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July 12, 2025As a coin collector who also loves tinkering with tech, I got hooked on the idea of building a machine that sorts coins by date and mint mark. What began as a weekend project turned into a surprisingly complex puzzle. Let me walk you through what I discovered and whether this might be worth tackling yourself.
The Concept and Technical Challenges
My vision was straightforward: a machine that could process several coins per second using image recognition. The plan involved creating a database with multiple images for each coin’s front and back to handle variations. But coins aren’t perfect – you’d need dozens of images per side showing different rotation angles and wear levels. Otherwise, that pristine proof coin might not match its worn counterpart, causing misreads.
I planned to use edge detection for alignment and optical character recognition (OCR) for date reading. Coins outside a set tolerance would land in a reject bin, while sorting could target specific dates using just three bins: keep, reject, and unknown. Sounds neat, right? But here’s the rub: high-speed cameras alone could set you back thousands, putting this out of reach for most hobby budgets.
Financial Reality Check
Let’s be honest about costs. Building this as a personal tool probably won’t pay for itself. Between hardware expenses and the time spent hauling coin rolls, it might take years to break even. And forget about sweetheart deals with bulk suppliers like Brinks – they typically require unsorted returns.
What about selling these machines? Some collectors might pay up to $5,000 for one, but it’s a tiny market. While hunting pre-82 copper pennies for melt value is popular, a sorter isn’t cost-effective for that alone. If you’re considering commercialization, remember patent fees and legal costs eat into profits fast. Honestly? Build it because you enjoy the challenge, like restoring vintage cars or woodworking – not because you expect quick returns.
Tips If You Take the Plunge
If you’re still itching to try, here’s what I’d suggest:
- Start small: Prototype with single denominations first. Fewer bins mean simpler mechanics while you test your concept.
- Solve specific problems: Focus on high-value targets like error coins or key dates. A Morgan dollar specialist might pay well for something that spots VAM varieties.
- Budget wisely: Remember hidden costs like transportation and software. If it’s just for fun, make sure the enjoyment outweighs the expense.
- Account for wear: Worn coins look completely different from mint-state examples. Build your image database accordingly – it might even help with rough grading.
The dream of finding rare dates in bulk rolls is exciting, but hold off on taking pre-orders until you’ve got a working model. I’d absolutely love to see someone succeed with this – just know it’s a long haul project.
Wrapping Up
Creating a date-sorting machine combines our passion for coins with some fascinating tech. While it likely won’t make you rich, the process itself is rewarding. If you’ve got the skills and patience, give it a shot – just keep your expectations grounded. You never know, you might create something truly special for our community.