Okay, I hope no one minds that I make another topic somewhat related to my possible business proposal, but I just thought of an idea that hit me like a ton of bricks (and they were 24 karat gold bricks at that ) To get my vending machines to take halves, couldn't I just talk to the people, whoever modified all of the CoinStar change counting machines to take halves and small dollar coins? Also, I was pondering putting in a penny tube as well, but I am thinking that it might either cost too much, and/or fill up too fast? (This is another issue that the CoinStar people don't seem to have a problem with, penny acception. So is it worth having my machines modified to take them, as long as it does not cost much more than adding a half dollar tube? I know that most vending machines already take the small dollars as well as nickels, dimes and quarters, so with penny and half dollar acception, I would be all set.) I wonder if I make my vending machines take pennies, if I could make them reject copper cents (and if ever tried by someone, a steel cent) just like most vending machines reject silver pre-1965 quarters and dimes (and presumibly, silver war nickels?), and would be made to reject pre-1971 sliver halves, and I could exchange them from the customer with a zinc cent and hoard the coppers that way, making a two cent profit, :devil: seeing as I have heard that copper cents are worth 3 cents or so, right now, or I could simply hoard them from the cash drawer as well and keep a stock of brand new pennies available. So are these good ideas to get my own personal vending machines to take halves (and perhaps, pennies)? Sorry, but I forgot to mention that the machines would also "dispense" pennies as needed, as with all five other other denominations of U.S. coins currently in circulation.
And in order to prevent the cents area from filling up too quickly you could cut a hole through your wall and have all the coins fall in their designated bin in the other room. Or even cooler that cents could fall into a Ryedale which would sort out your coppers. AND you could get 4 of some silver coin sorter and have it sort out those. Instant profits!
Sounds like a good idea to me. What's a "Ryedale"? I've never heard of those. It it a device that sorts coins by composition? That would be great. But I doubt I would worry about silver coinage being in circulation, except maybe a few halves here and there. But copper cents are still fairly common, altrhough I wish I had started hoarding them ten years ago when I talked about it. In all honesty, I do not understand why people did not start hoarding copper cents right after the big 1982 switch to copper plated zinc. I guess copper wasn't worth enough like silver was when it was discontinued in the dime, quarter and half.
Wow! Thats an awesome machine! About how much do they run? Oh, one thought popped in my head. What do you think these machines would do with a 1943 steel cent?
Many, many tons. However, when it comes to impressing friends and family... well, the sorter is priceless.
Well, I've never used one. But I THINK this is how they work, if I remember correctly. You take one coin that you're sorting for, this coin is what the machine matches everything up to. So, if you calibrate it to sort out copper cents, then it'll reject steel cents, zinc cents, rubber bands, bubblegum wrappers, anything that's not a copper cent.
I think I want to get one of these machines and start gett $100-$200 in pennies each month or so and start hoarding the coppers. Oh, and, do these machines sort both, U.S. and Canadian cents simultaneously, or can you only have the machine set to sort out eith U.S. or Canadian cents? I guess what I am getting at is, are Candian coppers and zincs the exact same composition as U.S. coppers and zincs, and if so, or even if they are slighty different in composition, will the machine still recognize them as copper, zinc, and for Canada steel as well. (I know there are only two slots, so the Canada steels can just get rejected, right? But anyway, what about the answer to my main question? Do you guys think I could talk to the same people who modified all of the CoinStar change counting machines to take halves and small dollar coins, modify my vending machines to take and dispense halves? As I said, I would like for my machines to accept and dispense all six U.S. coin denominations, including cents if thats possible.
halves are too rare in circulation to get anything worthwhile in a vending machine. Sorting copper pennies earns pennies an hour...
Those sorter / counters are a little different than a coin mechanism. Maybe, but I doubt it. It’s a terrible thing with the economy the way it is, a half dollar seems allot more practical to be carrying around now a days. Most people don’t even realize they exist. I did pick up 20 rolls by chance at a small bank today but have not had a chance to check through them. Maybe I’ll catch a break and find a few gems inside.
Yeah, but if my vending machines accepted and dispensed them, people might request some halves from their banks to use at my business. Especially if there were deals for people who spent them. And those who frequent my place may bring halves in and use them. Also, another way to help get halves into slightly wider circulation would be to have vending machines programed so that, if someone inserts a $5 bill and gets a buck fifty soda, they could get three small dollars in change, and one half as well. Much nicer than three small dollars and two quarters, in my opinion.
Well I could always give asking about it a shot. All they can do is tell me they can't do it. Yeah, a half seems like it would be a good replacement for the quarter as the highest circulating coin, since dollar coins won't take off, and vending machines and self checkouts should be made to accept them. I have been reading that $2 bills are getting more and more popular, even though I've never gotten one in change, unless my 7Eleven cashier buddy got some and sold them to me. But maybe, if most people in the U.S. knew about halves, they would start catching on again. I asked my father if he ever seen them in tills when he was younger, and he has told me he seen a few before. I'm 30 years old, and I've never once been handed out $2 bills, dollar coins or halves, unless I asked for them. Like I said, maybe if more people were aware that halves exist, maybe some people, especiall the younger population would use them thinking they were "cool" or something. Good luck. I hope you find a few jewels in there.
Thanks and it never hurts to ask. The worst that can be told is no. Even then, better men than me have still found a way. Good Luck! I had a soda machine at our fire house that they said would not vend cans. After I altered it with broom sticks and duct tape guess what, it vended cans just fine and still makes a killing. Not bad for a donated machine. It looks great from the out side too, just don't look inside! LOL
