The Counterfeit Coin Detector Patent Archive

Every device ever patented to catch a bad coin

Sizing aperture

Patent drawing of an 1853 coin tester showing a rectangular gage plate with five graduated slots labeled D through H mounted on two posts above a base, with hidden dotted lines revealing internal pivoting levers and a rod I running beneath the plate; a second elevation view shows a single lever swinging a coin through the gage into a collection area below.COUNTERFEIT-COIN DETECTOR.Gideon B. Smith · September 6, 1853Technical patent drawing showing a long pivoting lever balance with multiple circular coin-sized cavities labeled E, F, G, H, L, and M along its length, mounted on a base with two pillars, alongside a small separate weight piece labeled J and K.BALANCE FOR DETECTING SPURIOUS COIN.John Allender · November 27, 1855Patent drawing showing a beam scale with a slotted coin pan and vertical gauge plate, plus a secondary weighted beam marked for gold and silver coin denominations, alongside a base-mounted support stand.IMPROVEMENT IN COMBINED SCALE AND COIN-TESTERGeorge Hoag · June 3, 1879An elongated metal plate shown at an angle, marked 'GOLD' on one side with slots labeled for denominations 2½D, 5D, 10D, 20D, and 'SILVER' on the other side with slots labeled 10, 25, 50, and 1D, each slot tapering in width toward a central ridge running the length of the plate.Counterfeit-Coin Detecter.John A. Thompson · February 24, 1880A drawing of a balance-beam scale mounted on a pedestal, with one end holding a sliding graduated weight and coin cups sized for gold coins with slots for testing, and the other end fitted with a wire yoke and springs with grapple hooks for holding letters, alongside a separate plan view showing five circular coin-testing cups linked along a bar.COMBINED LETTER-SCALE AND COIN-TESTER.Edward C. Purnelle · January 29, 1884Patent drawing of a tall wooden coin-operated height-measuring cabinet showing a sliding graduated bar, a coin chute mechanism, and a hinged pointer plate with associated levers and brackets.COIN-CONTROLLED HEIGHT-MEASURING MACHINE.Charles R. Williams · May 29, 1888Patent drawing of a tall wooden vending-machine cabinet front and side views, with an enlarged mechanical coin-tester assembly showing hinged plates, springs, pins, and a coin diagram labeled with letters D, E, F, m, n, o, p.COIN CONVEYER AND TESTER FOR AUTOMATIC VENDING-MACHINES.John H. Volkmann · September 27, 1892Patent drawing of a coin-introducing device showing four figures: a top plan view of a square plate with a central rotating disk and crank, a side sectional view with a chute below, a plan view of the middle plate with circular openings labeled b, c, and d, and a bottom plate view with three circular openings labeled for cent, nickel coin, and a central opening.COIN-INTRODUCING DEVICE FOR COIN-CONTROLLED VENDING-MACHINES.Willard H. Gilman · October 8, 1895Patent drawing of a mechanical coin-tester showing a hinged plate assembly with a pivoted magnet, coin track, and washer-catcher arm mounted inside a tall vending-machine cabinet.VENDING-MACHINEJohn H. Volkmann · February 8, 1898Patent drawing showing five figures of a mechanical coin-guard device with a vertical coin chute, a U-shaped pivoting gate with arms fitting into grooves, a leaf-spring, and a rotating arbor with releasing lever, all numbered with reference numerals like 1 through 21.COIN-GUARD OR CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR COIN-OPERATED MACHINES.Robert Fred. Tochtermann · December 12, 1899Technical patent drawing showing a complex mechanical coin-testing apparatus with multiple gears, levers, springs, and pivoting arms arranged within a rectangular housing frame, including a knob-topped shaft and numbered reference points identifying individual components.APPARATUS FOR DISTINGUISHING GENUINE FROM SPURIOUS COINSJohn E. Evard · December 17, 1901Technical patent drawing of a cylindrical coin selector casing with an internal plunger, spring-loaded disk, pivoting valve plate, gauge rods, and an electromagnet assembly used to test and sort coins in a vending machine.COIN-SELECTORGeorge C. Reith and George F. Flade · September 17, 1912Two mechanical drawings of a vending machine coin mechanism showing a vertical coin tube with a counterbalanced testing lever, rejection spout, and a rotating pocketed release disc connected to a handle and discharge tube.COIN-RECEIVING MECHANISM FOR VENDING MACHINESRufus B. Sherburne, Leon G. Sherburne, and Martin Hansen · May 17, 1927Patent drawing showing a coin slot mechanism with a support plate, sliding coin-carrying strip with handle, housing with lateral flanges, ridges and studs for anti-fraud protection, and a magnet-equipped trigger arm, illustrated in seven labeled figures including top, side, and cross-sectional views.COIN CONTROLLED DEVICELouis M. Hall · February 14, 1933Patent drawing showing a long sliding guide plate and strip mechanism with coin apertures, spring trigger, magnet, and abutment arm, illustrated in eight cross-sectional and plan views labeled Fig. 1 through Fig. 8.COIN CONTROLLED DEVICELouis M. Hall · May 16, 1933Patent drawing of a coin-selecting apparatus showing an inclined upper chute with a movable top rail and ejecting spring leading into a vertical J-shaped chute flanked by magnet pole pieces, with numbered parts and a lower coin return tray.COIN SELECTING APPARATUSJohn Gottfried · August 22, 1933Line drawing of a mechanical coin chute assembly showing a sliding coin tray, a triangular pivoting ejector arm with a coil spring, a shelf with numbered stop pins and discharge slots, and side/cross-section views labeled Fig. 1 through Fig. 4.COIN CHUTEBruno Radtke · July 16, 1935