Electronic currency counter

An electronic currency counter for counting a stack of paper currency, said currency counter comprising

• a pocket-sized housing having a ledge extending therefrom bordered by a pair of spaced parallel side walls perpendicular to the ledge forming an enclosure for accommodating at least one end part of a stack of paper currency;
• a source of light in one of the side walls for providing light extending to the other of the side walls and illuminating said other of the side walls entirely, from the ledge to the top of said other side wall;
• a plurality of photoresponsive cells on said other of said side walls for receiving the light from the source of light, said photoresponsive cells being arranged in rows parallel to said ledge, each of the rows of cells being dimensioned to correspond to the thickness of a single piece of paper currency, said photoresponsive cells functioning as a currency sensor and producing an electrical signal for each row of cells obstructed and therefore for each piece of paper currency resting on said ledge between said side walls;
• counter means in the housing electrically connected to the cells for counting the electrical signals produced thereby;
• indicating means in the housing electrically connected to the counter means for visually indicating the count of said counter means;
• and
• a source of electrical energy in the housing electrically connected to the indicating means and the source of light whereby said indicating means indicates the number of pieces of paper currency in the stack of currency resting on said ledge in said enclosure.