Wisconsinites, North Shore Bank exchange nearly $1M in coins to address national shortage

BROOKFIELD, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Amid a national coin shortage, pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters totaling nearly $1 million have been put back into circulation, thanks to Wisconsinites and North Shore Bank. 

At the beginning of July, North Shore Bank put out a call for coins. They offered to count change for free and exchange it for bills in an effort to keep Wisconsin commerce moving -- and it worked! 

According to North Shore Bank, from July to the end of August, the program recirculated more than $830,000 at 46 branches across Wisconsin and northern Illinois. 

“We never expected such a huge response, but we are sure glad the coin just kept coming,” said Sue Doyle, senior vice president of retail banking at North Shore Bank. “Whether someone brought in a piggy bank or five-gallon pails of change, their effort helped businesses across the state to have enough coin to keep operations moving.”

The free counting program ended Aug. 31. All North Shore Bank lobbies and branches are currently open and coin counting is always free for customers, while non-customers will again pay a nominal fee.