Folks talk about coin roll hunting, varieties, errors, show off stuff they find, and learn more about the hobby every day. Is it a doubled die? Is it an RPM? that sort of thing.
With thousands of known die varieties there is constant pressure to post information about WHAT to look for. I want to get more into the procedure side: HOW to look for varieties.
There's not much out there for tools and equipment. There's loupes and scales along with the regular coin supply products. Tools to make coin roll hunting easier and faster are few and far between. Tim Rathjen at The Stamp & Coin Place has developed a machine that scans coins photographically and sorts them accordingly. See the video: The Machine.
While it's a tremendously capable device with much promise, I think it is not a practical solution for most people who coin roll hunt as a hobby using the space of a table top and a limited budget.
For most folks, a loupe, a lamp, and a listing of die varieties is all that is available, and it's enough to get by. It's a slow process: open the rolls, sort (or not), examine each coin, compare to known examples, then go from there. To make the process more efficient, I choose to sort the coins by decade, then year. I lay out scores of the same date and mintmark, then examine the batch, one coin at a time, then flip them over to inspect the other side. Keep the good stuff, wrap the rejects, repeat.
It's a fact that a more efficient operation would let me inspect more coins in less time without sacrificing accuracy. More coins inspected equates to more chances of finding a valuable coin. If I can knock a minute off the handling time at each step of the process, I can inspect more coins. It stands to reason that my results will improve as I handle more coins...Enter the Coin Spatula.
This is a simple jig (homemade tool) that helps me flip coins quickly. That's all it does. But it saves me a minute or two each time I use it. I've put up 3 videos on how this thing is developing:
- Prototype Coin Spatula -First idea, trial and error
- Building Coin Spatula v2.0 -Measure, cut, glue, real easy
- Testing The Improved Coin Spatula v2.0 -Does it work? Sure does.
MAKE YOUR OWN
Materials used in construction:
20" x 30" x 3/8" Foam Board, Walmart, $3
20" x 30" x 3/8" Foam Board, Walmart, $3
Elmer's Glue, Walmart, $2
Do I need to add a disclaimer about cutting? If you cut yourself while trying to make one of these rigs, I really have to question your decision to try to do anything other than convert oxygen into CO2. Nowhere in these instructions does it say to cut your hand. What are you doing cutting yourself? If you make one of these or dont, I'm not responsible. If you are not responsible, perhaps it would be best to marry someone wealthy and spend all day watching TV.
The finished product should look like similar to the example in the video.
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| Single Piece |
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| 2 Pieces make a complete tool |
The size on this will hold 100 cents. You can adjust it to suit your needs. If you need stiffer material, check the hardware store. Lauan plywood should work for larger designs, but may require a soft cover. Smaller sizes can work with corrugated cardboard, try a couple of layers.
This is about as simple as it gets. Easy to construct, easier to use. If you have ideas for improvements, I'd love to hear it.
FURTHER DEVELOPMENT
I'm looking into injection molding. If there is demand for this as a commercial product, I'll take it as far as it needs to go.
The next step in the evolution of the idea is to build a device upon which a USB microscope can be mounted. I think it will also improve inspection time when used in conjunction with the Coin Spatula.
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