2013 update: TD now has >300 locations with coin counters. BMO will charge you 8% of the entire amount if you put in over $250, if you're a non-customer. TD charges 8% for all non-customers, 3% for business customers, but nothing for customers (and you can open a free savings account).
Useful Coin Counting in Canada Links
- The TD locations list is here.
- The BMO coin-counting location list is here.
- My TD coin counting experience in 2008.
Both banks let non-customers use the machines, so that's a non-issue.
The BMO machines are hands-down faster, and quieter. It's like BMO learned from some of TD's mistakes. Having said that, the noise would be a problem for other people in the branch, not me with the coins and in-ear headphones, and they're both impressively fast when compared to counting by hand.
If the TD machine is closer to you, go there, even if you are a BMO customer. Actually, I'd go to the closest location that has good parking! Coins are heavy.
Both machines accept US coins at par because it can't differentiate them, which isn't that big of a concern these days.
I do recall the TD machine rejecting some silver coins, which was nice to build my collection. The BMO machine did not, but it's possible that there simply weren't any in the set. I'll let someone else take that risk and comment here with their results. Maybe the BMO machines do less verification on the coins or has higher tolerances, which is also why they're faster?
TD usually has way better hours of operation.
I've no idea whether one is more accurate than the other, and even then, telling so would take a number of tests. Doing just one test isn't enough, since it may sometimes overcount and sometimes undercount, which really isn't a problem since it should average out over time. In other words, imprecision is okay (for me anyway), inaccuracy is a problem. They're probably not 100%, they tend to accept most coins I throw back in from the reject pile, but my time is valuable and I'm likely losing less than the 10% I might be losing at a for-profit coin counting machine. If the machine is favouring the bank by 5% (AT MOST!!!), I'm cool with that.
Hats-off to both of these banks, think of how many thousands of hours of coin-counting monotony is saved by each one of these machines per year. The Mint should pay the banks to roll out these machines rather than fiatize our coins more than they are. Here's the wiki article about fiat currencies (aka: currency that isn't really worth the paper it's printed on)
300 New TD Coin Counters!
Well it looks like you'll have to give this a huge edit Dan! There are 300 new coin counters in TD Branches all across Canada. Best part is you can find the closest one on the official TD page, make sure you check "TD Coin Counter" - http://www.tdcanadatrust.com/customer-service/contact-us/branch-locator/index.jsp
I understand the 8% charge for non-clients but think about it. You can open a FREE savings account and pay no fees for counting your coins. No point in paying the 8%!
Thanks Robert, I've updated
Thanks Robert, I've updated the article. If anyone can get me that list of 300 locations, send me a message here!
BMO vs TD
I went to a BMO branch last Sunday, to change all my coins. Before I went to the branch I checked online to see if non-BMO customers could take advantage of this service (I'd understand if not), anyway the website states that everybody, including non customer, can change their coins for free, including US money. However when I went to the branch the machine is not exactly for free, it takes 8% of your money if the amount is over 250$ or if you have US coins.
That was not mentioned on the website! I did not change my coins...instead I went to a TD branch, I changed all my coins for free, including all the US cents that I had.
Updates RE the article
Thanks for this! Updated (I just shared the following w a few folks):
Free coin counters @ BMO - no more rolling coins! :) No longer need to roll your coins yourself, or pay a fee of 10% at some Metro or Loblaws grocery stores to change your coins.
At select locations:
BMO offers "coin counters" free.
http://www.bmo.com/home/personal/banking/everyday/how-to-bank-bmo/branch/coin-counter
TD Bank has them, free for customers or for a fee for non customers. The service is called "Penny Arcade": http://www.tdbank.com/net/absearch/
Apparently all coin sorters exchange US coins at par since they don't tell them apart.
Could be worth it, less than the cost of buying rolls & time rolling them @ home.
Be aware issues can be (as per reviews posted online of the services):
1) which locns actually have the coinsorters (visit the links, enter postal code & 'click' option to see coin machine locns, then search.
2) whether machines are working *saw suggestion posted online to call ahead to make sure it's working
3) whether machines are full.
4) sometimes imprecision +/- (presumably a small percentage?)
5) sometimes accepts silver coins if they're mixed in accidentally by chance.
6) Apparently the machines give you a cash voucher that you redeem @ the cash, or teller, as the case may be. There was one post online saying in the past Metro required one to spend the money at the store @ that visit, but I can't imagine that's true since there is a 10% fee, that must have been an old policy, since one is entitled to the cash, in exchange for the 10% fee.
7) For noncustomers, banks may request a piece of ID.
No narcotics charges - various others - can he go to the USA?
My boyfriend has a criminal record that stems from approximately 1999 - 2006. His convictions include failure to appear, assaults, theft and a DUI. He successfully obtained a Canadian passport last year and we spent Christmas in Mexico (direct flight). We would like to see New York, visit Vegas and vacation in Hawaii. Will he be able to enter the US or should we save ourselves the trouble of booking a vacation when he will just be refused entry at the border.
We have been told before, that only those with a serious offense, such as possession of narcotics, will be refused entry. We have also been told a pardon in Canada will not necessarily be recognized in the USA. My boyfriend does not have a narcotics charge, so we were hopeful he would still be allowed in the USA.
That is until my uncle was recently turned away at the border, en route to a prepaid weekend vacation with his girlfriend in Vegas. They had found a 20 year old assault charge on my uncle's record, from a fight he had been in during his youth. What is especially surprising about this, is that my uncle has been to Vegas numerous times, without incident, in the last 20 years. He ended up having to return home and his girlfriend carried on to Vegas solo, since their trip had been prepaid.
In another scenario, my father was deported from the USA a few years ago, where he and my mom had been managing a Canadian-owned business in Nevada. For 3 years they lived there, my dad regularly flying in and out of Vancouver for business meetings. On one such occasion he was denied entry back to the US. It turns out they had been backdating their records and found a possession of marijuana charge on his record from 15 years previous. They were given one month to pack up and get out and my dad is still working with lawyers in hopes he may be able to one day go back.
Of course, this information was given to me by my parents, who are always looking to protect me, so whether or not there is more to their stories - and records - that they are keeping from me, I don't know. But, if it is indeed true that my uncle was turned away for a 20 year old assault charge, then my boyfriend is clearly out of luck. I was wondering if anyone else could share their own experiences, which might help me understand whether or not my boyfriend has a chance of vacationing in the USA one day soon.
Thanks.
i can help
email me [email protected]
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