Rarity of silver dimes in circulation?

Long time coin collector, first time poster. How rare are 1964 and older dimes in circulation? I work at a convenience store, and I always look through the change in the drawers for interesting coinage. I didn't even bother looking through the dimes until last week because I didn't think there would be anything worth keeping. Since then, I have found 12 silver dimes in 3 days. I found 3 in a single roll. Are these dimes this common or did I get extremely lucky? I'm becoming addicted to going through rolls of dimes now. It's like playing the lottery but a lot cheaper.

 

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i think that there is the most silver coins in dimes. i have found 10 in one roll.

 

I'm hooked, and I'm going to keep searching until my luck runs out. I think I'm going to the bank and getting 5 rolls next time I get paid.

 

On average, I find 2 per box of 250 dollars worth of dimes. So, 2 out silver coins out of 50 rolls.

 

Your are definitely on a hot streak! I don't search dimes but I cant even remember the last time I got on back in change.

 

That's about right

 

This is a little off topic, but a guy at work brought in something like $2.25 in pennies and I found 8 wheats. They weren't part of a collection, they just happened to be in the piggy bank.

 

I search a box per week but i generally only find 2 as well.

So you got lucky on that one but you may hit it again.

and dont quit your job if you're finding them that often.

 

I have some theories: Customers who are having nic fits and think they NEED their Marlboro NXTs finding a jar full of money and not realizing or caring that it is old and possibly valuable. Before I worked there, somebody paid for some smokes with a bunch of Buffalo nickels. My manager got a $1 Silver Certificate from 1956 or 57 in nice condition. I've had customers pay with $2 bills and Eisenhower dollars, along with 50 cent pieces (including 2 1967s.)The store I work in faces a horse ranch to the front, a lower class neighborhood behind the store and a nice subdivision of McMansions just across the street. Also, there's a casino nearby that I can actually see from our parking lot. I know they give out 50 cent pieces (I wish half dollars would make a comeback. They're certainly more convenient than the small dollar coins we have now.) The bad economy is causing collectors to spend their old money collections.

I wonder if the mints still have the silver-detecting machines? As rare as silver coins are, it seems like it would be a waste of money to have run them all these years. If not, we may see the occasional silver coin in circulation before somebody realizes what they have and hoards it.

 

I got one 1964 silver dime in change from an all you can eat buffet.

 

I found 2 more silver dimes today, a 1959 and a (surprise!) 1964. That makes 14 in less than a week. I'm having mad luck lately.

 

Found a 1945 mercury dime today!

 

There have been no silver dimes in circulation since 1970. The FED removed silver between mid-'68 and mid-69 when it became too uncommon to bother. The general public completed the task by the end of 1970. Of course silver is rarely seen since because it gets into pocket change in several ways (mostly inadvertantly). The great recession has caused the dissolution of numerous households and most of the coins from the foreclosed houses and the like are simpy spent since there are seldom enough to warrant a trip to the coin shop to sell them. Where silver was running about .04% (two per bag) from unchecked sources for many years it has increased substantially since 2008. People are pinched for money abnd they cash in their change forgetting or not caring that a few silver coins are included. The percentage "circulating" now is highly variable depending on how far removed you are from the numerous sources but I'd guess it's around .12% for dimes and significantly lower for quarters. The highest is in half dollars however most sources for these are already checked so you probably will see none. These appear in very high concentrations since dozens or hundreds of silver coins can be redeemed at a time.

 

Here are some snaps of my new collection. I have found dimes from 1956, 2 from 1959, 1961, 1962, 1963, and 8 from 1964. Why are the '64s so much more common than the older ones?

 

I agree that I find about 2 silver per $250 searched, it averages about 1.5 per BWR and about 2 per CWR though. I have three so far this week, last week I found my first Mercury - a 1945-S. I am pretty close to having completed the second roll from roll searches since last fall when I actively started searching dimes. It is not a profitable venture, but finding silver is like hitting a little jackpot on the slot machine.

 

I agree fully on that.

BTW, how many banks around you actually keep CRWs in stock? I've only found one that has them so far.

 

I bought 12 rolls of dimes today and didn't find any silver. Plenty of late '60s but nothing older than 1965. My luck might have run out. It was a good run. 14 silver dimes in a week.

 

Still more than i got in an entire month. Lol

 

Tonight I pulled a nice '53 out of a roll. Maybe the streak is back.

 

Yesterday i got a '64. It was the only silver in the whole box though.