Best Banks and Credit Unions for Getting Coin Rolls — Tips and Etiquette

Your Bank Relationship Is Your Most Important CRH Tool

The coins you search are only as good as your source. Where and how you obtain rolls makes an enormous difference in your find rate. Here's what experienced coin roll hunters have learned about banking relationships, sourcing strategies, and the etiquette that keeps this hobby sustainable.

Types of Banks and What They Offer

Large National Banks (Chase, Bank of America, Wells Fargo)

• Pros: Multiple branches for returns, ability to order Federal Reserve boxes, consistent policies across locations
• Cons: Rolls are typically machine-wrapped from armored car services (Brink's, Loomis), meaning they've often been searched by the counting machines. Some branches have policies limiting roll purchases to account holders.
• Best for: Ordering boxes, returning searched coins at different branches

Regional and Community Banks

• Pros: More likely to have customer-wrapped rolls (the gold standard for CRH). Tellers may be more willing to accommodate special requests. Less likely to have been picked through by other CRH enthusiasts.
• Cons: Fewer branches for returns. May not be able to order Federal Reserve boxes.
• Best for: Customer-wrapped rolls, building personal relationships with tellers

Credit Unions

• Pros: Often the best source for unsearched rolls. Members tend to deposit coins they've collected over years. Credit union staff are often more flexible and accommodating.
• Cons: Membership requirements. Smaller coin inventory. May not be able to order boxes.
• Best for: Customer-wrapped rolls, unsearched vault coins, half dollars from older members

How to Ask for Coins

What you say and how you say it matters:

• Be direct and friendly: "Hi, I collect coins as a hobby. Do you have any rolls of [denomination] available?" works perfectly.
• Ask about customer-wrapped rolls specifically: "Do you happen to have any hand-rolled coins, or coins that customers have brought in?"
• Ask about halves: "I'm looking for half dollar rolls — could you check the vault? They're not usually in the drawer."
• Ask about loose coins: Some banks have bags or boxes of unsorted coins. These are CRH gold mines.
• Don't mention searching, hunting, or silver. Simply say you collect coins. Mentioning that you're searching for silver can make tellers reluctant to help — they may start checking the coins themselves or refuse service.

Ordering Boxes from the Federal Reserve

For high-volume searching, you can order sealed boxes of coins through your bank:

Denomination	Box Value	Rolls per Box	Coins per Box
Pennies	$25	50	2,500
Nickels	$100	50	2,000
Dimes	$250	50	2,500
Quarters	$500	50	2,000
Half Dollars	$500	50	1,000

Not all banks will order boxes. Ask if it's possible and expect to wait 1-2 weeks for delivery. There's typically no extra charge — you pay face value for the coins.

The Golden Rules of CRH Etiquette

1. Never return coins to the same branch you got them from. This is the cardinal rule. Returning searched coins to your source bank creates a closed loop and annoys the staff who have to process the same coins repeatedly.
2. Don't be greedy. If a teller offers you five rolls, don't demand fifty. Take what's available and come back another day.
3. Be patient and polite. Tellers are busy. Don't make special requests during peak hours. Visit during slow periods (mid-morning on weekdays).
4. Maintain your accounts. Keep a reasonable balance at each bank you use. Don't open accounts solely for CRH with minimum balances — that's a quick way to get your accounts closed.
5. Tip generously during the holidays. The tellers who help you are doing you a favor. A small gift card or box of chocolates goes a long way toward ensuring continued cooperation.
6. Don't lie. If asked why you need so many coins, saying "I collect coins" is both truthful and sufficient. Don't claim you need them for a business, vending machine route, etc.

Red Flags That Will Get You Cut Off

• Returning searched coins to the same branch repeatedly
• Demanding specific types of rolls or dates
• Being rude or impatient with tellers
• Bringing in massive quantities of loose coins without wrappers
• Opening and rejecting rolls in the lobby

The CRH community thrives when individual hunters maintain good relationships with their banks. Treat every interaction as an opportunity to represent the hobby well.