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How Do Bill Counters Work? 

  • Bill Counter Operation

    If your business handles large volumes of cash, counting bills by hand can be a tedious, time consuming and potentially costly process. Safescan’s extensive range of bill counters offers a variety of functions and features that help save time and increase accuracy and efficiency. Features such as batching and counterfeit detection will help speed the end-of-day counting process, reduce errors and save money.

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  • Desirable Bill Counter Features

    Safescan’s bill counters encompass a wide range of capabilities and functionalities. Bill counters such as the 2200 series can quickly and accurately count a stack of sorted single denomination bills and report the number of bills counted (piece counting). The 2600 series includes a value calculator that can total the value of a single denomination stack of bills. The 2885-S can count and determine the value of a stack of mixed denomination bills (value counting). The 2985-SX can count, value count, sort, face and orient a stack of mixed denomination bills. All Safescan bill counters feature add and batch functions to maximize counting efficiency. Varying levels of counterfeit detection capability are available depending on the machine chosen.

  • Bill Counter Operation

    Once a stack of bills has been placed into the hopper on the top of the machine, the bill on the bottom of the stack activates a sensor which triggers the feed-in roller. The feed-in roller takes this bill and then successively passes it to a secondary roller operating at a much higher speed. Side-mounted friction flanges ensure that only one bill is fed into the machine at a time. A fanning wheel causes the bills to be spaced out as they are scanned by an optical sensor which counts each bill as it passes (and determines the bill’s value - if the machine offers a value count feature).

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  • Front- vs. Back-Loading Machines

    Both types of machines feature loading hoppers on the top of the machine. The difference between front- and back-loading machines is the orientation of how bills are placed in the hopper. A front-loading machine requires the bills be placed into the hopper in a horizontal stack (i.e. placed flat face-up or face-down). Bills are placed into the hopper of a back-loading machine in a vertical stack (i.e. face-forward on its side). Front-loading machines offer the benefit of being able to add bills while the machine is counting which speeds up the counting process. Back-loading bill counters must first completely cycle through a stack before more bills can be added to the hopper.

  • Detecting Counterfeit Bills

    Different bill counters offer different levels of counterfeit detection - the level of counterfeit detection required is generally based on the type of business and amount of cash handled. Safescan’s 2200 and 2600 series machines offer basic counterfeit detection using up to 3-point detection: ultraviolet (UV), magnetic and bill size. Safescan’s 2885-S and 2985-SX offer the highest level of counterfeit detection using advanced 7-point counterfeit detection – which employs additional sensors (such as infrared and color sensors). More information on this technology is available on our counterfeit detection page.

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  • Weight-Based Bill Counting

    Highly accurate scales like the Safescan 6165 or 6185 are able to count bills based purely on their weight – with the added benefit of also being able to count coins. Extremely precise load cells and electronics combined with a database of detailed coin and currency weights result in a versatile and accurate money counting scale. Follow the scale’s prompts to place each denomination on the scale’s platform – and watch the scale total each item and display the running grand total. Money scales are ideal for businesses using cash registers that need to be counted at the end of each shift and day. Find out more about how these scales work by checking our page on counting money by weight.