interested as source of research of Lincoln, 'what happened in US / World in this cent Year?, etc. Right now, A bag for shut-in students also might help ( ask the administrators). Jim
     
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  7. Phil Ham

    Phil Ham Hamster

    You may want to put them on sale on here. I know a few wheat penny enthusiasts that may make a bid.
     
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  8. kazuma78

    kazuma78 Supporter! Supporter

    Sell them here. Sounds like a fun hunt
     
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  9. Randy Abercrombie

    Randy Abercrombie Supporter! Supporter

    Lincoln wheat cents are every young collectors entry into this hobby. I love reading posts on here from the younger crowd and their zeal over Lincoln wheats. I’ll tell you what I did with a huge abundance of worn buffalo nickels.... An area coin show dedicated one of the show days to youngsters. I gave several dealer buddies a handful to give away and I walked around placing buffalo nickels in young peoples hands. I was paid back with a ten dollar smile for each nickel I handed out..... Since monetary reward is not your goal (I applaud you for that), see if you can find a way to get these into young collectors hands. You will be richly rewarded with appreciation for your generosity.
     
  10. dlts

    dlts Well-Known Member

    Hi Jim-
    I just went through a bad experience when buying on ebay and was harassed for not giving a great rating, so I won't do that again. You could PM me when you figure out an asking price and I'll see what I can do. Like you, my dad introduced me (and brother) to looking through coins at a young age and I just started roll hunting 3yrs ago. I love the pennies the best and save everything wheat.
    -Denise
     
  11. dlts

    dlts Well-Known Member

    What you did gave me goosebumps Randy, but somehow I don't think that a penny will get the same reaction as a cool Buffalo Nickel. I could be wrong!
     
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  12. Collecting Nut

    Collecting Nut Borderline Hoarder

    I'd take the time to go through them and pull out the best of the lot. Refill and sell the balance. Welcome to CT.
     
  13. Oldhoopster

    Oldhoopster Member of the ANA since 1982

    I agree with this

    The problem is that there are so many hacks, cheats, and crooks selling "unsearched" rolls you'll just get lumped into that cess pool.

    Search them for better dates. You may be able to sell the extras by grouping them into teens, twenties etc. IMO, however eBay and postage fees may kill you
     
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  14. Jim Leff

    Jim Leff Member

    I hate being lumped into cesspools! But this just isn't an enterprise I want to get involved in. There was a time when I'd have cackled with glee at turning pennies into real dough, but, sadly, that time's past.

    I'll try DM-ing Denise....
     
  15. JeffC

    JeffC Go explore something and think a happy thought!

    50 rolls don't take up much room. If I were you, I'd hold on to them. In my entire life, I've only come across 4 LWCs in my change. Each time, it's like I've struck gold! I complained so much about the lack of wheaties in circulation that I was given this:
    15861369926831770749267.jpg
    I was ecstatic!!! Never before have I seen so many LWCs in one place. I checked each one out for a long time. All are worn down but I don't care.
    Please hold on to them if you can. You never know when someone will show up one day and to them, your 50 rolls would be like finding buried treasure!
     
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  16. Jim Leff

    Jim Leff Member

    What's with the stamps?
     
  17. JeffC

    JeffC Go explore something and think a happy thought!

    The gift came with the stamps as well, although I'm not a stamp collector. I was just happy to get the wheaties. :)
     
  18. Jim Leff

    Jim Leff Member

    That's sort of like including a Red Sox hat along with a commemorative box of Yankee paraphernalia
     
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  19. Stevearino

    Stevearino Well-Known Member

    Here's an option for you: offer them in small lots here on CT (in the proper For Sale forum, of course). E.g., 3-5 rolls. The shipping would be easy and not too costly. Request that each purchaser after picking out valuable coins (on his/her honor) replace, coin-for-coin, with other wheaties/early 60s cents and give them to a YN (young numismatist).

    Here's my rationale: just giving these to a younger child could result in VERY valuable coins being tossed back into circulation and may NEVER reach the hands of someone who would appreciate them. I speak from experience: I found a 1922 plain (no D) in my early teens, and because I couldn't find a spot for it in my blue Whitman folder, almost tossed it. (The rest of the story on request).

    Let the pros/amateurs on CT have a shot at these, and, based on their promises, most of your father's cents will make it into the hands of young collectors.

    Steve
     
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  20. Jim Leff

    Jim Leff Member

    Thanks, Steve

    Postage wouldn't actually be so bad. You can fit an awful lot of coins into a medium-sized priority mail flat rate box that ships for $15 (including proof-of-delivery). I don't think you can insure, but this wouldn't be so valuable....

    I'm requesting the rest of the 1922 story!
     
  21. Jim Leff

    Jim Leff Member

    I'm getting the feeling that before this is over I'll need to do an in-depth look at a (hopefully) representative couple of those unsorted rolls. I'll put on my grading glasses and see what I find. I'm kind of curious, anyway, and so long as I don't need to fuss with hundreds of coins, I can handle it.

    I'll report back!
     
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