Coinstar Finds For May 2020
- Thread starter diggin4clad
- Start date
shellhouse
Forum Supporter
Good stuff. I need to make a point to visit the local po..coinstar when out shopping. Still not out much due to the virus.
diggin4clad
Elite Member
Thanks......good luck with the Coinstars when you get out there.
KOB
Forum Supporter
- Joined
- Mar 6, 2019
- Messages
- 5,734
I would like to thank DFC for his posts on coinstar hunting. Over the years I have periodically checked them , but not religiously. A few silvers , wheats and mainly foreign coins. So about 2 weeks ago I check and find some foreign coins and a nice half ounce proof silver round ! I'm hooked now all because of DFC...I check the coinstar before and after I go to the store every time now.
diggin4clad
Elite Member
It's a machine that enables you to cash in your loose change. They're generally located in supermarkets and Walmarts and they charge a fee for the service. Sometimes coins that were run through the machine are left in the reject tray.
Ya did good, the Coinstars I frequent were either closed or slow for obvious reasons.. Keep checking them!
amc rulz
Forum Supporter
That’s a nice pile of change and silver, pays to check!
diggin4clad
Elite Member
Thanks bmatt…..I'm still able to check 12-13 each week but they've been slowing down lately.
Thanks AMC.....There's nothing to lose by checking.
Monkeys Uncle
Senior Member
Anyone know how exactly the machine 'rejects' some coins and 'why' the tendency to always kick out foreign coins and often silver dimes and quarters???? Weight???? Curious people want to know. 
TCosbyJr
Forum Supporter
Great finds especially on the Rosie!
The best for my random effort to check Coinstars for many years now was a single 5 Euro cent coin - and that is it. I guess too many around here are looking too
TLDR - Coins magnetism and metal composition
I know a little after working with some vending/coin related machines over the years. Depending on how much you want to know - parts of the process is specific to the industry, patented by Coinstar, some is internal software beyond hardware, and some are company/trade secrets (ie not patented to prevent copycats/theft, short of stealing a machine and going through it with devices, but would be of little help due to encryption/custom ICs/etc).
The basics are the machine has a rotating internal drum that sorts off any trash (pocket lint, paper, dirt, etc) by air and gravity also doing a pre-sort of the coins size by diameter and thickness - the sound you hear of the Coinstar when in use. That is enough to reject many foreign coins as the sizes are very precise (and why some coins normally have to be put back in several times before acceptance from either wear/dirt of the coin). Even old tech can be set to ten-thousandths of an inch if desired.
The coins then travel through more advanced sensors to detect the coins magnetism and metal composition. Which is enough to sort out the rest of the foreign coins, slugs, silver coins usually, and other rejects. The technology can be simple as that used widely in 80s arcade machine coin mechanism to present times more sophisticated coin mechanisms, and more likely beyond common knowledge.
Honestly if Coinstar then tests coins more thoroughly with optical sensors, cameras, perhaps weight as you said, and whatever else too I have no way of knowing.
The best for my random effort to check Coinstars for many years now was a single 5 Euro cent coin - and that is it. I guess too many around here are looking too
Anyone know how exactly the machine 'rejects' some coins and 'why' the tendency to always kick out foreign coins and often silver dimes and quarters???? Weight???? Curious people want to know.
TLDR - Coins magnetism and metal composition
I know a little after working with some vending/coin related machines over the years. Depending on how much you want to know - parts of the process is specific to the industry, patented by Coinstar, some is internal software beyond hardware, and some are company/trade secrets (ie not patented to prevent copycats/theft, short of stealing a machine and going through it with devices, but would be of little help due to encryption/custom ICs/etc).
The basics are the machine has a rotating internal drum that sorts off any trash (pocket lint, paper, dirt, etc) by air and gravity also doing a pre-sort of the coins size by diameter and thickness - the sound you hear of the Coinstar when in use. That is enough to reject many foreign coins as the sizes are very precise (and why some coins normally have to be put back in several times before acceptance from either wear/dirt of the coin). Even old tech can be set to ten-thousandths of an inch if desired.
The coins then travel through more advanced sensors to detect the coins magnetism and metal composition. Which is enough to sort out the rest of the foreign coins, slugs, silver coins usually, and other rejects. The technology can be simple as that used widely in 80s arcade machine coin mechanism to present times more sophisticated coin mechanisms, and more likely beyond common knowledge.
Honestly if Coinstar then tests coins more thoroughly with optical sensors, cameras, perhaps weight as you said, and whatever else too I have no way of knowing.
JWalker3
Forum Supporter
Here are my 2019 - 2020 Coinstar Finds:
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Monkeys Uncle
Senior Member
TCosbyJr, thanks! That was very informative. Biggest reason for my query was how/why do silver coins typically get rejected...'not magnetic', 'same size' as clad, etc. I've had reasonably good luck with Coinstar machines over the last 4-5 yrs. Always wanted to ask the store manager if he/she would let me sort through their 'keepers'...knowing full well what their answer would be. 
Witnessed a Hispanic woman and her son put >$800 through a machine one day at a Walmart. I came upon the scene near the end of their dumping and noticed some coins in the reject tray. Asked if I could look and the little boy said "yes". Pulled out 2 Mercs, 3 Rosies and 2 silver GW's. I paid them cash at near silver melt value for what I got.
BIG STORY was I asked where they got so many coins??? Told me, "My dad works at a junk yard". I assume he (Dad) was going under the seats in all the junk cars. Makes me want to try it... ... ... except for the likely snakes and need for an immediate bath when finished.
Witnessed a Hispanic woman and her son put >$800 through a machine one day at a Walmart. I came upon the scene near the end of their dumping and noticed some coins in the reject tray. Asked if I could look and the little boy said "yes". Pulled out 2 Mercs, 3 Rosies and 2 silver GW's. I paid them cash at near silver melt value for what I got.
BIG STORY was I asked where they got so many coins??? Told me, "My dad works at a junk yard". I assume he (Dad) was going under the seats in all the junk cars. Makes me want to try it... ... ... except for the likely snakes and need for an immediate bath when finished.
diggin4clad
Elite Member
Here are my 2019 - 2020 Coinstar Finds:
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Look at the bright side....you've got nowhere to go but up
