How to Deposit A Lot of Coins with a Branchless Bank

Essentially I have little piggy bank that would have around 200-300 coins or so (wild guess at this point) and I currently bank with a mobile only bank which does not have any branches.

I want to deposit the coins to get rid of them but am not sure the best way to do it. I know I can go to Aus Post and deposit the coins, but I don't want workers there having to individually count ~10kg worth of 10c coins!

Any ideas on how I can get this deposited?

Comments

  • +36

    Take them to Coles/Woolworths and pay for your groceries at the self-service checkouts. You won't need to count the coins, when it's time to pay just put them in the machine.

    • +5

      Hahahah this might actually be the winner. I wonder if there is some kind of limit of how many coins those self-serve machines can take?

      • No limits but you might get impatient
        Do it gradually, mixing coins (as much as is comfortable to carry) with notes

        • +1

          I tried at woolies and there was a limit on how many coins I could use in the 1 transaction. So I split into 3 transactions.

        • +2

          EVERY machine has limits.. rubs hands maniacally

        • The trick I found is to choose "Mixed payment": Then pay your $11.45 or whatever in coins and then the rest with card. That way you don't need to have the rest of the cash or to get the perfect change.

      • The time I did it I chose the wrong machine and the operator was around for like 10 mins. I didn't lose any money but I did have to stop and only do half of the 40 coins I had. Hopefully you have better luck!

      • Are they golds or silvers as well? If all golds, head to your local pokies, play a few rounds, bring them to the counter and cash out in notes. If there are silvers then go with colesworths

    • +22

      Imagine being in line and OP pulls out a bag of 10 cent coins.

    • +23

      There is a limit to how many coins you can put in self-serve. Unfortunately I had a lot of 5 & 10c coins to get rid of (probably 20?), carefully put them in 1 by 1 for then hit some hard limit and spit it all out.

      • +2

        20 coins is not a lot lol, I've put hundreds in before.

    • I also do this, easy

    • -1

      this won't work

      I think there's a $10 or $20 limit on coins in the machine.

      You can do multiple transactions though, so that will probably be the go.

      Or just keep it in your car and use it for fuel, coffee, incidentals etc.

      • Where? I've fed at least 30 into a Coles. In different states

    • +4

      I actually did this once and overflowed the internal coin box, jammed up the machine and was a real mess. So watch out haha

    • You could also do split payment to prevent change in coins. E.g. If the total was $17.95, you could pay $7.95 by card and the $10 by cash.

    • I saw this video on 7news with Coles that instead of inserting coins one by one, you lift the coin slot then just pour the coins inside.

  • +34

    open a commbank savings account…

    go to a branch and use their coin machines.,..

    transfer money to your original account

    keep or close the commbank savings account.

    • This is probably easiest but be warned their (and probably all) coin machines don't count correctly.

      • +16

        with that many coins… margin or error would be acceptable. unless you really want to count them yourself..

        another way is to separate all the coins into their denominations, then weigh them. you'll have a pretty close idea how much you have,

        • +1

          I do count them but then I'm typically dealing with smaller amounts, especially these days when fewer people are using cash. I've had up to a 50% variation once though that was unusual, the amount is usually between 5% and 10% so depends on if that's acceptable to OP.

        • +4

          When I used the coin counters for a retail job - at commonwealth - I never got shortchanged - thank goodness - I’d be just doing $150-$200 regularly though

          • +4

            @DemocracyManifest: I've never not been short changed and I've tried all 3 local branches. It's not like it just misses a coin either, eg I once put $50 of $2 coins in and it counted something like $47.85 which is just impossible.

            • @apsilon: 2 of your $2 coins got stuck in the machine but the coins that did go through picked up and counted $1.85 of someone else's coins that was already stuck in there.

        • +3

          I deposited 13K and 5K got swallowed by a commbank deposit machine. They returned it bar $500… still wondering where that went. They said there was nothing they could do.

      • The bank teller always get their morning tea paid for with money box coins

      • I took in $70 worth of pre-bagged silver coins and it was spot on.

    • My experience has been generally good, though I jammed a machine once. I now take it super slow and fill the tray and dont double stack coins as I tip them in…. might help with errors or jams? idk but since i started doing that I've not had problems. I'd dump between $80-$120 at times with no problem.

  • +3

    Instead of asking a Aust Post employee to count them all in one trip, why not take them along in a few separate trips/days? ("Hi, I have fifty coins to deposit, sorry for the inconvenience but it should only take two minutes")

    • +5

      And then the following day: "Hi, I have fifty coins to deposit, sorry for the inconvenience but it should only take two minutes"

      • +1

        And the following day: "Hi, I have fifty coins to deposit, sorry for the inconvenience but it should only take two minutes"

        • And the following day: "Hi, I have fifty coins to deposit, sorry for the inconvenience but it should only take two minutes"

  • +1

    Most of the majors have coin exchange machines that can do it, they will charge you a fee if you don't have an account with them. Likewise Auspost will exchange for notes for a small fee.

    • +2

      Yeah I'm 90% sure commonwealth will let you use their machine for a fee.

  • They have coin counting machines at the some of the Big 4 bank branches. Some will require you to have an account and some will charge you a fee if you don't have an account.

  • Commbank ATMs allow deposit of up to 2kg of coins at selected machines but you are going to have to open an account first?
    https://www.commbank.com.au/digital-banking/commbank-atms.ht…

    • You can use the dedicated coin counting machine which doesn't have a weight limit but they'll take 10% if you're not an account holder. Probably cheaper to open an account as the monthly fee is something like $4 then close it when done.

      • Open CDIA for free, request a debit card online.

  • I don't know where you are located, but you may be able to use them to top up a transport card at one of the ticket machines?

    • +1

      Myki machines (in Melbourne) have a limit on the number of coins they accept. I tried this once and the machine jammed up (couldn't even do further transactions on the machine)…this was several years back, so maybe they've fixed this now

      • Remember how long the receipt printers have been a problem? Since the beginning. They still haven't fixed it, just disabled it completely.

      • tried that - they wouldn’t take 5c pieces

    • Every TRANSLink machine I've seen in Brisbane has the coin slot disabled. If I could I would fill that slot so hard.

  • +5

    Lift the litle coin slot at a woolies self serve, pour them in, finalise transaction and hey presto.. you will have a stack of $5 notes instead.

  • +17

    10kg of 10c coins
    vs
    have little piggy bank that would have around 200-300 coins or so

    10c coins weigh (according to australian mint) 2.83g per coin
    so.. you either have 2-300 coins weighing ~800grams, or you have 10kg which is about ~3000 coins.

    Probably safest to have someone else count if you're estimates are out by a factor of 10 :)

    • +2

      Just my best guesses ! Hence why I want something to count them. Also it's not just 10c I just was exaggerating!

  • I opened an account with Westpac just for this purpose as they are the only local bank with a customer usage coin counting machine that I'm aware of.

    I tip in the coins and my account is credited with the amount which I withdraw a few days later.

  • +6

    Zero chance 2-300 coins weighs 10kg. I don't think you know what 10kg feels like OP

    • +3

      hahaha either way, I just have a lot of coins to deposit

  • Some banks have coin sorting machines. My local westpac has one inside the branch. Aunt go to one of those and ask them if you could just use it to change it up to notes?

  • There will be some bank have coin deposit ATM's at some branches. Find the bank you can make an ATM deposit at and search this bank for ATM that deposits coins and go there and put the coins through the coin counting ATM as a deposit.

    Most banks (99%) will only change coins if you have an account at them.

  • Auspost……

  • +3

    Open an account with NAB (no fees) and use the coin deposit machine in their branch for free. Then transfer the funds to your main bank account.

    • Best

  • +1

    Wait until the Salvo's knock on your door for their next appeal and make a hero of yourself - dump the lot on them. Side benefit is the donation will be tax deductible.

  • +1

    Any bank might give you some coin bags. Ask for 10.

    Count your money.

    Then take the bags to the post office.

    (At banks they typically weigh the filled bags).

    You might offer to get the receipt the next day.

    If the receipt is close to your count then you are apples.

    If not rethink your banking requirements.

  • +2

    10c and above.. car wash coin machine, swap to $1 coins… i get rid of my 10, 20 & 50 coins this way and then use them in the dog wash for our dog.

    • Yep - I did this, dropped all my silver in for gold coins!

  • +3

    In Japan I loved pouring my excess coins in the JR machines. Purchase a ticket and out came highest denomination change.

  • +5

    Time for an odd-ball suggestion…

    If you have a vending machine at your residence or work and have some patience, you could insert a handful of coins into the machine and then request change from the machine. I typically do this at work when I end up with a bunch of silver or $1 coins, and then I insert enough to request $2 change, and then the vending machine spits out 1x $2 coin. The point of doing this is reducing the amount of coins you need to take into Australia Post or wherever to do the deposit.

    I did this one time when I swapped ~$200 worth of silver coins into $1 and $2 coins over several days, because I didn’t want to carry so many coins to the bank, plus I wanted the reduce the chance of the coin deposit machine miscounting my coins (which has happened to me a number of times, particularly with smaller denomination coins). Unfortunately, one day, I drained all the $1 and $2 coins from the machine, and when someone after me went to purchase an item, they got about $3.50 in change in what sounded like a combination of 10c, 20c and 50c coins. Judging by the number of expletives they used, I think they were not happy…

    Please note this does not always work. I did this one time at a train station in Melbourne when I inserted enough for $1 change, but the vending machine did not give anything back to me as change (even though the machine said it did give change).

  • +9

    One idea is to go to your local cafe/small business during a quiet period and ask if they would be okay to swap some coins for notes. Might save them a trip to the bank for change also.

  • +1

    Just use a big 4 bank coin counting machine - their websites should point you in the right direction for which branches have them

    • Westpac's coin deposit machines require you to be a Westpac customer. It sounds like OP isn't a Westpac customer and they want to avoid opening a bank account where possible.

  • -1

    Why not buy a coin counting machine? Good old Kogan have one for $119 https://www.kogan.com/au/buy/kogan-coin-sorter-counter/

  • -4

    Use it to pay for Gumtree purchases, it's legal tender so they can't refuse it.

    • Seller sets the conditions of sale, so if they don’t want to accept cash then they don’t have to.

  • +1

    Just stay buying your bread, pies etc from Asian bread shops. All staff are usually paid in cash. They will love you.
    There is a limit though on denominations
    https://www.sydneycriminallawyers.com.au/blog/can-i-pay-with…

  • +7

    Buy some Calzones

    • +4

      What you're talking about is a portable, delicious meal that is it's own container. It's a whole new spin on Italian fast casual dining.

    • +3

      Or you can use it to jack someone without a reverse peephole if you fill a sock with them.

    • +1

      shame..needs more votes not enough seinfeld fans here.

  • -1

    Don't save so many coins. Try to use them as you go to avoid the quantity building up. I've got about $2.60 in my wallet right now and nothing at home. Yes they can build up in the wallet but instead of always handing over a larger denomination and getting change add it up and give the business correct change. Other option most businesses have donation tins chuck your silver there.

  • Some banks have coin deposits beside their ATMs. I’ve seen one at a Westpac bank. Not sure if that could be an option. You may need to open an account but if it was a regular thing you do that could be an option.

    https://www.westpac.com.au/personal-banking/services/atms/at…

    • Bring coins to casino and then play roulette

      • +1

        Username checks out

  • You haven't specified which online bank you use, but they may be part of Bank@Post. Don't know how many coins they'd take though.

  • -4

    Something ODD here… anyway, you would be best to open a bank account because you would have to leave the tin with the bank. They do counting when not too busy.

    You don't really trust a corner Post Office with 10k…. do you…. this is what makes your story rather ODD.

    Once the bank counts your money, they then deposit in you NEW bank acc. From there you can transfer to your APP.

    What part are you having trouble understand…

    • +3

      10kg, not 10k?

    • Wait a minute..! So you would trust the bank teller with $10k? And you here you are giving advice arrogantly.

  • When you pay for anything pay with a few dollars, say up to $10 of mixed coin but not too may small coins, when doing business at the post office pay any postage with and deposit say $10 of coin in your account.

  • +1

    go through each coin,

    there might be a rare coin in there

  • +3

    Use them at your friendly local Chinese restaurant that hangs the sign "CASH ONLY" at the register, beginning with the 10c pieces and work your way up from there. And don't forget to ask for a tax invoice when done!

  • The main reason for having coins is not wanting to count the change. I just use a fresh note each time.

    However, lately I've been noticing people randomly short changing me. It's been happening for years without me knowing…

  • +1

    Donate them to the bikies

  • Highpoint used to have a coin to gift card machine - yes it won’t be cash but can be useful

  • +1

    Find/buy a friend who banks with one of the big4, deposit there and have them transfer you

  • +1

    Start taking bags of coins to all grocery shops. Feed 20 or so in, put the rest on card. After 10-15 trips it will be done.

    Free and minimal fuss

  • Have you really looked at the coins you have? Chances with this many you could have at least one if not few collectors coins which would bump your balance

    https://youtube.com/c/AustraliaCoins

  • go to car wash locations late at night. some allow you to change them into gold coins

  • I had the same problem as you. I opened a free NAB account, went to a branch with a coin counter, and dumped my (literal) bucket of coins into the counting machine in the branch.

  • Those mobile-only banks still allow cash deposits at Australia Post.

  • I used to go to the self serve to get rid of my 5cents.
    There used to be self serve machines with coin bucket where I can chuck a fist full of coins and let it sort them out.

    That was how I used to clear my 5cents. I would only do it when there is no queue

  • i have one of those 30cm tins from kmart filled to the brim with coins 50c and above from about 8 years of collection.

    I'm guessing there is $2k+ in there.

  • +1

    Coins are only legal tender up to a certain amount.

    Google says:
    "According to the Currency Act 1965 coins are only legal tender for limited payment amounts. You can use up to $5 worth of coins in any combination of 5c, 10c, 20c and 50c coins and up to 10 times the face value of $1 or $2 coins."

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