How a Coin Sorter Works

Standard coin sorting machines operate by feeding coins of different sizes into openings. In some cases, the top trays holes will be large enough to pass through all coins except for quarters, while the next tray will pass through all coins except for nickels and so on until each type of coin rests on a different tray

After coins have been sorted, they are measured by the weight of the coins on each tray to determine value or simply by placing the coins in a rack that shows value based on height with markers next to the height of the coins to show how much they are worth.

For a more reliable coin reading, many advanced machines use a chain of light along with photovoltaic cells to determine exactly what coins are passing through the machine, while some systems use microprocessors to read coins and send signals back to the system to ensure the coin sizes and weights match the coin being processed via the system.