Inside a Coinstar machine: Some insight and a warning

sheepdog_tx

Sr. Member
Aug 4, 2012
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Earlier today I go to a Krogers to dump my zincoln box for a nice amazon code card. This was not my normal location but what the heck. Visibly the outside was significantly more worn that the one in my neighborshood. So I get to pouring..

As I'm around buck 13 the machine stops and says call a store attendant. Slapping my forehead I do so and summon this spunky young kid with a key, seemingly very much familar with this machine and the issue at hand. On opening I see the ramp leads to a hopper which in turn leads to comparitor that dump into a left and right tank, locked from the store gaining access. However there is a small clear bucket, about 24 oz in volume that catches "odds" as he calls them. He wouldnt let me see all that was inside but one such object he pulled out was a clad quarter bent almost at a 90 degree angle. I didnt get the idea it was a silver cull, just a place to dump things that won't go through the reject path. He did say with a cat-got-the-canary grin that eisenhower dollars are too big to feed and will drop in there. Anyway to the warning..

When the machine jams you don't lose your cash in but you can't resume and the balance in the machine is rang out as cash voucher regardless if you selected gift cards. He said there was no way to fix it, you get cash. Now as I was doing pennies I took a $2 hit on the processed part but if say you were dumping a few boxes of dimes... you're talking some serious fees. Consider yourself warned.
 

Happened to me. I called Coinstar with the trans # while I was still at the store. They contacted the store (while I was still on the line) and authorized the store to pay the full amount (no fee). I had over $100 already dumped in and was not about to take the hit.
 

I was at a Stop & Shop when their Coin Star had a problem giving me a S&S Gift card, it automatically gave me a cash receipt that paid me out the full amount, $120+.
 

Another tip is if you select a gift card option and the system is unable to complete the transaction, you get a cash voucher with no fees. If the machine is unable to connect via modem, then the process will not complete.
 

I saw the coinstar tech working on a machine last week and can confirm there is a dump box. It was clear and about 24oz as sheepdog indicated. It was full. I took a quick peek but the tech was very guarded. I could see some foreign coins and what appeared to be some Ikes. I wonder what they get out of them?
 

I saw the coinstar tech working on a machine last week and can confirm there is a dump box. It was clear and about 24oz as sheepdog indicated. It was full. I took a quick peek but the tech was very guarded. I could see some foreign coins and what appeared to be some Ikes. I wonder what they get out of them?

I figured they were crooks just based on the fees they charge, but stealing Ikes. I cannot see how keeping these coins at a dollar a pop and not dumping them out in a supposed reject slot is allowed by law. I think, I may contact the States Attorneys office. This could be a considerable amount of money nationwide these people are stealing.
 

It says multiple times DO NOT deposits Ike's. They even call them Ike's. I don't feel bad about the 5 Ike's a year your average machine holds.

I have several friends who work for Coinstar. The real moneymakers are the magnetic townies. By the hundreds in their average work week. Free whistler trips.
 

I saw the coinstar tech working on a machine last week and can confirm there is a dump box. It was clear and about 24oz as sheepdog indicated. It was full. I took a quick peek but the tech was very guarded. I could see some foreign coins and what appeared to be some Ikes. I wonder what they get out of them?

Yup it was clear, square with a round opening. Almost like a mini version of those Sam's pretzel containers. Anyway I was friendly with the guy and he would let me see everything but that container. All he said is its normally full of buttons, slugs, typical pocket fodder and occasionally damaged coins. Just knowing the volumes these machines do I don't think this would hold enough to cull silver for very long. Another thing I noticed is the tray they keep under the grated slide tray occasionally gets coins that fall between the cracks. I asked do these go to coinstar, was told yes. Even though they don't pay the customer for them? Yes he says, he are not allowed to take any money from the machine, even those that dont make it into the tanks.

Over all I will say I think Coinstar offers a fair service, particularly that its percentage with no flat rate and gift card options. The fact they both don't cull silver intentionally and they make it painfully obvious about checking the return tray I think they're out to make an honest dollar which is more than I can say for most bank tellers.
 

How evil would it be to stick some gum up inside the reject return tube in a CS machine and come back to remove the clog after a couple days? Am I going to hell for thinking of this? Haha
 

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