Got change? Bangor Savings Bank unveils new coin sorter

By Joseph Cyr
Staff Writer
    HOULTON — Tired of spending hours wrapping loose change before taking it to the bank? If so, then Bangor Savings Bank has just the piece of technology for you.
    The bank unveiled its new automated coin counting machine last week, which has piqued the curiosity of its customers. It is currently the only coin sorter in the greater Houlton area. Bank officials are hoping the new piece of technology will lure other, non-bank customers into their establishment as well.
Houlton Pioneer Times Photo/Joseph Cyr
COIN SORTER — Chris Nickerson, right, vice president of Bangor Savings Bank, shows the bank’s new coin-sorting machine to customer Marilyn Roper. The machine is the first of its kind in the greater Houlton area.
    “Almost everyone has a jar of coins in their house and nobody wants to spend time counting it,” said Chris Nickerson, vice president of Bangor Savings Bank.
    Customers of the bank can use the coin sorter free of charge, while non-bank customers must pay a 5 percent fee.
    Coins are poured into an opening on top of the machine and are then sorted and counted electronically. Foreign coins cannot be used in the machine. If an individual mistakenly puts in a Canadian coin or a button, for example, it will drop that item into a return bin for the person to collect.
    Once the sorting is complete, a receipt is printed out showing the total amount. That slip must then be taken to one of the bank’s tellers to be cashed or deposited into an account.
    “Bangor Savings Bank is always looking at ways to meet customer’s needs,” Nickerson said. “This machine was something that wasn’t available to anyone in the community. A lot of times schools have penny or coin drives and it takes a long time to sit and count and roll all those coins. This machine is a time-saver for customers and non-customers alike.”