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Coin Sorters

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The basic coin sorter has a funnel of some sort and four (or five) tubes, but it is only six to twelve inches tall. To operate the coin sorter, drop all your coins into the funnel, and then let the sorter divide your coins into groups (based on their size) and deposit them into the tubes below. Most American sorters have tubes for quarters, dimes, nickels, and pennies, but a few models also sort one-dollar coins.

The most basic coin sorters simply sort your coins into separate groups. Some fancier models, however, also stack your coins and roll them into coin tubes or coin wrappers. Beyond these models are combination coin sorters/coin counters, which divide your coins, tally the number of each type of coin you have, and total the value.

Coin sorters are not just for coin collectors (and even collectors only use them with traditional coins), they are for anyone who deals with a high number of coins. Nearly all banks have coin sorters, as do many stores and restaurants that regularly handle cash. In addition, machines that accept coins (e.g. vending machines, arcade games, newspaper racks), often have a coin sorter built into the machine so that it can determine when it has received the right amount of money.

Most coin sorters are available for twenty to sixty dollars, at retail stores such as Wal-Mart, as well as electronic stores such as Sharper Image. Different models distinguish themselves based on their sorting speed, whether they sort bills as well as coins, and whether they run or battery or electric power, so simply examine your options and see which type best fits your collection uses. In most cases, a simple sorter should work fine.

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