# Saving silver dimes and quarters.



## TheLazyL (Jun 5, 2012)

Whenever I found a silver dime or quarter I would put them in an Owl piggy bank on the bed night stand. Been doing this for years.

Found another one! Went to put it in the owl&#8230;.no owl! 

"Honey! What happened to the owl bank?"

_"What owl bank?"_

"The one that WAS on the night stand!"

_"Oh that owl bank" (Like we have more then one?). "I got tired of seeing it so I put it away."_

"Where did you put it?"

_"It's on the closet shelf&#8230;no in the guest closet...no I think I put it in a box in the basement. Why? I don't want it back in the bedroom!"_

"Fine. I just want to get the coins out of it."

_"I took the coins out of it already."_

"Wonderful! Where are they?"
_
"Where's what? _

"They coins that you took out of the owl bank"

_"In my purse."_

"Where's your purse?"

_"Oh I doubt if the coins are still in there. I went shopping this morning and got rid of all the loose change. Why are you so upset? It was just a bunch of dimes and quarters."_ :brickwall:

I quickly went and checked the coin books that held my Mercury head dime collection. They were still there and intact. Pulled up the false floor of the gun safe and hid the dimes under the floor. Wife doesn't have the combination so they should be safe.

So if you go to an estate sale, see a large safe that has the words "GUN SAFE" on the front, the Widow says she doesn't have the combination and does not have the slightest idea what may be in there, BUY IT AND LOOK UNDER THE FLOOR!


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## invision (Aug 14, 2012)

TheLazyL said:


> Whenever I found a silver dime or quarter I would put them in an Owl piggy bank on the bed night stand. Been doing this for years.
> 
> Found another one! Went to put it in the owl&#8230;.no owl!
> 
> ...


OMG! I hope you didn't have a lot of quarters and dimes lost....


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## d_saum (Jan 17, 2012)

Why... oh why on Gods green Earth did you not tell her about what that bank was for when you first started doing it?  My silver coins go in my cigar box.. none of my girlfriends will ever be poking around in there... well, mainly because I don't have any girlfriends.. but if I did....


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## TheLazyL (Jun 5, 2012)

invision said:


> OMG! I hope you didn't have a lot of quarters and dimes lost....


Owl was about 6" tall and 4" wide. About half full.


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## TheLazyL (Jun 5, 2012)

d_saum said:


> Why... oh why on Gods green Earth did you not tell her about what that bank was for when you first started doing it?  My silver coins go in my cigar box.. none of my girlfriends will ever be poking around in there... well, mainly because I don't have any girlfriends.. but if I did....


I was raised if you make a mess you clean it up.

When you are done with it you put it away.

*If it isn't yours you leave it alone.
*


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## d_saum (Jan 17, 2012)

TheLazyL said:


> I was raised if you make a mess you clean it up.
> 
> When you are done with it you put it away.
> 
> ...


I'm assuming this was your wife? Sorry Charlie.. but when you said "I do", that little bank became hers too... ESPECIALLY since you did not designate it as anything other than "spare change". Now.. if it was an item with intrinsic value, I'd understand the whole "If it isn't yours, you leave it alone" thing... but to the uninformed, quarters and dimes are just that. The blame here lies with you.

On the bright side though, I bet you won't make that mistake again anytime soon. :laugh:


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## TheLazyL (Jun 5, 2012)

d_saum said:


> I'm assuming this was your wife? Sorry Charlie.. but when you said "I do", that little bank became hers too... ESPECIALLY since you did not designate it as anything other than "spare change". Now.. if it was an item with intrinsic value, I'd understand the whole "If it isn't yours, you leave it alone" thing... but to the uninformed, quarters and dimes are just that. The blame here lies with you.
> 
> On the bright side though, I bet you won't make that mistake again anytime soon. :laugh:


So you wouldn't see a problem if I rearrange her hobby room and without her prior knowledge? Just kidding! After 39 years of marriage I ain't THAT stupid!


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## CapnJack (Jul 20, 2012)

That sucks, man. My wife knows that we have two change jars. One that goes to the bank when it's full, and one that is silver change. Deposit only, no withdrawel.


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## BillS (May 30, 2011)

I can't believe you didn't educate her about the value of 90% silver coins long before this happened.


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## TheLazyL (Jun 5, 2012)

BillS said:


> I can't believe you didn't educate her about the value of 90% silver coins long before this happened.


I've tried.

I can walk into the house and lay a 6" bright orange box on the kitchen counter. Go upstairs and change clothes. Come back down stairs 5 minutes later and the orange box is no longer on the counter. When she is asked about it, she has never seen it, hasn't touched it and has zero idea what I'm talking about (only the 2 of us in the house). Later I'll run across it in with the Christmas decorations in the basement. Now she'll say "Oh that orange box! I thought it was a Christmas decoration so I put it away".

She can tell you every boy and man that she has ever dated, what she wore and the day. Who is related to whom or where they lived 40 years ago. She doesn't remember where she has written down my cellular number (again) or that I had told her I have collectable coins in the owl bank.

And no she isn't a blonde.


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## musketjim (Dec 7, 2011)

My wife just helped me sift thru my coin collection as I just found out the relevant dates on quarters nickels dimes and pennies. So she knows which jar is for what. We kind of learned together.:congrat:


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## PreparedRifleman73 (Nov 2, 2012)

musketjim said:


> My wife just helped me sift thru my coin collection as I just found out the relevant dates on quarters nickels dimes and pennies. So she knows which jar is for what. We kind of learned together.:congrat:


I didn't realize there were many in circulation still. What exactly should a guy be looking for?


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## TheLazyL (Jun 5, 2012)

hawkmiles said:


> I didn't realize there were many in circulation still. What exactly should a guy be looking for?


There isn't that many in circulation anymore.

Look at the edge of the coin. If the edge is copper colored it ain't silver. If the edge is all silver color and dated before 1965? then it is about 90% silver.


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## jsriley5 (Sep 22, 2012)

TheLazyL said:


> I've tried.
> 
> I can walk into the house and lay a 6" bright orange box on the kitchen counter. Go upstairs and change clothes. Come back down stairs 5 minutes later and the orange box is no longer on the counter. When she is asked about it, she has never seen it, hasn't touched it and has zero idea what I'm talking about (only the 2 of us in the house). Later I'll run across it in with the Christmas decorations in the basement. Now she'll say "Oh that orange box! I thought it was a Christmas decoration so I put it away".
> 
> ...


Whatcha get for marrying the beauty queen 

And I know what ya mean. I had to hide and padlock anything I wanted to be able to find again with the last one. I cant even guess how many dollars of huntng clothing (it always looked dirty and stained to her) small parts of disassembled projects, Cash Change etc went missing with her. And some of my so called dirty and stained hunting clothes went by way of trash man while I was gone to work etc. I have no idea how I managed to stick out 19 years before I pulled the plug on it wish I had done it 15 years sooner. THIS IS NOT A SUGGESTION just comiseration. I"m on the financial block that would be SICK over that kind of loss in value. like losing a winning lottery ticket.


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## PreparedRifleman73 (Nov 2, 2012)

TheLazyL said:


> There isn't that many in circulation anymore.
> 
> Look at the edge of the coin. If the edge is copper colored it ain't silver. If the edge is all silver color and dated before 1965? then it is about 90% silver.


I just went through the change on my nightstand, about a handfull and found 2 silver nickles and a silver quarter....and a mint condition 1941 wheat penny, worth $5! Thanks!


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## jsriley5 (Sep 22, 2012)

Watch on the nickles only some of the 1944 and 45 nickles have silver in them and then only 35 percent. is mistake I was making when I really got started with the junk silver

But congrats means you must be in a pretty good area for it aught to start making your purchases especial to get extra change or even ask to buy some extra when you get your change. I used to do that when my primary saving was a change jar. (yeah silly I know but it's much easier (for me) to save change )


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## PreparedRifleman73 (Nov 2, 2012)

I've gotten about $45 worth of coins (most aren't silver, but worth something) on about half a gallon of loose change.

*I'm hooked!!!*


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## invision (Aug 14, 2012)

TheLazyL said:


> Owl was about 6" tall and 4" wide. About half full.


Uh... How big is her freaking purse??? I mean your talking roughly 6 cubic feet of coins.... Damn and I thought my wife had a big purse...


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## invision (Aug 14, 2012)

hawkmiles said:


> I've gotten about $45 worth of coins (most aren't silver, but worth something) on about half a gallon of loose change.
> 
> I'm hooked!!!


The nickels aren't silver unless they are "war nickels" from 1942-1945 and they would be only 35% silver and about 57% copper.

These were the only nickels made of silver.

Dimes, quarters, and halfs from before 1965 are 90% silver.

Go to cointrackers.com and is my coin silver... Choose type and date and it will tell you if so and current value based on spot.


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## PreparedRifleman73 (Nov 2, 2012)

invision said:


> The nickels aren't silver unless they are "war nickels" from 1942-1945 and they would be only 35% silver and about 57% copper.
> 
> These were the only nickels made of silver.
> 
> ...


Yep, that's where I went. You can also look up the value of non-silver coins.


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## goatlady (Nov 7, 2011)

INCHES, invision, inches not feet!!!


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## DKRinAK (Nov 21, 2011)

*I'll keep my wife*

Got a call from the wife the other day from work.

"Hey, hon, what's a silver dollar worth?"

"Let me look on line real quick - let's see, silver is just a bit over 30 dollars, times point 75...Call it 22 bucks and change. Why?"

"Gal I work with has a purse full of old silver dollars. Gonna take 'em down to (local coin shop) she said she would get 29 collars each."

"Have her call again, they might have said that a while back.."

"I'll call you back." I go back to work.

Phone rings, "The (business) said, 22 bucks and change."

"Well, she won't get even that - these guys sell for about 3% over when selling and 3% under spot when buying, I doubt she'll get the full 22 bucks, but she'll get close to it."

"You want any?"

"Any what?"

"Silver dollars. She said she'd take $22 each and it would save her a trip."

"Want me to run over to the bank and get some cash?"

"No, she'll be happy to take my check."

And that's why I'll keep my wife.

I clearly got the better deal in this marriage.


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## Tactic12 (Dec 16, 2012)

I did find this link...

http://www.coinflation.com/silver_coin_values.html


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## MamaTo3 (May 25, 2012)

So, I stayed up until about 1am looking through ALL of our change. Quite a few junk silver coins and other things to put away. Also, I found a penny worth atleast $35.


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## cowboyhermit (Nov 10, 2012)

That story makes me real sad, maybe others on here will learn from it and avoid similar mistakes in the future. There are things of mine that nobody messes with and I respect theirs as well. I don't subscribe to this "you're married so anything is fair game"
I might think I can improve on one of her paintings when she is out but would rather remain alive.


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