Does Coinstar take Canadian coins? Coinstar kiosks in the United States do not take Canadian coins. Coinstar kiosks only accept currency for the country the kiosk is located in. However, Coinstar does have kiosk locations in Canada, and those kiosks accept Canadian coins. Below, we’ve provided the details of using Coinstar kiosks, as well as the list of other places where you may be able to exchange Canadian coins.

Does Coinstar Take Canadian Coins?

Coinstar kiosks in the U.S. do not accept Canadian coins, Coinstar customer service representatives said. We contacted Coinstar by email and by calling the corporate customer support line at (800) 928-2274. We were advised that Coinstar kiosks are set up to accept only the currency of the country in which they are located. Coinstar’s website also confirms that foreign coins are not accepted.

Related Article: Currency Exchange near Me? These Are the Places That Do It…

Despite the official policy, some Coinstar users have had success inserting Canadian coins in U.S. Coinstar machines. Note that these situations are not common, and that most Coinstar machines will only accept currency from the country where they are located.

There are, however, Coinstar kiosks in Canada that, of course, accept Canadian coins. So, if you live near the U.S.-Canada border and you have a lot of Canadian coins, it might be worth a drive to find a Coinstar kiosk in Canada to exchange your foreign currency.

Both the U.S. Coinstar website and the Canadian Coinstar website allow you to search for the nearest kiosk in your area. To use the kiosk, you do not need to count or roll your coins. You should, however, clean them of any dirt, paper, or other debris that may make it difficult to sort and count. Once you deposit your coins, you can choose to receive an eGift card or a cash voucher for the total amount, minus a coin processing fee. You can redeem the cash voucher at the store where the kiosk is located.

Coinstar is an international company that has coin-counting kiosks throughout the United States, Canada, Germany, Ireland, and the United Kingdom.

Where to Exchange Canadian Coins

Most places, such as banks, that exchange foreign currency for U.S. currency do not accept coins. We were unable to find any specific businesses that exchange Canadian coins for U.S. coins. One of the common suggestions for getting rid of foreign coins is to use them up at the airport before you leave.

While still in Canada, you may be able to find a stand or kiosk that will exchange currency at the airport, a mall, or even your hotel. Airports sometimes have kiosks that will exchange foreign coins, but beware of hefty fees. Additionally, hotels and malls near the U.S.-Canada border often have kiosks or offer exchange services for a fee.

In Summary

Coinstar kiosks in the U.S. do not accept Canadian coins. Coinstar kiosks only accept currency for the country where the kiosk is located. Coinstar kiosks located in Canada, however, do accept Canadian coins. For more on coin counting services, see our articles: Does Coinstar Take Dollar Coins? Which Coins Coinstar Accepts and Coin Counter Machines: Places That Have Them (Banks, Stores…).


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2 comments


  • Jodi Millard

    I was just watching a YouTube video where a guy had 70 Canadian pennies and took them to his local grocery store to run thru the Coinstar machine, just to see if it would take them. Lo-and-behold, it took them. It charged him .09 cent fee and gave him a
    cash voucher for 61 cents.

    • First Quarter Finance logo
      First Quarter Finance | Lindsey Desmet

      That’s interesting, Jodi! After reading your comment, we did find several anecdotal instances of Coinstar users having success with inserting Canadian coins into U.S.-based machines. We have added this information to the article; however, Coinstar’s official policy still holds that its machines should only accept currency from the country in which they are located.