Very cool story! Must Read!

[Bruceswar]

So I walk into my local dealer and we are talking coins as usal. Another older gentleman is there and we get to talking. He tells me back in the late 50's he would bank hope and get silver dollars, buffalos etc. All the stuff that used to be around. Then mentioned he was a Jefferson collector.. He went on to say he had 35 BU ROLL SETS INCLUDING PROOFS... At this point I am all ears and jaw on the floor. Most all of these sets were put together long ago ... Anyhow we talk a bit more and he said he walked into one of the banks he had been "bank hoping" at and the teller tells him "The Government has been getting on to us about keeping old stock. We have an old bag of half dollars we need to get rid of" So he is thinking great maybe a bag of Walkers! The teller comes back with a bag as says you can have them for a dollar each. The bag was an ORIGINAL MINT BAG OF 1833 BUST HALFS!! My mouth really hit the floor. So I ask if he still had the bag, but he said he turned around the next day and sold it to a local dealer for $12.00 a coin plus $50.00 for the bag alone. Man did I miss out on the good days!! Enjoy and comment away!

[jtryka]

Wow! Don't know if it's true or a tall tale, but it sure is a fun story anyhow!

[WinstonWare]

When was this that he bought the bag of 1833 halves? That’s crazy! How are you feeling Bruce? Any better?

[DWLange]

This account is quite believable. During the federal bank "holiday" of 1933, government auditors turned up numerous bags of Bust Halves within banks that were operational before 1840, many of the coins uncirculated. These were used primarily as a backing for bank notes at the time they were being minted. As newer coins were placed into bank vaults, it was these more recent pieces that were distributed into commerce, while the oldest bags remained in the deeper recesses. It was not unusual for the bags to have broken open or even rotted away by the time the coins were finally retrieved.

[bsshog40]

Man wouldn't be nice to run into an opportunity like that.

[rbrown4]

That is fantastic and it is too bad that some of us were not able to experience those good old days. My father talks about going to smaller towns in Texas and around the country while on vacations years ago and going into the small town banks buying rolls of coins and finding interesting items. Nothing like a bag of bust halves though.

 

Great story Bruce.

 

Rey

[RUSS BEGA]

So I walk into my local dealer and we are talking coins as usal. Another older gentleman is there and we get to talking. He tells me back in the late 50's he would bank hope and get silver dollars, buffalos etc. All the stuff that used to be around. Then mentioned he was a Jefferson collector.. He went on to say he had 35 BU ROLL SETS INCLUDING PROOFS... At this point I am all ears and jaw on the floor. Most all of these sets were put together long ago ... Anyhow we talk a bit more and he said he walked into one of the banks he had been "bank hoping" at and the teller tells him "The Government has been getting on to us about keeping old stock. We have an old bag of half dollars we need to get rid of" So he is thinking great maybe a bag of Walkers! The teller comes back with a bag as says you can have them for a dollar each. The bag was an ORIGINAL MINT BAG OF 1833 BUST HALFS!! My mouth really hit the floor. So I ask if he still had the bag, but he said he turned around the next day and sold it to a local dealer for $12.00 a coin plus $50.00 for the bag alone. Man did I miss out on the good days!! Enjoy and comment away!

 

amazing story! i think i would have kept the busties though

[Bruceswar]

When was this that he bought the bag of 1833 halves? That’s crazy! How are you feeling Bruce? Any better?

 

To answer a few questions... This was in the late 50's 1958 or so. I am feeling a bit better thanks for asking. I believe the story 100%

[WinstonWare]

Glad that you’re feeling at least a little better. That would be so cool to find a bag of bust halves. I can’t even imagine what I would do first…maybe just invite folks over for a viewing. So cool (thumbs u .

[DJCoinz]

Holy Mackerel! That is incredible!!

[jtryka]

That would be so cool to find a bag of bust halves. I can’t even imagine what I would do first…maybe just invite folks over for a viewing. So cool (thumbs u .

 

I'm pretty sure I'd myself! Of course all those days are gone pretty much with the debasing of our coins. In the 1950s, finding 125 year old coins was possible, after all, the metal content hadn't changed all that much. Today it's hard to even find a silver clad Kennedy, let alone any earlier designs, so we are relegated to wheat pennies as the most exciting routine find in circulation. Who knows, maybe in the year 2100 people will be excited to come to the bank and find a bag of SBAs sitting in the vault!

[WinstonWare]

Who knows, maybe in the year 2100 people will be excited to come to the bank and find a bag of SBAs sitting in the vault!

 

Ewww. That would be a miserable existence!

[Keleum]

I envision a discussion forum much as this, with pictures of prez dollars without errors as a hot topic, laughing at the primitive state of mints pressing coins like mcdonald hamburger patties by the billions, and hoping they turn out alright.