Has anyone had much experience using dollar coins instead of quarters? I've recently bought a 5 bay self serve with one in-bay automatic out of foreclosure and am getting ready to re-open it. Our vacs are priced at $1.00 and our self service wash is priced at $2.00. While our coin acceptors will take quarters, putting dollar coins in the change machine would seem to make collections and coin counting/sorting much easier, not to mention getting customers to think in terms of dollars instead of quarters. But with the dollar coins not too different than quarters I wondered if this might cause confusion on the part of customers. I don't want to use tokens. Has anyone had experience using dollar coins that could share the good and bad? Any other thoughts?
Dollar Coins
- Thread starter jimr
- Start date
captain cw
Member
I love them. My bill changer gives quarters and gold dollars. I like breaking the big bills like this instead of bill dispensers. It's also a cool novelty for my customers. I get a lot of coin collectors coming to my wash. I occasionally have a customer call me because they did not know that the gold dollar existed. They're the same people that don't know about the two dollar bill either. I had one lady call because she did not see "In God we trust" on it. I explained that it is printed on the outer edge. She didn't think that was good enough. I suggested she call her Senator. Gotta love dealing with public.
chaz
Active member
our bays, auto, and combo vacs take dollar coins as well as bills and quarters. we also take c/c at our auto and bays. change machine gives quarters, and the auto gives change in dollar coins. At some point I will switch my changer to dollar coins as this will help customers think in dollars and keep the non customers from getting quarters for the laundry. First I'll need to upgrade 5 standard vacs to multi coin.
MEP001
Well-known member
You might have some confusion if you get some Susan B. Anthony coins mixed in because they look so much like a quarter, but there's enough difference between a quarter and a gold dollar that there should be no problem.
Before you make the switch you might check to see how available the dollar coins are. You'll get a lot of walk-offs, and if you can't easily get more or if the banks won't do an even exchange it might be a hassle.
Before you make the switch you might check to see how available the dollar coins are. You'll get a lot of walk-offs, and if you can't easily get more or if the banks won't do an even exchange it might be a hassle.
Whale of a Wash
5 Washes 36Bays 2Vectors
I think you should still consider $1 High Security tokens. When switching my bank said $1 coins May be spotty as far as getting them, and would have susan b's in with them. With the $1 tokens it is easy to give bonus tokens, and fleet accounts like the tokens. I know you don't want to use tokens, and i didn't think i would like it either, but 10 months into it , i really feel safer with more tokens in the bays and changers, and especially employees hands. I love the tokens now and wish i had switched over 10yrs ago. Whatever you decide on you will be glad you are dispensing dollars and counting dollars as compared to quarters. Make sure you still take quarters as sometimes customers come to wash with the spare change in their pockets to wash with.
Earl Weiss
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Have you considered bill acceptors in the bays?
MEP001
Well-known member
"At no charge?" Maybe for the coins themselves, but you'll pay shipping. That won't be cheap for 250 gold $1 coins.mjwalsh said:
I only suggested checking on the availability on the $1 coins because while some have said they're readily available at no charge from their banks, they're not so easy to get here. Some banks don't keep many on hand - ours charges $36 for a box of 250 coins.
mjwalsh
6 bay SS w/laundromat
free shipping & credit card use was & is occurring
They say shipping charge on the US Mint website --- but they are actually always shipped free. You can call them to verify the current status on the free shipping. They also allow you to pay with your credit card & we all know about the potential perks with most credit cards. I have been doing this for many of our dollar coins. Someone will have to sign for that type of shipment obviously. I was tipped off on one of the laundromat forums about the free shipping fact over a year ago.
I know it is generous of the US Mint but I really do believe the dollar coins do help our economy in general & the overall tax base.
It is a shame that some of our banks & the banks that supply the smaller banks decided that they were all powerful & made it impractical to get the coins from some of the banks. Our state owned bank of north dakota was one of the worst even though I pleaded with some state officials a few years ago. I still have a copy of my letter. Basically they gave the bank employees (the unelected bureaucrats) full discretion on charging the fees. The economy is fragile & some of them would rather pocket the gains through those new charges through ridiculous salaries gains & a lavish 80 million dollar building instead. Of course they brag what great managers they are! All credit & ACH could potentially be a security risk if the wrong people get too entrenched with their political power & the large corporations get too cozy with the government via misapplication of cleverly fine print legalese etc. My perspective & I know there is valid truth in what I am saying! Be careful criticizing some banks for refusing to credit your separated bent coins which would prevent them from potentially damaging their counters --- or bring back slugs that you find in their coins --- they will find a way to punish you even though it is constructive criticism done in a polite & constructive way. Sorry for the rant but we need to learn from what they can potentially do if we depend or put too much faith in them.
I helped & did some significant good when the ICA called for me to contact our senator who was the subcommittee chairman at the time decisions were made to guarantee future cleaner supplies of the dollar coins. When it comes to correcting problems we need to be united enough in our voice on certain issues so it is less likely any one of us gets roughed up! Bill P helped & JJJ because they helped create our own media to some extent to shed some light on what they can do. Of course are too divided & gush about credit cards usage too much --- the main stream media can actually fuel that as our only option.
MJ
Mep001, JimR, & others,
They say shipping charge on the US Mint website --- but they are actually always shipped free. You can call them to verify the current status on the free shipping. They also allow you to pay with your credit card & we all know about the potential perks with most credit cards. I have been doing this for many of our dollar coins. Someone will have to sign for that type of shipment obviously. I was tipped off on one of the laundromat forums about the free shipping fact over a year ago.
I know it is generous of the US Mint but I really do believe the dollar coins do help our economy in general & the overall tax base.
It is a shame that some of our banks & the banks that supply the smaller banks decided that they were all powerful & made it impractical to get the coins from some of the banks. Our state owned bank of north dakota was one of the worst even though I pleaded with some state officials a few years ago. I still have a copy of my letter. Basically they gave the bank employees (the unelected bureaucrats) full discretion on charging the fees. The economy is fragile & some of them would rather pocket the gains through those new charges through ridiculous salaries gains & a lavish 80 million dollar building instead. Of course they brag what great managers they are! All credit & ACH could potentially be a security risk if the wrong people get too entrenched with their political power & the large corporations get too cozy with the government via misapplication of cleverly fine print legalese etc. My perspective & I know there is valid truth in what I am saying! Be careful criticizing some banks for refusing to credit your separated bent coins which would prevent them from potentially damaging their counters --- or bring back slugs that you find in their coins --- they will find a way to punish you even though it is constructive criticism done in a polite & constructive way. Sorry for the rant but we need to learn from what they can potentially do if we depend or put too much faith in them.
I helped & did some significant good when the ICA called for me to contact our senator who was the subcommittee chairman at the time decisions were made to guarantee future cleaner supplies of the dollar coins. When it comes to correcting problems we need to be united enough in our voice on certain issues so it is less likely any one of us gets roughed up! Bill P helped & JJJ because they helped create our own media to some extent to shed some light on what they can do. Of course are too divided & gush about credit cards usage too much --- the main stream media can actually fuel that as our only option.
MJ
Bubbles Galore
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I.B. Washincars
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I am also a fan of the dollar coins. I made the switch when they came out in 2000 and never looked back. Occasionally we still get a customer who thinks they got a quarter or thinks it is a token but it is rare.
Our bank always has them on hand for us and makes sure they are only goldens, no SBAs mixed in.
Our bank always has them on hand for us and makes sure they are only goldens, no SBAs mixed in.
bigleo48
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I find it kind of funny that there is a debate on the matter. Up here in Canada we have been using the dollar and two dollar coins for so long I can't remember what a cnd dollar bill looks like. The Canadian government has been toying around with the idea of $5 coin.
I can't imagine dealing with all the quarters (likely why you have bill acceptors in the bays and use tokens)! But I have dealing with change anyway...it heavy, dirty and a pain. But sometimes I can reach for spare change in my pocket and have twenty bucks!
I can't imagine dealing with all the quarters (likely why you have bill acceptors in the bays and use tokens)! But I have dealing with change anyway...it heavy, dirty and a pain. But sometimes I can reach for spare change in my pocket and have twenty bucks!
cleaning up mud
Member
MEP001
Well-known member
pitzerwm
Active member
JIMT
Member
My bank told me that soon the presidential dollars will be silver instead of gold.
Jimt
Jimt
I've been dispensing $1 coins since they came out with the golden dollars. You'll love hearing the coin alert beeping four times for every coin put into the coin acceptor. You'll love it even more when you hear someone putting in five coins to start and taking their time to wash their car the right way, not rushing to beat the time. They just need to do away with the dollar bill.
