Physical article exchange using a safe

1. A system for exchanging coins for cash using a safe comprising:

a safe having:

a secure chamber for receiving and a lock for securing, cash and coins;

a sensor for determining existence in the secure chamber of a total cash value of and denominations of cash;

a safe computing device coupled to the sensor for:

receiving a selection from a merchant to exchange cash having a total cash value for coins having a total coin value;

determining that cash having at least the total cash value of the merchant selection exists in the safe at a first time;

sending information to an exchange agent including the selection from the merchant to exchange cash having the total cash value of the merchant selection with coins having the total cash 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;

receiving from a courier a selection to exchange coins having the total coin value of the merchant selection for cash having the total cash value of the merchant selection;

determining that coins having the total coin value of the merchant selection exist in the safe and cash having at least the total cash value of the merchant selection is removed from the safe at a second time that is later than the first time.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the secure chamber is also for receiving and the lock is for securing from the merchant, a money deposit having a total monetary value greater than the total cash value of cash selected to be exchanged; and

further comprising:

an exchange agent computing device for:

calculating a reduced total monetary value of the money deposit as the total monetary value minus the total cash value of cash selected to be exchange; and

receiving the information sent by the safe, storing the information and sending updated information to a bank, the updated information including the reduced total monetary value of the money deposit.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein receiving the selection from the merchant includes receiving selections of denominations of cash for the total cash value of cash of the merchant selection and receiving selections of denominations of coins for the total cash value of coins of the merchant selection;

wherein the safe computing device determines that cash having at least the total cash value of the merchant selection exists in the safe at the first time based on data received from the sensor; and

wherein the safe computing device determines that the total cash value of cash of the merchant selection is removed from the safe at the second time based on data received from the sensor.

4. The system of claim 3 , the exchange agent computing device for sending a report to the safe computing device, the report including locations, dates and times of:

the selection from the merchant to exchange,

the selected denominations of cash for the total cash value of cash of the merchant selection and the selected denominations of coins for the total cash value of coins of the merchant selection,

a cash value of cash that existed in the safe at the first time,

the total cash value of cash that was removed from the safe at the second time, and

the reduced total monetary value of the deposit.

5. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

the safe computing device for:

determining that cash having at least the total cash value of the merchant selection does not exist in the safe prior to sending the information to an exchange agent, and sending an error message to the merchant; and

determining that cash having at least the total cash value of the merchant selection has not been removed from the safe at a third time that is after receiving from the courier the selection to exchange, and sending an error message to the courier and to the exchange agent.

6. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

the exchange agent computing device for receiving the information sent by the safe, storing the information and sending the information to a bank;

the bank computing device for receiving the information sent by the exchange agent, storing the information and sending the information to a courier;

a courier computing device for receiving the information sent by the bank and storing the information;

the safe computing device for receiving from the courier a selection to secure the coins having the total coin value of the merchant selection within the chamber and remove cash having the total value of the merchant selection from the secure chamber.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the total cash value of the merchant selection is equal in monetary value to the total coin value of the merchant selection.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first time is prior to receiving the courier selection to exchange and the second time is after receiving the courier selection to exchange.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

determining that cash having at least the total cash value of the merchant selection exists in the safe at the first time comprises receiving a first user input at the safe computing device; and

determining that coins having the total coin value of the coins of the merchant selection exist in the safe and cash having at least the total cash value of the merchant selection is removed from the safe at the second time comprises receiving a second user input at the safe computing device.