Best thing to do with huge bottle of 1 and 2p coins? 10 November 2022 at 4:23PM in Savings & investments 65 replies 9.8K views

annabanana82

For my 20p jar, the 3ltr brandy bottle was opened well before my time circa 1974/5, but I think it was an enjoyable Sunday afternoon in Germany for my parents.

Many years ago when my children were small and money tight, our savings were mainly putting change in a pot at the end of the week. We started with a jam jar and when that was near full we acquired the bottle. An off the cuff comment led to the question "how many 20p's will fill the bottle"? With that a mission was started.  We're still to find out but we can't possibly stop now we're so close.

So whilst it may not be very MSE, it has been a source of wonder, conversation and afternoons sat with my children counting it.

They are also well versed in more conventional saving methods, understand interest rates and the basics of investments - my 17 year old Daughter has even started a pension. 

Catsacor

Albermarle said:

frugalmacdugal said:

Hi,

don't just walk into a bank with the bottle to use a coin counter and expect coins to flow out of it, the neck will get clogged up and need a poke now and again with a screwdriver or something.

Don't expect to get £100s from it.

Will we start a 'Guess the amount?'

My guess £68.72.

Seeing how heavy it is, probably have to watch out for slipping a disc at the same time !

Aswell as a hernia !

peewhyeff

Donate to an organisation for a Xmas Fair raffle, or a charity shop.......either as a straight winning ticket gets to keep it,  or maybe " guess how much is in the bottle".

chucknorris

I had a similar bottle except it had all denominations up to and including 20 pence, I gave it to my god daughter on her birthday, her mother said it really excited her when she was counting it all.

Krakkkers

If you have the time..........https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=co19bDYLzQ4

sparky93

Spender£ said:

My nan has a giant old whisky bottle full to the top with 1 and 2p coins which is so heavy it almost takes two people to move it, we have told her the banks hardly accept these much now and it would take ages to deposit it in an account.
Does anybody have any ideas of how to get it in an account as i don't like those coin counting machines because they take a fee however i heard Metro used to have a free coin counting machine if you banked with them.

hi, dont know where you are, but suprised no1 has suggested a games arcade place. these have the 1p and 2p machines , and they have coin counters too.

TheGardener

I had a giant whiskey bottle full of copper many years ago - when I moved it the bottom fell out of the bottle and I spent several hours picking coins and glass out of the carpet ...

phillw

baser999 said:

Simply for the convenience I’d use the machine in the local supermarket - does after all have a car park which the local bank might not. 

Appreciate they charge a commission but it’s not much surely?

Trading in your loose coins at Coinstar is easy. Just pour your coins into a machine and let us do the work. Choose one of our two convenient options: get cash, which has a 10.9% processing fee or charity which has an 8.9% fee.

I put all my change through the self service tills, though I appreciate in recent years a lot of stores have been making them card only. But I still have access to some.

You can get funny looks when there is a queue and you're standing there feeding in money for ten minutes, so best to go when it's off peak.

ZeroSum

There's normally less restrictions for coins when depositing in children's accounts. So could be given in pocket money?

RobM99

Ocelot said:

Could use coinstar at a supermarket (they take a percentage though).

Bloomin' right they do, 10% and more!