How to Roll Coins & Know How Much Change You Have

Download Article

Numismatics expert Max Hockley explains how many quarters, pennies & dimes go in a roll

Co-authored by Max Hockley and Raven Minyard, BA

Last Updated: December 20, 2025 Fact Checked

Download Article

• Rolling Coins
|
• How Many Coins in a Roll
|
• Other Sorting Methods
|
• Video
|
• Q&A
|
• Tips

|Show more |Show less

Rolling coins is a good way to keep track of how much money you have, and often a prerequisite for depositing your coins in a bank. In this article, we’ll explain how to roll coins, as well as how many coins go in a roll (including quarters, dimes, nickels, and pennies), with insights from numismatics expert Max Hockley and coin collector and content creator Ryan Quinlan. If you have a lot of coins, we’ll also provide alternate methods for sorting and measuring them.

How do you roll coins?

Numismatics expert Max Hockley says to make sure you include the right number of coins for the denomination in your roll. For example, a roll of quarters always contains 40 quarters, a total value of $10. When rolling old coins, make sure you don't accidentally include anything rare or valuable. Follow these steps:

1. Separate your coins by type, then divide them into piles of 10.
2. Open one end of the coin roll, if necessary.
3. Grab enough coins to fill the roll.
4. Arrange the coins into a cylinder shape.
5. Slide the coins into the roll, blocking one end with your finger.
6. Fold the ends of the wrapper closed.

Steps

Section 1 of 3:

How to Roll Coins

Download Article

1. 
   1
   If you plan to deposit coins, ask your bank for its requirements first. Quinlan says each bank has its own policies for dealing with coinage, and your bank may only accept rolled coins, unrolled coins, or coins of a certain value. Before you start rolling your coins, ask a bank teller to avoid wasting time on coins you won’t be able to deposit.

   Meet the wikiHow Expert

   Max Hockley is a numismatics and precious metals expert. He is also the creator of the Silverpicker YouTube channel, where he educates people about numismatics, precious metals stacking, and personal finance.

   Ryan Quinlan is a coin collector and content creator based in Cary, North Carolina. With 10+ years of experience, Ryan shares content on coin collecting, coin roll hunting, and metal detecting on social media.
2. 
   2
   Get your coin wrappers. In the United States and countries that use the euro as currency, many banks give out coin wrappers for free. They’re also available for purchase at some supermarkets or online stores. The wrappers may be made of paper or transparent plastic and come in different sizes for each type of coin.

   • These wrappers are usually labeled with the name of the coin, but there may be a color-coded system as well. For instance, in the United States, red wrappers are for pennies, blue for nickels, green for dimes, and orange for quarters.
   Advertisement
3. 3
   Remove any potentially valuable coins from your collection. “From a collector's perspective, the first thing to do is examine each of the coins and make sure that you're not returning a rare, valuable coin to the bank,” says Hockley. He notes that you especially don’t want to return a special error coin, a variety, a key date, or a silver coin. These coins can be worth a lot more than their face value, and you definitely want to get your money's worth!

   • As Hockley explains, “Sometimes people will take Grandpa's coin collection to the bank because they don't know any better, and they'll get $100 worth of coins, but it's really $6,000 or something.”
   • Hockley notes that “it's always sad because the person whose collection it was absolutely knew the value.” He says, “I've gotten collections from the bank where every coin in the roll is in date order because clearly somebody collected it and put it that way, and a grandchild or whoever just brought it in.”
   • If you’re specifically searching for valuable coins, Hockley explains that you can ask your local bank teller to let you know when someone brings in old or interesting coins so you can withdraw them. He says this is called a “collection dump.”
4. 
   4
   Separate your coins by type. Gather your change and spread the coins out on a flat, and preferably soft, surface. Organize them into different piles based on their type (denomination). There is no need to stack or count them yet.

   • While any flat surface will work, a soft surface, like a bed, makes it easier to pick the coins up and keep them separated.
   • If you have a large amount of mixed coins, skip to our “Other Ways to Sort or Measure Coins” section for information on coin-sorting machines.
5. 
   5
   Divide the coins into piles of 10. Most coin rolls hold coins in increments of 10, so this will make it easier to see how many coins you have and speed up the rolling process. The best way to do this is to work with both hands at once, picking up a total of 10 coins in each hand. Place each group of 10 into its own pile.

   • You may be tempted to stack the coins instead of making piles, but this is usually a waste of time, since the stacks often fall over.
6. 
   6
   Pick up enough piles to fill one roll. Each roll contains a certain number of coins, depending on the wrapper. The monetary value of the coins will be printed on the wrapper, so use this to calculate how many coins you need. Then, grab the amount of coins needed to fill the wrapper.

   • If you have small hands, you may need to pick up a smaller amount of coins and fill each roll in sections.
   • For example, Hockley says a roll of pennies contains 50 cents, or 50 coins. Pick up 5 piles of 10 pennies, since 5 x 10 = 50.
   • Skip to our “How many coins go in a roll?” section for precise details on how many coins to use for each roll.
7. 
   7
   Open the wrapper and pour in the coins. Unfold one end of the wrapper, if necessary. Arrange the handful of coins into a cylinder shape so it’s easier to pour them into the roll. If your wrapper is open at both ends, stick a finger into one opening to block it off so the coins don’t fall out. Then, tilt your hand holding the row of coins toward the open end, allowing them to slide down into the wrapper.

   • Some wrappers are sold as open tubes, so you may not need to open them.
   • To arrange your coins into a cylinder, hold them in one hand and use your other hand to arrange them in a sideways stack. The coins should stand on their edges, running in a line from your palm to your fingertips.
   • If the coins get stuck or fall out over the wrapper, slide all the coins out and repeat the process. This will happen less and less often as you practice.
8. 
   8
   Fold the ends of the wrapper closed. Place a finger on each end of the filled wrapper and move the coins from side to side until there is an equal amount of space on each end. Fold down each end of the wrapper to secure the coins inside.

   • For flat coin wrappers, fold the two creased edges down over the coin, then fold the two remaining points down over them. Repeat with the other side.
9. 
   9
   Repeat for your remaining coins. Pick up another pile, form it into a stack, and pour it into the next wrapper. This may be a slow process at first, but it will get easier the more you practice. Once all your coins are rolled, it will be easy to see how much money you have.
Advertisement

Section 2 of 3:

How many coins go in a roll?

Download Article

1. Each roll holds a different number of coins. “Every denomination has a different number,” says Hockley. This is because different coin denominations vary in coin size and thickness. The monetary value of the amount of coins needed will be printed on the wrapper, but here are the amounts needed for different types of coins:

   • U.S. rolls: Hockley explains that the following number of coins go into each roll:
     • 50 pennies (50 cents)
     • 40 nickels ($2.00)
     • 50 dimes ($5.00)
     • 40 quarters ($10.00)
     • 20 half dollars ($10.00)
     • 25 small dollar coins ($25.00)
   • Euro rolls:
     • 50 one-cent coins
     • 50 two-cent coins
     • 50 five-cent coins
     • 40 ten-cent coins
     • 40 twenty-cent coins
     • 40 fifty-cent coins
     • 25 one-euro coins
     • 25 two-euro coins

Section 3 of 3:

Other Ways to Sort or Measure Coins

Download Article

1. 
   1
   Use a coin-counting machine at a supermarket or your bank. Hockley explains that many large stores and banks have coin-counting machines, which rapidly count inserted mixed coins. He says you simply dump the coins into the machine’s funnel, and it calculates how much they’re worth. If you use a machine at your bank, Hockley says the money gets deposited right into your account. If you use a machine at a store, like a green Coinstar machine, he says you can either get cash or a gift card.

   • If you choose the cash option, Hockley says you’ll “get a receipt and get cash from the cashier.” He just notes that the machines take a large percentage of your total coin value.
   • If you choose the gift card option, Hockley says you get “100% of your money, it's just in a gift card.” The machines typically have several options to choose from, including Amazon gift cards.
   • In Canada or the eastern U.S., even non-customers can use the coin-counting machines at BMO (Bank of Montreal) or TD Bank, although there may be fees. Find the nearest location of a BMO coin-counting service here.
2. 
   2
   Buy a coin-sorting machine. Coin-sorting machines for home use separate coins of different types into their own stack, or even into prepared paper wrappers. These range from a stack of cheap plastic trays with different-sized holes to machines that cost several hundred dollars or euros.

   • Cheap, electronic coin-counting machines may jam after a few uses. Look for reviews online before buying one.
3. 
   3
   Measure your change collection’s face value by weight. While the relative value of currencies varies from day to day, coins like quarters, dimes, and pennies will always have the same face value (ex, 1 quarter = 25 cents). Coins are minted with a precise size and composition of metals, so each one also weighs a certain, predictable amount. Because of this, you can estimate the value of a mixed coin collection using CoinCalc.com for U.S. coinage, or separate them by type and weigh them for a more accurate result.

   • For example, one pound of quarters is worth $20 at face value. One pound of nickels is worth about $4.50, and one pound of pennies is worth about $1.80.
   • One kilogram of two-euro coins is worth about €235 at face value. One kilo of one-euro coins is worth about €133, and one kilo of 50-cent euro coins is worth about €64.
   • Note: This method won’t work if you want to know a coin’s relative value, meaning how much it’s worth compared to similar assets, as relative value isn’t permanent.
   • In the United Kingdom, banks will weigh bags of coins for you.
Advertisement

Community Q&A

Search

Add New Question

• Question

  Are coin rolls free at the bank?

  

  wikiHow Staff Editor
  Staff Answer

  This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

  

  wikiHow Staff Editor

  Staff Answer

  The coin rolls are usually free at the bank but you may need to be a customer at that bank. Drop in and ask them for the rolls in the denominations you need. Be aware that in some cases you may need to order certain denominations if they’re not readily available.

  Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
  Thank you for your feedback.
  If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow

  Yes No

  Not Helpful 2 Helpful 7
• Question

  Can you tape the ends shut?

  

  wikiHow Staff Editor
  Staff Answer

  This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

  

  wikiHow Staff Editor

  Staff Answer

  You should not need to tape the ends shut, as a bank-approved roll should already hold the coins snugly, preventing them from falling out of the roll. If you need to tape the roll for any reason, keep it simple and only use one piece of tape, to make it easier and quicker for the bank teller to get the coins out.

  Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
  Thank you for your feedback.
  If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow

  Yes No

  Not Helpful 2 Helpful 5
• Question

  Do banks still take rolls of coins?

  

  wikiHow Staff Editor
  Staff Answer

  This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

  

  wikiHow Staff Editor

  Staff Answer

  Many banks will still take rolls of coins but you may need to be a customer or you’ll either be charged a fee or the bank won’t take the rolls. In many cases, the coins must be rolled, so you’re off to a good start if you’ve already done so. It’s best to ask your bank first, so you can be certain.

  Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
  Thank you for your feedback.
  If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow

  Yes No

  Not Helpful 1 Helpful 5

See more answers

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Advertisement

Video

Tips

Tips from our Readers

The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

• Instead of just rolling four quarters at a time, I laid all the coins in the palm of my hand, lined them up lengthwise, took my wrapper and slid it underneath the coins, and pushed it all the way to the end!

Submit a Tip

All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published

Name

Please provide your name and last initial

Submit

Thanks for submitting a tip for review!