Money Box: cashing coin collections

Many people have a jar full of small change.

And when times are tight, these dusty collections can suddenly look like a potentially-valuable savings nest egg.

A tidy sum, but not a tidy pile of coins - so what is the best way to turn your coppers into a more manageable load for your wallet?

Supermarket coin-changing machines are popular, but how much of a cut do they take?

Banks change money for free - but how easy is it to get them to do it?

Ruth Alexander gathered up spare change from the production office and ventured out to the high street to investigate.

This item was first broadcast on Radio 4's Money Box on Saturday, 3 October 2009.