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Whenever I head to Iowa City, I take a few bags of pennies one of the coinstars there for an Amazon gift card. I've been lucky so far, but I've seen other people have had problems with the machines being full. Does anybody know what the penny capacity is on those machines? The most I've ever taken at once is about $125. Does anyone have more experience than me with Coinstar? Is this a safe amount, can I take more, or should I scale it back?

inside there is a 60,000 coin capacity lockbox. I have dumped $200, I have been weary of dumping more.

That's interesting. I wondered if the coins were separated inside or dumped into one lockbox. Knowing that it all goes to the same place makes a little more comfortable, but I'll still try to keep it under $150.

Hawkeye wrote:That's interesting. I wondered if the coins were separated inside or dumped into one lockbox. Knowing that it all goes to the same place makes a little more comfortable, but I'll still try to keep it under $150.

There are 2 bins inside each coinstar machine. A left bin and a right bin. Each bin can hold around the 60,000 coin mark. Once the left bin is full then the machine switches over to the right side. I wouldn't worry about filling up the machine because if its getting close to full, then more then likely it is going to get picked up that day or next day. Coinstar likes there bins to be picked up between 95-99%. They don't want them 100% full because that means the machine gets shut down.

Highroller,

Since the machine is hooked up to a phone jack, does coinstar get an alert when the machine is close to full?

I have seen the coinstar guys pick up the bins. They have wheels on one end and a hitch on the other. They use a special dolly/handtruck that picks up the end with no wheels. Unmarked box truck with lift gate and plain clothed employees.

slickeast wrote:I have seen the coinstar guys pick up the bins. They have wheels on one end and a hitch on the other. They use a special dolly/handtruck that picks up the end with no wheels. Unmarked box truck with lift gate and plain clothed employees.

I've seen an armored truck get the bins at one machine once.

Anybody else notice that the Coinstar machines accept Canadian coins?

Does anyone know what happens when the machines gets full? Does a message come up and you get a ticket with no fee?? This could be a option for no fee dumping. Just have to fill up he machine.

mishra142 wrote:Does anyone know what happens when the machines gets full? Does a message come up and you get a ticket with no fee?? This could be a option for no fee dumping. Just have to fill up he machine.

I don't know if there has been a case where the machine is filled on purpose on here AFAIK. Maybe an achievement that should be taken up by someone that wants to burn alot of money on Amazon.......

I have a dump bank with a coin counter similar to a coinstar. When it gets full, it just rejects all remaining coins that you have dumped and gives you a message that is is full. I would assume coinstar would do the same thing and let you have the option of a gift card or cash minus fee for whatever had been counted.

tinhorn wrote:Anybody else notice that the Coinstar machines accept Canadian coins?

I dont think so. magnetic or silver SHOULD get rejected.I found canadian quarters and dimes in reject tray before!

The only problem with trying to fill he machine is that coinstars are painfully slow. Running $1200 in zinc would probably take hours.

What is the speed on those turtles? 300-600 cpm?

Not sure on exact speed. But the few time I've dumped bags (70-80 $ ) it's taken 10-15 mins.

slickeast wrote:Highroller,

Since the machine is hooked up to a phone jack, does coinstar get an alert when the machine is close to full?

I have seen the coinstar guys pick up the bins. They have wheels on one end and a hitch on the other. They use a special dolly/handtruck that picks up the end with no wheels. Unmarked box truck with lift gate and plain clothed employees.

Yes, each machine is connected to a phone line. The machine sends a report 2 times a day to coinstar to tell them how full the machine is and if the machine is down.

tinhorn wrote:Anybody else notice that the Coinstar machines accept Canadian coins?

Unless there is something wrong with the machine it should not accept canadian or most silver coins.

slickeast wrote:What is the speed on those turtles? 300-600 cpm?

Around 600cpm depending on the mix and denominations.

cesariojpn wrote:

slickeast wrote:I have seen the coinstar guys pick up the bins. They have wheels on one end and a hitch on the other. They use a special dolly/handtruck that picks up the end with no wheels. Unmarked box truck with lift gate and plain clothed employees.

I've seen an armored truck get the bins at one machine once.

The only place coinstar picks up their own bins is in Seattle, Washington. Most other places they have armored carries pick them up. In some places, like the south, there are areas where they have a transportation company pick up the bins for them.

mishra142 wrote:Does anyone know what happens when the machines gets full? Does a message come up and you get a ticket with no fee?? This could be a option for no fee dumping. Just have to fill up he machine.

I believe it just comes up and says the machine is full. I don't believe you will get it fee free.

On the topic of CoinStar, if the machine is unable to connect to the server for any reason (if you've selected the giftcard option), it will give you a cash slip and charge you the fee. I'm guessing they updated the "terms of service" that you have to accept prior to using the machine to help skirt the dishonest people who had been undoing the phone hookup to get fee-free cash slips.

So, if you’re doing the giftcard option, you may want to do 2 smaller giftcard codes in lieu of one large one (if you’re dumping a significant amount) just in case -- or do a "test" run of ~$5 to make sure it's connected ok.

I recently got burnt with a $300 coin dump. Almost $30 of my money down the drain because it couldn't connect to the server for my Albertson's giftcard.

Also, if the machine gets full while you're using it, it will just spit the remaining coins that are in the machine out into the reject tray, and it will print out a slip for whatever option you chose (with the appropriate fees, if applicable).

Thanks for the information. I've always wondered how it worked when they filled up. I'm more confident now about taking decent amounts of change. I'll probably still keep it around $200 if I'm only doing pennies.

why sell to coinstar?

highroller4321 wrote:

slickeast wrote:What is the speed on those turtles? 300-600 cpm?

Around 600cpm depending on the mix and denominations.

My you have a lot of coins. Please wait while we catch up.

600 is what the website says. Actual practice yeilds less. If you can get it to accept 500 cpm you are a good loader.

slickeast wrote:What is the speed on those turtles? 300-600 cpm?

I dumped three bags one night, and it took just short of an eternity.

The coinstars hold difference sized tanks depending on the model but the ones Ive seen inside of have not one but two locked tanks. I've heard they are used equally, some that one is for pennies and the other if for clad.