Ever seen a vending machine accept half dollars?

A few days ago, a younger member of our family asked me why "coke machines" (what they call vending machines) don't accept half dollars. I gave them my theory but it also got me to thinking. I don't think I've ever seen a vending machine that accepts halves. I do recall working at a company back in the early '90s that had a change machine that gave change for $5s, $10s, and $20s and paid back in Suzies. And it had a slot where if you dropped in a half dollar, it would give you two quarters back. But I can't recall ever seeing an actual vending machine accept them. Anyone else?

 

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People haven't carried or used half dollars for over 50 years, and the mint hasn't issued half dollars for general circulation for at least 15 years.
Half dollars rarely circulate in commerce, so there is no need for a vending machine that accepts half dollars.

 

I remember seeing some machines that accepted 50c coins back in the 50's & early 60's. On the boardwalk in Ocean City, MD, vendors had huge soft drink machines that had 20 or more columns of cans that accepted half dollars because the drinks were 35c each. And, my hometown poolroom had a cigarette machine that dispensed six different brands of cigarettes for 30c a pack.

Chris

 

I've always wanted to buy these machines and see what change is hiding inside.

 

If I recall correctly, @dcarr told us the story about his purchase of a used coining press from the Denver (?) Mint. I can't remember what he said he found inside it.

Chris

 

Oh, I understand the "why". Just wondering if at any point in those past 50 years, was there ever a machine that did accept them. At some point in the late 60's or early 70's, before the coins were entirely driven from the memory of the average consumer...

 

That's another thing that I haven't seen since at least the 90's -- cigarette machines.

 

Ditto. That would be a terrific find in a junk or "antique" store.

 

I don't believe I've ever seen a vending machine that accepts 50c pieces, in this country. I recall seeing one some years ago (late 1960's?) in Canada.

There are lots of them that accept the small-format dollar coins.

Now, as to halves circulating: they do circulate quite heavily in my neck of the woods. I get about 20-30 of them over the course of an average year. The grocery store where I do most of my shopping routinely gives them in change.

I've circulated a pile back to the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission.

 

Try bars or poolrooms! There is a poolroom in Cape Coral, FL called Diamond Billiards that has a cigarette machine which dispenses Sac & Prez dollars for change.

Chris

 

I don't remember ever using a 50¢ coin in a vending machine.
But then, back in the 50's I don't think there was anything in a vending machine that would cost 50¢ that I would want to buy.
Actually 50¢ back then would have been a lot of money for me.
Two weeks allowance in first half of that decade.

 

I've actually started doing something similar as well. I keep a handful of halves in my car. Every morning on the way to work, I stop at the local coffee shop where a large is $2.50. I always hand them two singles and a half dollar coin. The first few times I got a few strange looks but now it's business as usual when I pull up to the window.

 

Have not seen half dollars anywhere for the last say 40 years here in central PA. Eben the banks do not have any, use to see a few now and then at the bank but not anymore.

 

Actually, a few of my Kennedy halves in my Dansco album came from change at the grocery store. I've gotten some amazing quality early 70's stuff in change. A few were nicer than what I already had in the Dansco so I swapped them out.

 

I wish I had more money as a kid because I went to high school in the ghetto and there were always half dollars and dollars in the cash registers at the local grocery store.

 

Yeah, I never thought of my high school as "ghetto", but looking at it now I sure do. Did it change, or did my perception? Maybe both.

 

A lot of local fire department have their Field Days carnival every year, And they use Halves for the gambling games. .50 is the lowest bet still up to $2 or 5 highest.

 

That's why I spent so much time in the poolroom! There was always someone willing to gamble.

Chris

 

Here a a machine that does fifty cent pieces -

http://www.xnumber.com/xnumber/cmisc_brandt.htm


Bill

 

I spent a half dollar at the store a while back and the girl asked me if it was one of "those new dollars they're making?" I told her it was a half dollar and got the question little kids ask, "then why is it bigger? "