The Zillionth "Unsorted Wheat Pennies, Honestly!" Offer

I don't doubt you but I'm curious-Why open rolls and then have to re-roll them when you have loose pennies of the same sort to look through, or are they not the same?

 

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Here you go, Jeff: I was about 11-12 years old. When I didn't have a hole for a 1922 "P" (no mint mark) I showed it to my dad who was a very novice collector (who, however, got my brother and I started on our life-long collecting hobby). He was puzzled, also, and just tossed it into the upper right-hand drawer of his desk.

About 3 years later, when I was 14-15, I happened to be reading something about the 1922 plain cent. Something in the back of my mind made me think that is what perhaps I had found a few years earlier. I asked Dad if I could look into that "junk drawer." There it was, and it was a beauty, with an EF reverse, the strong.

I wish I had a photo of that coin. I sold it to my father when I went to college; after his death 50 years later I sold his entire accumulation to settle the estate in order to divide it amongst the four of us children.

Steve

 

In case anyone's curious, here are two random rolls (actually one roll plus 50 loose ones). Most marked "with luster" have only partial luster, but a few are brilliant.

BTW, I found a smart way to do this. I opened a new note on my phone, turned on dictation, left the phone on my desk, and just barked into the phone "1944 fine new line 1955d very fine new line (etc)". I got through the rolls quickly!

I'd imagine the distribution curve is normal for wheaties pulled from pocket change circa 1960-1968:

I left off "P". I'm not quite that nerdy.

And I didn't check for die varieties, aside from 1955 double die, because that's the only one I remember.

1876 indian penny. G but a small gouge
09 G
16 G
17 G
17 F but slight corrosion
18 AG
18 G
(2)27 G
27 VG
28 VG
29 F
(3)30 G
(2)30 VG
30 F
30S VF (with luster)
33 VG
(2)34 F
(2)35 F (1 with luster)
35 VF
(2)35 VG
35S F
(3)36 VG (1 with luster)
(9)36 F (some with luster)
(2)36 VF (1 with luster)
36 EF
37 G
(2)37 VG
(2)37 F
(2)37 VF (1 with luster)
37 EF
38 G
(2)38 VG
(2)38 F
(4)38 VF (1 with luster)
(4)39 F
(2)39 VF
41 VG
42D VF (with luster)
44 LF
44D VF (with luster)
(2)44S VG
(2)44S F
45 VF (with luster)
45S F
46S F to VF
47S? VF but scratched date
49 EF
50S F
53D VF
53S - F
(2)54D F
54D VF
54D EF
55 VF
56 VF
57D EF
(2) 58 F
(4)58 EF
58D VF
(5) 58D EF

 

Nice Jim-I think that you should take it from here!

 

Just not quite 100% certain that the loose ones are the same as the unsorted rolled ones (I actually suspect that I'm the one who rolled the unsorted ones, as a kid, in the 70s, but, typically, didn't finish the job). The list above is actually one roll and 50 loosies.

They were similar, but there were more 38s and 39s in the loose ones, and he has a bunch of rolled 38s and 39s (from when he was a kid), and I suspect a couple of those rolls opened up at some point and got mixed in disproportionally.

 

I think that you've rekindled your coin passion my stranger- friend! Enjoy!

 

More than one person has asked me about "opening a roll" as if it were a big deal, and I just remembered that some rolls need to be physically broken. Not these; they're open at both ends, and crimped inward. So they're easy to reopen and reclose!

 

I'm really about at the end of my rope. I enjoyed it, but I'm definitely ready to move on. Shocked, though, at how easy the grading felt, when I haven't done it in literally a half century.

 

Steve, that's a great story, and I'm proud I was the one to persuade you to share it!

 

I have grandbabies who have wheat cent books with alot of holes. I would buy a few rolls from you if you choose to sell. But here's the catch. All the ones I've given them. If they don't need them they pass them out to friends or put back into circulation. It's just something they do. I don't have a problem with it cuz they want others to find some also. I'm proud of these grandbabies. Who wouldn't be. @Jim Leff. Oh. I'm really not a collector so to say. Have about 20 error coins that i save for my children. Found alot of 2019 W minted quarters. Gave most of them away

 

That would be a sick joke

 

Yeah. Have some fun. That would at least keep your dad happy. Make yourself a book. And give it to a youngin

 

Wanna hear about the 1922 please

 

Thats funny. Found a 1910 cent that i thought was a D mint mark. Couldn't find the hole in grandbabies book. So she tossed it back to me and i kept it somewhere. Then someone on cointalk said there isn't a1910 d. Found it 6 months later. Now Grandbaby has a beat up 10s. Looks terrible

 

That reminds me of how I got my wheat penny hoard. I had just received my 2019 Red Book thru the mail. I couldn't find a copy for sale here in Arkansas anywhere so I ordered one. Not 2 days later a guy bought the house next door. I'm talking to my new neighbor as he opens a box and asks me if I new anybody that wanted some wheat pennies. I told him yes I was interested, just got my book and such. He pulls out a bag with 76 rolls of wheats and a mason jar with assorted change. He said he would take 50 bucks for everything. I said hold on I'll be right back. Gave him the 50 bucks and took them home. Found a couple 1909 vdb's. I sure had a lot of fun going thru all those wheats. Some of these posts got me to thinking about donating them to some kids group like others mentioned.
Hmmm. I'll have to give that's some serious thoughts. Please keep the ideas coming.