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US Mint Deal Is Back!

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    Update:   One or more card offers in this post are no longer available.  Check our Hot Deals for the latest offers.  This page includes information about the Discover it® Cash Back that is not currently available on Million Mile Secrets and may be out of date. 

    I’m very excited that the US Mint deal is back!

    OK, it’s not really.  But I happened to find a way to help meet minimum spending requirements (sort of) buying coins with a credit card!  And with no fees!

    Always Be on the Alert for New Ways to Earn Miles & Points!

    For folks new to our hobby, the US Mint deal was a government program that allowed you to buy dollar coins with a credit card without a fee.

    And some people would buy the coins with their credit cards, then haul these heavy coins to deposit in their bank account, earning Big Travel in the process!

    I was playing Skee-Ball with friends at Punch Bowl Social here in Austin, when I spotted it.  A rare magnificent beast.

    The Change Machine at the Bar & Arcade Accepts Credit Cards!

    I thought, “Surely there must be a fee to use a credit card.”

    But as always, I examined the fine print.  And there was no fee.  Two of my friends had new Discover it® Cash Back that earn $50 after the 1st purchase.  They immediately purchased coins at no cost.

    You Earn a Profit Each Time You Get Coins From the Machine

    I imagined the joy of running my Citi Prestige through the machine to earn 2X Citi ThankYou points for each $1 spent.  (Because the machine is in a bar that is likely categorized as a restaurant or entertainment.)

    I did try it to find out if it would code as a purchase or cash advance (and to see if I’d earn a category bonus).

    Success! It Posted As a Purchase (and I’ll Earn 2X Points for Dining!)

    Then I thought of rolling all those quarters and figured it probably wasn’t worth my time.  Or being known in Austin as “that guy who leaves Punch Bowl Social every day with a huge sack of coins.”

    For that reason, I probably won’t be adding this to my 50+ Ways to Earn Miles & Points post.

    Although, the experience was a reminder that if you keep your eyes open, you can find unusual ways to earn points.  Even if it’s only a few points for fun!

    Bottom Line

    Be on the lookout for hidden ways to earn miles & points for no cost!

    In this case, I found a change machine at an arcade that accepted credit cards with no fee.  My friends and I earned points towards Big Travel playing Ms. Pac-Man!

    Have any of y’all found unexpected ways to earn a few extra points?

    Editorial Note: We're the Million Mile Secrets team. And we're proud of our content, opinions and analysis, and of our reader's comments. These haven’t been reviewed, approved or endorsed by any of the airlines, hotels, or credit card issuers which we often write about. And that’s just how we like it! :)