Whenever I open a box of Kennedy half dollars, I invariably find coins that have been marked up by Magic Markers. Some are obviously where someone is trying to emulate JFK’s fatal gun shot wounds. Marks are made to look like bleeding from the nostrils, mouth or the back of the head. Such disrespect of anyone, but especially a fallen President will hopefully earn them a special place in Hell. However some simply look like they are marked to showcase part of the coin or to maybe mark it for inventory. I only do half dollars so maybe it’s done on other coins too, but is there a purpose for these marks? Is the color significant?
The marks I think, are so roll searchers can see if they are getting coins back that they have already searched, and the guy who used the red magic marker, wouldn't waste time looking at any of the coins he already marked.
This is done entirely so searchers will know if they're receiving coins they have already been through. This practice has been shown to be highly volatile and controversial on other forums where you have members on them who mark coins like this. The ones who don't mark them yet find such coins have had full-blown arguments about it to the point discussing the subject is forbidden on some other coin-related forums. Part of the problem lies with the blatant and selfish disregard for the coins that receive these marks as some collectors find some marked coins that would have otherwise been desirable to them. Examples include proofs, 1987 P&D halves, errors, varieties, and clad from other desirable years (such as ones from '82 and '83) that would have otherwise been in a high grade of condition. Thankfully, CoinTalk has largely avoided such volatile interactions amongst its members.
Seems like an awful practice. I would mark the roll as opposed to the coins. I can't trust myself that I didn't miss something on one of the coins.
Marking the roll would do little good if you do your banking at BoA because they convert all of the customer-wrapped rolls to machine-wrapped rolls after counting the coins. Chris
I find this completely selfish , and those who do this must be having trouble getting the light bulb to turn on. Wake up, this is damage . If you know someone who is doing this report him for defacing property of the Government. Which most likely would be a waste of time anyway , but it would be worth trying to get them to understand that possibly many new collectors may be looking for good examples of these coins. Time to grow up !!
A despicable practice! Not surprising however and unfortunately. Humans... glad I’m from outer space!
Wasnt there a guy on here awhile back who would do this? Buffalo boy or something like that? Swear I saw some red marked Kennedys somewhere else...
I am against the defacing of coins this way. However, I believe a good coin could be conserved from magic marker with acetone. Please correct me if this information is wrong.
I hated getting those and one location I was getting boxes of halves had so many of them. Yes, I never found any marked ones worth anything, but that was small consolation to knowing if I had found one worth keeping and finding it marked would have ruined that find for me. This practice by people is just so cruel to those who follow in trying to find coins they want to keep.
What year will it become not worth searching bank boxes and rolls for silver anymore? At some point the time and effort vs reward can't possibly be worth it. I'd think that time passed decades ago. You'd be better off using the time to earn income to buy a silver half.
Oh I agree completely. BUT my wife enjoys going through rolls and I enjoy spending the time with her doing it. I bought a box today and we’ve searched half of it. Found a ‘67, 2 ‘68s and a ‘69. And a really nice ‘43. Should have heard her squeal when she popped that one out.
