Coins -> Bank Account: quickest path

mr1974

Hi all,

I usually accumulate a fair amount of coins every two/three months, and I would like to deposit them into my account as quickly and effortlessly as possible.

I used coin bags from Barclays in the past, but I am finding it quite time consuming to count the coins to put in the suggested amount (depending on the type) in each bag. Also I noticed they will later weight them to check if the amount is correct (and I have in fact to made mistakes to my disadvantage which were corrected in the past!), so what’s the point of making the content of the bags precise? Isn't it enough just to keep coins of the same type together and have them weighted at the till? I don't fully understand this mechanism.

If there is no alternative and I have to count them it's time consuming, esp. for the small copper ones (but 5p too). Any alternative other idea on how to convert them?

What I am really looking for is a machine like the Sainsbury's one where you drop the coins and get notes. Of course with the Sainsbury’s machines you pay a percentage, which I don’t like paying, AND you don’t get real cash, but vouchers, which I could leave with if the place is a place where I would shop anyway (for instance Sainsbury’s would be ok).

Thanks for any input
mr

jonesMUFCforever

If the bags are not fairly accurate it takes time for the bank to count the coins.Ask yourself the question do you really want to be the one next in the queue waiting for this transaction to be completed?
If counting coins is too time consuming for you - then spend some of them as you go along or change some of them for notes. Shops and pubs will always accept change in my experience.

shykins

our barclays in chelmsford has a coin counter .. i would assume others do

you tip the money in, it counts it and credits it to your account.. obviously you have to have a barclays account

HTH

mr1974

ejones999 wrote:

If the bags are not fairly accurate it takes time for the bank to count the coins.Ask yourself the question do you really want to be the one next in the queue waiting for this transaction to be completed?

Thanks for your reply.
As I said, last time, when I went to Barclays, they weighted them (not counted, that would be ridiculous) and that was pretty much instantaneous.

Taking them to shop etc does not realy answer my question as you still have to count them manually.

mr1974

shykins wrote:

our barclays in chelmsford has a coin counter .. i would assume others do

you tip the money in, it counts it and credits it to your account.. obviously you have to have a barclays account

HTH

That's great news, exactly what I was hoping for.
I'll give them a ring to find out what branches do this.
Were they all of mixed types when you brought them there to be changed?
mr

Mr_Gordon_2

You could try one of the coin sorting machines available, like this one :http://www.play.com/Gadgets/Gadgets/4-/157471/Motorised_Coin_Sorter/Product.html for instance.

I throw my change into mine (slightly different to the one linked) more to sort the coppers out from the silver and pounds, but the marked increments on the tubes are very good on the one I have.

The professional alternative is a retail coin sorter which is several hundred pounds from what I've seen.

jonesMUFCforever

mr1974 wrote:

Thanks for your reply.
As I said, last time, when I went to Barclays, they weighted them (not counted, that would be ridiculous) and that was pretty much instantaneous.

Taking them to shop etc does not realy answer my question as you still have to count them manually.

My point was that if you put any old rubbish in they cannot be weighed and have to be counted.
If you put the right denominations in they can be quickly weighed.

mr1974

mr1974 wrote:

That's great news, exactly what I was hoping for.
I'll give them a ring to find out what branches do this.
Were they all of mixed types when you brought them there to be changed?
mr

Update on this. I've asked Barclays' CC about coins machines at other branches, and got this reply:

Unfortunately we cannot find a branch which offer this service, other than Chelmsford High Street.


Sounds incredible to me, perhaps just lazy customer care representatives, who couldn't be bothered to check properly?:mad:

mr

shays_mum

I think we all have this problem!, loose coins everywhere, so I got a cheap coin counting machine from robert dyas, has been a lifesaver!, otherwise go a search on google & find a cheap one.

Gordon_the_Moron

If you know how much you have in coins in total but they are all mixed up you could lob them in Natwest quick deposit envelopes then the branch can sort them out. You need to know how much you've got though, I don't know if any other banks offer similar services to quick deposit.

student100

You can buy coin scales. No idea how much they cost, but when I worked in a major high-street retailer that's what they used to cash up the tills. You have to sort the coins yourself but then you can just weigh out the right about and bag them.

Actually I had a quick google and they are quite expensive - perhaps unless you count £100s worth of coins regularly the machines in Sainsburys, Asda etc are worth the percentage?