A compact automatic coin counter comprising a coin bowl, a coin wheel, a coin track, a coin rail and a coin sensor, wherein the coin wheel, which is arranged to be able to rotate, is inclined with its lowermost part within the coin bowl, wherein the coin wheel is provided with one or more recesses for collection of coins from the coin bowl so that coins, which are caught in these recesses when the recesses pass through the coin bowl at rotation of the coin wheel, follow the movement of the recesses upwardly on the rotating coin wheel, and wherein the coin wheel is further provided with a circular coin path passing across the recesses for collection of coins and consisting of one or more grooves deeper recessed in the axial direction than these recesses, and the coin rail is provided with one or more coin lifters, which extend into these grooves in such a way that the coin lifters lift the coins from the recesses in the coin wheel onto the coin track, where they lean against the coin rail and individually roll past the coin sensor, which types each coin, after which the total value of the counted coins is calculated wherein said coin path is divided into two grooves separated by an elevation in the middle of the coin path along at least the main part of its circular course on the coin wheel and in that there are two coin lifters from the coin rail extending into respective grooves on respective sides of this elevation; wherein the recesses for collection of coins are circular in configuration; wherein the diameter of the recesses for collection of coins is between 2 cm and 7 cm; and wherein the depth of the recesses for collection of coins is adapted so that each recess can only transport a single coin up from the coin bowl at a time. wherein the coin wheel, which is arranged to be able to rotate, is inclined with its lowermost part within the coin bowl, wherein the coin wheel is provided with one or more recesses for collection of coins from the coin bowl so that coins, which are caught in these recesses when the recesses pass through the coin bowl at rotation of the coin wheel, follow the movement of the recesses upwardly on the rotating coin wheel, and wherein the coin wheel is further provided with a circular coin path passing across the recesses for collection of coins and consisting of one or more grooves deeper recessed in the axial direction than these recesses, and the coin rail is provided with one or more coin lifters, which extend into these grooves in such a way that the coin lifters lift the coins from the recesses in the coin wheel onto the coin track, where they lean against the coin rail and individually roll past the coin sensor, which types each coin, after which the total value of the counted coins is calculated wherein said coin path is divided into two grooves separated by an elevation in the middle of the coin path along at least the main part of its circular course on the coin wheel and in that there are two coin lifters from the coin rail extending into respective grooves on respective sides of this elevation; wherein the recesses for collection of coins are circular in configuration; wherein the diameter of the recesses for collection of coins is between 2 cm and 7 cm; and wherein the depth of the recesses for collection of coins is adapted so that each recess can only transport a single coin up from the coin bowl at a time.