Physical article exchange using a safe

A non-volatile machine readable medium storing a program having instructions which when executed by a processor will cause the processor to exchange coins for cash using a safe, the instructions of the program for:

• receiving a selection from a merchant to exchange cash having a total cash value for coins having the total coin value;
• determining existence in the secure chamber of the cash having the total cash value of the merchant selection;
• determining if the cash having the total cash value of the merchant selection exists in the safe at a first time, and if so, sending information to an exchange agent, the information including:
• the selection from the merchant to exchange cash having the total cash value of the merchant selection with the coins having the total coin value of the merchant selection;
• and
• the determination of the existence in the secure chamber of cash having at least the total cash value of the merchant selection;
• the safe identifying a courier dispatched by one of the exchange agent or a bank to retrieve a deposit from the safe and deliver the deposit to the bank;
• the safe receiving from a courier a selection to remove cash having the total cash value of the merchant selection from the secure chamber.

A method for exchanging coins for cash using a safe comprising:

• the safe receiving a selection from a merchant to exchange cash having a total cash value for coins having a total coin value;
• the safe receiving from the merchant and securing, the cash having the total cash value of the merchant selection within a secure chamber of the safe;
• the safe determining if the cash having the total cash value of the merchant selection exists in the safe,
• A) and if so, sending information to an exchange agent, the information including:
• the selection from the merchant to exchange cash having the total cash value of the merchant selection with coins having the total coin value of the merchant selection;
• the determination of the existence in the secure chamber of cash having the total cash value of the merchant selection;
• B) and if not, reporting an error message to one of a courier or the exchange agent indicating that cash received from the merchant is insufficient for the selected exchange, wherein the courier is dispatched by one of the exchange agent or a bank to retrieve a deposit from the safe and deliver the deposit to the bank.

A non-volatile machine readable medium storing a program having instructions which when executed by a processor will cause the processor to exchange coins for cash using a safe, the instructions of the program for:

• receiving a selection from a merchant to exchange cash having a total cash value for coins having the total coin value;
• identifying a courier dispatched by one of an exchange agent or a bank to retrieve a deposit from the safe and deliver the deposit to the bank;
• determining if the cash having the total cash value of the merchant selection exists in the safe,
• A) and if so, sending information to the courier, the information including:
• the selection from the merchant to exchange cash having the total cash value of the merchant selection with the coins having the total coin value of the merchant selection;
• and
• the determination of the existence in the secure chamber of cash having at least the total cash value of the merchant selection;
• B) and if not, reporting an error message to the courier indicating that cash received from the merchant is insufficient for the selected exchange, wherein the courier is dispatched by one of the exchange agent or the bank to retrieve the deposit from the safe and deliver the deposit to the bank.