My Insights on Building a Machine that Sorts Coins by Date

Lately, I’ve been tinkering with coin automation after dreaming up a machine that sorts coins by date and mint mark. As a fellow collector, I’ll admit the idea hooked me right away—it could transform how we hunt for rarities and organize our collections. But is it realistic? I’ve spent time looking at the tech side, the costs, and what it means for us collectors, and I want to share my journey.

Why Automated Sorting Grabs Our Attention

Picture dumping a bucket of mixed coins into a machine that zips through them, spotting dates and mint marks in seconds. For folks like us, that’s the dream—pulling key dates or errors from bulk finds without eyeballing every coin. The concept? Use cameras and OCR tech to match coins against image libraries. You’d tell it what to hunt—say, pre-1982 copper cents or specific Morgan VAMs—and let it do the grunt work.

Tech Hurdles You Might Face

Building this isn’t simple. The image database alone is tricky—you can’t rely on one “perfect” coin photo. Real-world wear means you need tons of reference images showing different angles and conditions. Here’s what I’d consider:

• Start with edge detection to position the coin, then rotate it to match your image library
• Only use OCR after confirming the coin type, zeroing in on date/mint areas to avoid misreads on worn pieces
• Include examples from mint state to slick coins—otherwise you might miss that uncirculated beauty

This needs serious coding chops and hardware like precision cameras, easily running into thousands of dollars. But if you enjoy tech projects, it’s a fascinating challenge.

Costs and Real-World Viability

Now, the million-dollar question: Does the math work? Honestly, it’s tricky. Building the machine could cost $5,000+, and getting coin sources isn’t easy. Banks or outfits like Brinks rarely deal with individuals, and returning unsorted coins adds headaches. Profit margins are thin unless you go big:

• Personal use: You’d need years to break even—better to treat it like a passion project, similar to building model trains
• Selling machines: Our collector niche is small. Some of us (me included!) might pay up to $5k, but wider appeal is doubtful. Specialized uses like eBay VAM scanning could justify higher prices, but patents and licenses add legal layers

My two cents? Prototype first, test interest through pre-orders before diving deep.

Practical Tips for Collectors

If you’re tempted to build one, start focused. Instead of a monster sorter, try a simpler setup handling small batches of the same denomination. That way, you’ll need fewer bins (accept/reject/unknown) and it’s more manageable. Target high-value coins like silver dollars or copper cents to make your effort count. And remember—no machine beats human eyes for spotting luster or strike errors, so always double-check by hand.

Wrapping Up

After all this, I’m convinced building a sorter is a thrilling project—just don’t quit your day job. Approach it as a hobby with creative potential; maybe you’ll crack the code on affordable models. If you’ve got the skills, jump in and show us your progress—I’d geek out over a working prototype! Until then, happy hunting in those coin rolls.