Homemade Coin Sorter

I have been marveled by the mechanism of coin sorters ever since I first saw it being used in a bank back home in Malaysia, when my father took me to deposit my coins when I was little, probably around 8.

I had never looked deeper into its mechanism because I thought it was easy, until two days ago, when I had the chance with a piece of junk I could use to make the part where coins are sorted by sliding into various sized holes. I realized it wasn't that easy because one needs to seriously take gravity and velocity into account (for my design anyway), and judging from the commercial ones on the web, there are other methods of sorting. I also came across a homemade one very similar to my method on a video clip on the web. I believe this guy had perfected his system, but I couldn't be sure as the video wasn't clear enough and it wasn't really made to show all the crucial angles of the design. However, I supposed I must give this guy some credit because his video encouraged me a little so I would not give up on my imperfect design. It wasn't until yesterday evening, that I perfected my design (I think this is how he did it as well, but I still couldn't be sure when I viewed his video again). I shall be on a lookout for salvageable parts to make a whole contraption. No rush.

Another reason that urged me to want a coin sorter is because my bank doesn't have a machine to sort it out for me, this is the second bank I've met with this enigma. Of course, there are some other banks in America that do have such service for their customers, just not mine, unfortunately. So I had to wrap my own assorted coins before I deposit, I even have to count them myself. Sometimes I wonder who's the third world country. Nonetheless, my bank still has one of the most friendly and non-prejudice staffs of all banks in America.

If I bought a commercial coin sorter, it wouldn't be much fun, why buy when you can recycle?

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One Response to Homemade Coin Sorter

  1. tim says:

    I supposed the simplest version is one that rolls the coins leaning against one side which has opening slots for the smallest coins to the largest.

    The trick is to make sure the slots are not cut out straight from the base but at least 3-5mm from the base. This way, larger coins would not go through the smaller slots.

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