# Would putting the wrong coin into a gumball machine break it? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 16, 2020, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-putting-the-wrong-coin-into-a-gumball-machine-break-it/925649 "2020-11-16T00:54:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2020, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-putting-the-wrong-coin-into-a-gumball-machine-break-it/925649/1 "2020-11-16T00:54:45Z")
Many years ago when I worked at Blockbuster, I was waiting on a woman and her rather unruly son at the register. He kept fiddling with the gumball machine and was trying to put a nickel in the quarter slot, which freaked me out because I figured it would break it. The woman even bitched at me for raising my voice to her child to protect the store’s property. She managed to dissuade him of the notion, but if he _had_ put a different-size coin in the gumball machine’s slot, would it have broken? Would it have dispensed, or done nothing? ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2020, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-putting-the-wrong-coin-into-a-gumball-machine-break-it/925649/2 "2020-11-16T01:02:07Z")
Would the nickel have even fit in the slot? This reminds me of when Thailand came out with the 10-baht coin. It was roughly the same size and shape as a one-euro coin but worth maybe 25 cents or less American. Reports at the time were that people in Europe who had brought back some 10-baht coins were using them successfully in vending machines. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2020, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-putting-the-wrong-coin-into-a-gumball-machine-break-it/925649/3 "2020-11-16T01:04:41Z")
Nickels are a little thicker than quarters so it might not fit but possibly could jam it. It all depends on the particular mechanism. Gumball machines are pretty basic, I assume that it’s a more modern version if it takes quarters and probably is well designed to deal with all sorts coins and slugs someone might use. Probably worst case is jamming the mechanism. ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2020, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-putting-the-wrong-coin-into-a-gumball-machine-break-it/925649/4 "2020-11-16T01:12:39Z")
By the way, I meant to put this in General Questions. I’ve already flagged it. The kid seemed to have no trouble fitting the nickel into the quarter slot; it seemed to me that all he had to do was let go. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2020, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-putting-the-wrong-coin-into-a-gumball-machine-break-it/925649/5 "2020-11-16T01:20:40Z")
What are you calling a gumball machine? Did the coin sit in a slot and then a knob was turned to move the coin along? ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2020, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-putting-the-wrong-coin-into-a-gumball-machine-break-it/925649/6 "2020-11-16T01:31:07Z")
> [@ekedolphin](#): > > By the way, I meant to put this in General Questions. I’ve already flagged it. Moved from the Game Room. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2020, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-putting-the-wrong-coin-into-a-gumball-machine-break-it/925649/7 "2020-11-16T02:22:29Z")
My scouting summer camp had Coke machines. Some kid(s?) tried putting the pull tab in the slot. It jammed the mechanism. The vending company cleared the jam once. It happened again and the camp leaders announced it wouldn’t be cleared again for a couple days. June in Arkansas is not a pleasant place without cold drinks. We had water but it wasn’t fun. We were very thankful when the Coke machines were fixed. ---
**Author:** ![JacobSwan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@JacobSwan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JacobSwan)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2020, 10:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-putting-the-wrong-coin-into-a-gumball-machine-break-it/925649/8 "2020-11-16T10:11:46Z")
1984 School trip to West Germany (there were 2 germanys in those days!). English 5p piece was the same size as a 1DM coin, which was worth about 25p. The coke machine at the youth hostel couldn’t tell the difference so we enjoyed cheap drinks for a few days. Then they restocked the machine and emptied the coins. We were told to either make up the difference or leave immediately! ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2020, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-putting-the-wrong-coin-into-a-gumball-machine-break-it/925649/9 "2020-11-16T12:16:02Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > What are you calling a gumball machine? Did the coin sit in a slot and then a knob was turned to move the coin along? Yeah, that’s the kind. ---
**Author:** ![CoconutPete](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coconutpete/32/5294_2.png) [@CoconutPete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CoconutPete)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2020, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-putting-the-wrong-coin-into-a-gumball-machine-break-it/925649/10 "2020-11-16T12:42:24Z")
Man this happened when you worked at Blockbuster, this has been bothering you for quite some time, the kid is probably like 30 now. ---
**Author:** ![Mark\_Finn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/34f0e0/32.png) [@Mark\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mark_Finn)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2020, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-putting-the-wrong-coin-into-a-gumball-machine-break-it/925649/11 "2020-11-16T12:46:44Z")
In pre-Euro days, French 20-centime coins (worth about 5c at the time) were a good substitute for 25c coins in Canadian vending machines. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2020, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-putting-the-wrong-coin-into-a-gumball-machine-break-it/925649/12 "2020-11-16T16:16:23Z")
I vaguely remember that a particular foreign coin would work as a cheap replacement for one of the NYC subway tokens. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2020, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-putting-the-wrong-coin-into-a-gumball-machine-break-it/925649/13 "2020-11-16T16:25:29Z")
Googling, in [1982](https://www.nytimes.com/1982/11/18/nyregion/connecticut-highway-token-buys-subway-ride-too.html), Connecticut sold highway tokens for $0.175 each (a roll of forty for seven bucks) that could be used in lieu of a $0.75 NYC subway token ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2020, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-putting-the-wrong-coin-into-a-gumball-machine-break-it/925649/14 "2020-11-16T16:38:36Z")
I expect that coin-operated candy machines are well-tested and engineered to gracefully reject the normal coinage that they don’t accept because otherwise little kids are going to break them _constantly_ and a broken vending machine is not a very useful object. But of course coins from other countries or various unofficial tokens are potentially problematic. I wonder if any country has seriously considered the seignorage benefit of making lower valued coins that are the same size as a US quarter… ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2020, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-putting-the-wrong-coin-into-a-gumball-machine-break-it/925649/15 "2020-11-16T16:44:32Z")
Back in the day (circa 1985) my friends and I knew that the pull-rings from soda/beer cans could be forced into parking meters. When you then turned the knob, the pull-ring would grind in the gears and jam the meter. Like in Monopoly, we then had FREE PARKING for 4 hours. When the meter was repaired, you moved your car to a different meter, rinse&repeat. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2020, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-putting-the-wrong-coin-into-a-gumball-machine-break-it/925649/16 "2020-11-16T16:58:04Z")
So just letting go of the nickel won’t do anything, It probably won’t seat properly, it may be too wide to rotate the mechanism, and it’s lack of diameter may not activate a cam that allows the mechanism to completely rotate. Worst case is probably a jam, and a kid may not have the strength to cause that with a nickel. When I was a little kid you got to pieces of chicklets type gum for a penny at the hardware store. I don’t think they had a problem with people trying to use dimes instead of pennies. ---
**Author:** ![Didi44](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47c2d/32.png) [@Didi44](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Didi44)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2020, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-putting-the-wrong-coin-into-a-gumball-machine-break-it/925649/17 "2020-11-16T19:48:54Z")
This may be an unban legend because I can’t find any article about about it, but supposedly at a certain subway(s), Necco wafers could be used instead of the regular token. I was never able to do it, but I’ve seen my friends spin\* pennies in nickels in pay phones and candy machines and have it mistaken for a quarter. \*You put the coin on edge of the coin slot flick downward with the tip of your finger, causing it to spin. Sometimes the coin would register, then return in the reject box. Double win! ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2020, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-putting-the-wrong-coin-into-a-gumball-machine-break-it/925649/18 "2020-11-16T20:03:02Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I vaguely remember that a particular foreign coin would work as a cheap replacement for one of the NYC subway tokens. Similar story here in Chicago; the CTA used to use tokens for the buses and L trains. Somewhere along the line, it was discovered that West German 1-pfennig coins would be accepted by the fare machines, and became rather popular. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2020, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-putting-the-wrong-coin-into-a-gumball-machine-break-it/925649/19 "2020-11-16T20:09:06Z")
Sixty-year old anecdote time! I was at Golden Gate Park with my grandmother, at some pavilion that had gendering machines. One of the machines would, upon receipt of a quarter, drop a slug of plastic into a heated mold, and blow it into a little plastic bear, then dispense it. I had only a nickel, which I dropped in the slot. The machine returned my nickel. Just to see what would happen, I kept inserting the nickel. After five tries, it kept the nickel. But it didn’t make a toy for me. For all of you non-Americans, a quarter is a twenty-five cent coin, and a nickel is a five-cent piece. Also, WHY AREN’T YOU AMERICAN??? ETA: it was probably closer to fifty-five years. I didn’t have my multiplication tables learned when I was four. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2020, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-putting-the-wrong-coin-into-a-gumball-machine-break-it/925649/20 "2020-11-16T20:10:41Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > at some pavilion that had gendering machines Outstanding auto-correct error, I take it? 😉 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-putting-the-wrong-coin-into-a-gumball-machine-break-it/925649.md?page=2)