r/interesting 2d ago

MISC. This thing in our local mall got my attention

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What are these called again?

Haven't seen one in a while

761 Upvotes

162 comments sorted by

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595

u/ZVsmokey 2d ago

I feel like I saw these everywhere when I was a kid. Loved wasting money and watching physics at work.

91

u/Beatsu 2d ago

Same!! They had like a plastic bubble on top, and you would slide the coin an opening

50

u/Screaming_lambs 2d ago

Yeah I remember them! They were generally for collecting for different charities.

10

u/Beatsu 2d ago

Yeaah! You're right!!

13

u/Accomplished-Boot-81 2d ago

Those were the MC Donalds ones in my experience

3

u/davidjschloss 1d ago

Yup. For Ronald McDonald house.

2

u/Screaming_lambs 2d ago

Yeah I remember them! They were generally for collecting for different charities.

7

u/Interesting-Step-654 2d ago

I would race them based on the size of the coins. I also don't remember the outcome.

6

u/No_work_today_Satan 2d ago

I saw this post and thought oh shit I'm old.

This was my favorite thing as a child of ADHD and engineering family.

3

u/gujwdhufj_ijjpo 1d ago

I used to reach in at the end when it was spinning in the bottom to try and do it again if I had one coin.

1

u/Disastrous_Ad8145 1d ago

Every blockbuster I've ever been in had one of these. Peak Friday night in 1999

1

u/VengefulOtaku 1d ago

Omg same! Not seen one in years!

1

u/Spuzzle91 1d ago

Omg yeah! Walmart had them by the front doors, a big round bin with a yellow and orange funnel like this on top under a clear dome. I think it was to gather donations for the children's miracle network

1

u/spacekitt3n 13h ago

what a perfect way to scam children lmao

100

u/WildGeerders 2d ago

Its called:"Shut up and take my money"

18

u/brockoala 2d ago

4

u/revdon 1d ago

Glory hole?

2

u/TheAserghui 1d ago

Its an English Bung Hole

186

u/Scrumkingg 2d ago

God you’re young

170

u/N8dork2020 2d ago

And this one sucks ass. They used to spin forever

40

u/Blunted_Insomniac 2d ago

Yeah I was disappointed at the end it spun less than usual

17

u/Charming-Package6905 2d ago

It looks like it was cut on the bottom.

1

u/Rise_Satan_Rise 2h ago

I think it is just worn out. That part of the funnel gets the most force, and also once it starts to become a little uneven, it looks like the coins start going sideways and chipping away more and more.

2

u/wad11656 1d ago

I love it when they make a ton of revolutions inside the small circle at the end. CHKCHKCHKCHKCHCKCHKCHCKCHKCHK thoop

-1

u/Haggis-in-wonderland 1d ago

Plot twist...This is actually Geri Halliwells ass

-7

u/verixtheconfused 2d ago

It might be exactly the same as when we were kids but we were easier to impress back then so it felt endless compared to this one

8

u/TheLordReaver 2d ago edited 2d ago

Probably has more to do with the angle of the chute. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzSu14mOvqk

36

u/11229988B 2d ago

Forgot about those! It's been probably 15- 20 years since I've seen 1

5

u/NothingSalt 1d ago

Theres still one at my local walmart and its still fun to watch!

19

u/LowerPick7038 2d ago edited 1d ago

Such an anti climax. They need to fix it so you can watch that coin get into a supersonic spin just before the end.

7

u/Doit2it42 1d ago

I know. The end was bent and not deep enough. Very disappointing.

2

u/Methadoneblues 1d ago

Yeah wtf, the ones from 25 years ago would spin flat down there for fuckin ever.

3

u/LowerPick7038 1d ago

Yeah they would and the sound!! Wawawawawawawawawa klink

24

u/[deleted] 2d ago

[deleted]

35

u/CoffeeAndElectricity 2d ago

Actually it’s called a "spinny coin thing"

Do your research next time

5

u/Joe_Kangg 2d ago

VORTEX FUNNEL

6

u/InfamyLivesForever 1d ago

Don’t talk about your mother like that

24

u/Natural-Tip-4908 2d ago

This is interesting? Am I becoming old…?

8

u/TryAltruistic7830 2d ago

You're old if you have to ask, yes.

7

u/FluxOperation 2d ago

That “thing” is very familiar to a lot of us.

3

u/Feelfree2sendnudes 1d ago

I could hear the video without the sound on

0

u/L6P9 1d ago

Oh I thought it was flat and…. You’re supposed to….

5

u/Xinonix1 2d ago

We got these in the local zoo, they use the money to support project in Africa and Asia , kids often put little sticks in it so coins will not roll down…

4

u/PanHalen37 2d ago

These were everywhere in the 80s-90s in the UK - the fun way for your kids to convince you to give money to charity

2

u/SpadfaTurds 1d ago

And Australia

3

u/12262k18 2d ago

I remember this from the 90's

10

u/Neganide 2d ago

Don't put money on thèses scam ! I spend 2000$ and i have won nothing !

5

u/Schnitzhole 1d ago

Sorry for your loss, I’ve won countless hours of joy watching my money spiral.

11

u/privateaxe 2d ago

1

u/Magsec5 7h ago

Blimey! I should call milady!

3

u/SaltyBad1133 2d ago

Was there something about making a wish on these?

2

u/BananaIsex 2d ago

Yeah of course, because the charity wanted kids to get their parents to give them quarters to put in there.

5

u/StaysAwakeAllWeek 2d ago

I don't think this ridiculously British coin funnel is after quarters

2

u/BananaIsex 2d ago

Right, not this one, they're lucky, they have full on pound coins. I was just speaking of the ones of my childhood.

2

u/StaysAwakeAllWeek 2d ago

We*

And yes we do, and £2 coins aswell, but the vast majority of coins these actually collect here are 2p and 10p

1

u/EmbarrassedType9014 1d ago

I always found them in a Sainsbury’s or Asda

3

u/Pube_donor 2d ago

I used to get $2 worth of 5c coins and battle/race them

3

u/Jimnumber 2d ago

The funnel broken?

3

u/Flaky-Scholar9535 2d ago

Put multiple coins in at the same time, thank me later.

3

u/Happy-go-lucky-37 2d ago

Replace it with the American flag, and you’re spot on!

3

u/EtherParfait 1d ago

Bro what, this one is terrible you got ripped off!

3

u/Howling929 1d ago

Why is this interesting? 🤨.. google any old McDonald’s or block buster or mall…anywhere that had the old Nintendo 64’s attachment to the walls in that made up little game tv tower stand basically.

3

u/Zillahi 1d ago

My local Dairy Queen had a couple coin machines like this when I was a kid. They had this same kind of spinny one, and then another glass enclosed one with multiple different slots which would direct the coin down various different contraptions depending on which slot you put the coin through. Our bus station also has a similar machine but it sent gum balls down the tracks.

2

u/RedditSpamAcount 2d ago

The cooler wishing well:

2

u/red1q7 2d ago

Art: The black hole of taxes.

2

u/usedburgermeat 2d ago

Are these coming back? I used to love wasting my pennies on these

2

u/Herr-Zipp 2d ago

a good illustration of taxes

2

u/k7nightmare 2d ago

and got people's money

2

u/bebejeebies 2d ago

I called them penny wells.

2

u/Itchifanni250 2d ago

It’s a prophecy of the British economy, every penny is going down the drain.

2

u/mustafa_i_am 2d ago

And that is how black matter works class

2

u/Pom-O-Duro 2d ago

I remember these as a kid. But ours don’t have the Union Jack on them, just cheeseburgers and guns.

2

u/TechnologyFun8803 2d ago

They have a really cool one at the Museum of Science in Boston

2

u/DA_REAL_KHORNE 2d ago

Oooohhhhh the last cylinder bit is too short. They are so much more satisfying when the coin spins round there for a good 10-15 seconds.

2

u/TryAltruistic7830 2d ago

I believe that's called the Union Jack

2

u/Unlucky_Yam6985 2d ago

This one? I think its called Bonnie Blue

2

u/celtbygod 2d ago

Is that a church ?

2

u/a-dino123 2d ago

I thought this was a waterslide at first lmao

2

u/appletinicyclone 2d ago

That is the budget deficit

2

u/MichaelDare5 2d ago

so it worked

2

u/Theoldelf 1d ago

Similar to my 401K.

2

u/Practical-Brush-1139 1d ago

Why is it spice girls colors?

2

u/yuribear 1d ago

Nice metaphor for the economy and stock markets around the world🤣👌

2

u/pizzaduh 1d ago

These used to be in every Walmart growing up. They were a fun way for you to donate to local charities. Ours had a drop on each side and you could "race" each other by putting two coins in.

2

u/MDFan4Life 1d ago

And, your money.

2

u/XanderS0S 1d ago

These used to be everywhere.

2

u/BobbyDale82 1d ago

They were all yellow when I was a kid

2

u/miggleb 1d ago

The thing is OP, this is a shit one too.

Looks like the hole is damaged, it should dance around that fucker for a while

2

u/mightbedylan 1d ago

Oh man these are cool but this one in particularl is disappointing! The bottom of the funnel needs to be smaller so the coin gets some super tight spins right at the end.

2

u/smokelahomie_91 1d ago

The British butthole.

2

u/Chilling_Dildo 1d ago

This is not even a good one of these

2

u/Cookieman10101 1d ago

Britt hole

2

u/FragrantExcitement 1d ago

How much does it cost to ise?

2

u/Torn_Aborn 1d ago

The middle part is fucked and it bothers me because it doesn't do my favorite part

2

u/DeepNarwhalNetwork 1d ago

I like that it traces out the history of the British Empire in North America

2

u/somepumpkinsinasuit 1d ago

I love these! I remember seeing them more when I was a kid in early 2000s. Usually it was for donations to a children’s hospital

2

u/PurpleNinjaMonkey8 1d ago

I was so petty as a child I would actually climb up and grab the coin before it fell in the hole. Saved my parents a few bucks with that.

2

u/MarvelNerdess 1d ago

I loved these things

2

u/Potato_Abuse 1d ago

When I was a kid Taco Bell used to have a version of this with landing platforms under it that you could try to land on for a free taco and stuff like that

2

u/UndeadBuggalo 1d ago

They have one of these at the museum of science Boston

2

u/pinkhazy 1d ago

Meerca Chase irl

2

u/Hitotsudesu 1d ago

Dam I haven't seen one of these in years

2

u/Electronic-Page4918 1d ago

"This thing" 😂 cries in Just Turned 40 And Remembers These From Childhood

2

u/WiseOldChicken 1d ago

Look! It's the economy under Trump!

2

u/Teddy705 1d ago

Every time, I went to the mall as a kid and would put countless pennies into these.

2

u/Communal-Lipstick 1d ago

These used to be all over the US.

2

u/Ok_Drawer7797 1d ago

We had one at the natural history museum with physics facts around the outside and it all went to keep the dang museum open.

2

u/Macho-Fantastico 1d ago

I loved these as a kid. Sadly you almost never see them anymore.

2

u/apocolypselater 1d ago

They used to have these in McDonald’s with the proceeds going to charity back when I was a kid.

2

u/SeaInsect3136 1d ago

The Sphincter of Death!!

2

u/DRSU1993 1d ago edited 1d ago

So I’m a 31 year old from Ireland. These things were common in every shopping centre from the 90’s to around the late 2000’s over here. They’re extremely rare now, but you do still find them in the odd place. Usually an old newsagents shop that hasn’t changed in decades. They’re charity coin collection boxes. I looked them up out of curiosity, apparently they’re called money spinners.

2

u/Guilty-Stage4403 1d ago

Good times

2

u/kosmovii 1d ago

Dang, this one seems kinda messed up.

2

u/bard_of_space 1d ago

oh!! theres one of these at my local museum!!! :D

2

u/thecoolguy2818 1d ago

Saw one before long time ago, but than people just started throwing trash in it so they removed it lol

1

u/DEADMA9kk 1d ago

Ppl probably thought it's just a cool looking trash can

2

u/Grundy_Gamer 1d ago

Spinny Roller Thingy’s

2

u/Sea-Beach-951 1d ago

Hole in one!!!

2

u/ExcitedGirl 13h ago

stephen hawking would have loved it!

2

u/Blinddeafndumb 8h ago

I wonder where that mall is

2

u/P_516 8h ago

Ahhhh 1998

3

u/Kooky-Chair7652 2d ago

Farage’s arsehole

2

u/kinshadow 2d ago

Wrong sub. This is, at its very best, /r/mildlyinteresting material. These are also super common.

2

u/sonofabear17 2d ago

Union Jackhole

2

u/EmmerDoodle121 2d ago

The underside of a British twink

1

u/Pure_Wrongdoer_4714 2d ago

The hole at the bottom of this one is too big. It should be a lot smaller and spin a lot longer

1

u/chukkysh 2d ago

They still have one in my local McDonald's.

1

u/Sad-Memory5892 2d ago

Basically how a black hole works

1

u/StupidMusician1 2d ago

These were everywhere in the 90s

1

u/1diligentmfer 1d ago

In all American malls, 1980s.

1

u/DorShow 1d ago

It’s like my 401k this week, only slower and more fun to watch.

1

u/ersatztvc15 1d ago

The ‘90s, baby.

1

u/Dry_One_2032 1d ago

Yet another sucker sucking coins from unsuspecting people. 😊 #ReadThatAgain

1

u/prorrido 1d ago

the british glory hole

1

u/Muted_Reflection_449 1d ago

I LOVE these ❗😍

1

u/yetareey 17h ago

Not the Britussy

1

u/CharlesLeChuck 15h ago

This is the worst one I've ever seen. That coin should spin way longer right before it drops.

1

u/According_Disaster95 14h ago

It’s a vortex

1

u/AdministrationDue239 4h ago

If that's interesting I'm getting old

1

u/SpeculumSpectrum 4h ago

Childhood memory unlocked

0

u/BennySkateboard 2d ago

I love a coin bum hole with right wing overtones!

6

u/TheIronCompany 2d ago

UK flag is right-wing? lol

1

u/riggybro 2d ago

I feel like there is a Brexit joke somewhere there

1

u/Sikkus 2d ago

I really want to lick that.

1

u/ScarletDarkstar 2d ago

These have been in the mall for 30 years. Amusing but not wildly interesting at this point.

1

u/Defiant-Baby8093 2d ago

Felt like watching my tax being spent...

1

u/Florry90 2d ago

it's a Barry Hole

1

u/Scorpiogre_rawrr 2d ago

OP, why post a video of ya moms belly button?

1

u/Newme91 2d ago

That's what Princess Kate's asshole looks like

1

u/-Its-420-somewhere- 2d ago

Geri Haliwells butt hole

0

u/grantyy94 2d ago

Is it normal to have the flag of the UK in a mall? I don’t think I’ve ever seen a flag in a precinct 🤔

-1

u/PeanutBuny27 2d ago

🇬🇧