News Release

Presidents Day Observation: coin seen as not practical but Americans love the Lincoln

BELLEVUE, Wash. – Feb. 10, 2006 – While more than a quarter (27 percent) of Americans find pennies of little value and have no plans for their use, popularity for the President Lincoln Cent continues to soar. Four out of five people (79 percent) will still pick up a penny off the ground, and two-thirds of Americans (66 percent) still want to keep the penny as legal tender.

The 8th Annual Coinstar National Currency Poll, a consumer study that provides a look at Americans and their money, polled the U.S. population over 2005 to explore the practicality and popularity for the penny. Other findings included:

• 84 percent of females and 74 percent of males would still pick up a penny off the ground
• 73 percent of females and 58 percent of males want to keep the penny
• 33 percent of males and 22 percent females do not value loose change or keep track of it
• While more Americans own Piggy banks than in 2002 (67 percent versus 56 percent), less are now using them for penny accumulation (57 percent versus 87 percent)
• Only 27 percent of Americans want to eliminate the penny, virtually the same level as in 2001 (26 percent)
• To date, Abraham Lincoln is the most favorite president featured on U.S. Currency, just beating George Washington 28 percent to 25 percent (from 2004 Coinstar National Currency Poll)

About the Poll

In its eighth year, the Coinstar National Currency Poll was developed in April 1998 to provide information to better understand coin and currency habits in America, and track trends, behaviors and attitudes towards currency – both traditional and new forms, as well as related topics. The 2005 Coinstar poll results were compiled by an independent market research firm from May 2005 and late December 2005 telephone research studies. Each study contains a nationally representative sample of more than 1,000 American's age 18+, with a margin of error of +/- 3.1 percent.

Coinstar, Inc. the leader in self-service coin counting at more than 12,000 supermarket and other retail locations, now offers coin counting for no-fee when consumers redeem their coins for gift cards or eCertificates from leading national retailers such as Starbucks, Amazon.com, Borders, Waldenbooks, Linens ‘n Things, Pier 1 imports and Hollywood Video.

About Coinstar, Inc.

Coinstar, Inc. (Nasdaq: CSTR) is a multi-national company offering a range of 4th Wall™ solutions for the retailers' front of store consisting of self-service coin counting, electronic payment solutions, and entertainment services. The company's products and services can be found at more than 65,000 retail locations including supermarkets, drug stores, mass merchants, convenience stores, and restaurants. For more information, visit www.coinstar.com.