A looming copper crunch and why recycling can’t fix it

Re:A looming copper crunch and why recycling can’t fix it by sva_ on Sunday July 31, 2022 @04:15PM (#32298397)

I'm actually quite fond of the 25 cent coins I got from the US. They work in shopping carts here (you have to put a coin into a shopping cart to get it, and you get the coin back after you bring it back, but they usually only accept 1 or 2 euro. I'm much more likely to still have the quarter, since I can't spend it here.)

I got bunch of coins when I had to use a laundromat in the US once, they only accepted quarters. Exchange $20 at a different machine and get a ton of metal. I suppose its like legacy software.

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Re:A looming copper crunch and why recycling can’t fix it by gerdesj on Sunday July 31, 2022 @04:33PM (#32298567)

Back in the late '70/early '80s the UK 10p coin was similar enough in size and weight to fool some German vending machines as a "1 DM" coin (Deutchmark). The rough rule of thumb rate of exchange was 1 GBP to 4 DM back then.

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Re:A looming copper crunch and why recycling can’t fix it by sva_ on Sunday July 31, 2022 @05:02PM (#32298810)

A large number of European vending machines still accept the 10 thai baht coin as a 2 Euro coin (10 baht are approx. 30 cents).

I heard the newer machines use a combination of methods, including weight and electrical resistance to test if a coin is actually the right one.

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