Coinstar hounds: End of an era?

Weiss

Posted on my favorite Coinstar machine. Appears to be the same idea as coinstar, except owned by the store instead of by CoinStar. Anyone have experience with CoinMax machines? Will they still offer free fistfuls of foreign and obsolete coins for the taking? I fear the worst





http://www.coinmax.com/default.htm

LanLord

That sign says it's a currency and coin dispenser, isn't that the opposite of what a coinstar machine does?

SaorAlba

Looks like it has a reject slot. But there are some newer CoinStar machines that keep all rejected coins - which is a complete rip off.

CaptHenway

<< <i>That sign says it's a currency and coin dispenser, isn't that the opposite of what a coinstar machine does? >>



Yeah, I saw that word "dispenser" and said "HUH?!?!?"

COINB0Y

I think there will be Intellectual Property issues to deal with for the new guy.

ricko

Well, even if the new Coinstar machines keep the rejects... it makes no difference here... the store workers check the reject slot every time they pass by.... I never find a coin there... Cheers, RickO

InternetJunky

I never had any Coinstar finds either. I can't imagine how people can leave the rejected coins in there considering the whole time it is counting your coins it says "Check reject slot for rejected coins" or whatever - and it continues to display this until it is done counting your coins. Maybe the machine I have at my work is more modernized or something..

messydesk

My bank has a self-service coin counting machine. I've only found an aluminum Austrian 10 groschen in the reject pan, and that's after having it count my change.

SaorAlba

I found a 1940 Merc a couple of weeks ago, it was posted here. I find stuff every once in awhile in the reject slots.

WoodenJefferson

All I ever found was a metal button and a Chuckie Cheese token.

GoldenEyeNumismatics

<< <i>

Looks like it has a reject slot. But there are some newer CoinStar machines that keep all rejected coins - which is a complete rip off. >>



I'm surprised that it's legal to do that.

Kablemodem

The idea of a machine that counts coins and gives a ticket to the user is not copyrighted or patented. It is the mechanism used to do it that is patented. As long as they didn't copy the mechanism from the Coinstar machine there is no patent infringement.

morganbarber

I can't speak about the new machines, but I can tell you that it has been a while since I found anything in a Coinstar machine.

SaorAlba

I sometimes go weeks without a find, but then hit the jackpot occasionally - early date wheats, the Merc, lots of foreign coins. Over the past few years I have got 3-4 silver dimes from the machines.

topstuf

What's needed is a Gradestar machine.

Kablemodem

<< <i>What's needed is a Gradestar machine.

>>



With lasers. there is no reason a machine can't grade coins.

Weiss

Here are my coinstar foreign and exonumi finds from the last several years, combined with all the US modern and obsolete from 03-09 to now (mid-march of last year I cashed in my modern US coinstar finds and bought a WLH with the money).





I count coins from 8 or 9 countries, a dozen tokens, six wheats (including a '43), and a few dozen modern US coins valued at about a buck.