Actually coins could work their way out of the tub and, in one of the worst cases, a quarter could go down the hose to the pump and seal the opening. Then you had the task of bailing as much water as you could out of the machine before padding the area under the pump with lots of towels and removing the hose from the pump. The other case that did more damage was when a coin or other small object would lodge in the small gaps that exist at places between the front of the tub and the side wall with all of the drain holes in it. You can see them with a strong light. This makes a louder noise than the usual spinning which can sound like a house falling down and, eventually, will score a channel in the porcelain outer tub that then will rust. Rust in the machine makes it impossible to use chlorine bleach because it will leave rust spots on the white things you are bleaching.
