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When I stroll around my apartment complex, I regularly find stray coins around the dumpster enclosures. Sometimes it's just a penny or two, but it's the area most likely to show results. This means people are throwing things away that happen to have coins in them. What are the most common of these items you think? Couches of course, and these are large enough where people usually just place them next to the dumpsters instead of inside them. I once found a busted piggy bank that netted me 85 cents.

So what are your best discarded items to "shake down" for potential loose change?

coindood wrote:When I stroll around my apartment complex, I regularly find stray coins around the dumpster enclosures. Sometimes it's just a penny or two, but it's the area most likely to show results. This means people are throwing things away that happen to have coins in them. What are the most common of these items you think? Couches of course, and these are large enough where people usually just place them next to the dumpsters instead of inside them. I once found a busted piggy bank that netted me 85 cents.

So what are your best discarded items to "shake down" for potential loose change?

I'd imagine anything with drawers.

One LCS in my area had a guy bring in a war nickel he found in a dresser he bought at a thrift store (this was about 15 years ago, IIRC). LCS sent it to be graded for him, and it came back as finest-known.

Old clothes dryers?

Definitely dresser drawers. Found a beautiful 10k gold in a drawer of an empty dresser at an apartment complex.

Used cars from private sellers. These are not discarded items, BUT they sometimes have change in them which becomes YOURS once you take possession. In the mid 90's I bought a Chevy citation with a half dollar underneath one of the seats.

Great topic!

I totally agree with dryers being a good place to look. Rather than dismantle one, you can roll it back and forth to listen for coins. A bonus is that they often contain jewelry as well.

Another good place to look is luggage, since there are often many compartments and some can be quite small.

Here’s an interesting story about a find of mine. It was Labor Day in 2021 and I was leaving a house in a nice gated community. One house therein had a bunch of rubbish by the curb for pickup. Among the items was one of those large
five gallon water jugs which had nothing in it except for $16.82 in coins ($12 of the coins were quarters). I was shocked to see it just sitting by the curb!

A vacuum cleaner might strong enough to suck up a dime or cent on its last hurrah. Then put out to the curb where you get the cord and motor too. I doubt most vacuums would be able suck up a half or golden or silver dollar.

New one for me....tore apart a refrigerator today. Got a penny in the freezer section.

Vehicles.

I opened up a computer one of my friends gave me , in it no money but a pot pipe. Lol... I guess it was where his x wifes kids hid it when they were young.

I have found change under the old style agitator in discarded washing machines. I lucked into a few from a washateria and there was quite a bit of change under the agitators.

Another one I hadn't thought of until I saw it today near a dumpster - old luggage. Check those zippered compartments!

Tourney64 wrote:Vehicles.

Appreciate the response, but I'm looking for household items that find their way to dumpsters.

Purses have lots of pouches. I suppose some might get misses. Clothes, especially coats. We bought a $5 suit for our son once at a thrift store. It had $20 in the pocket. Cant tell you how many times I have put my hand in my own coat pocket and found money that I had forgot about.

I know this is very unusual, but thought I’d include it anyway.

I found a box of corks and in with the corks was a dime. That just goes to show how money can be found in all kinds of wild places!

This may be a bit old school, but envelopes might hold coins and cash.
While cleaning out my grandmothers stuff we found her shopping drawer filled with envelopes and coupons and lots of newspaper clippings. In with all that was cash and coins and a detailed list on what and how much to spend for the coming weeks.
I used the good old envelope system when I was younger. It taught me good budgeting habits. I’m sure plenty of people still use it today.

Recyclersteve wrote:I know this is very unusual, but thought I’d include it anyway.

I found a box of corks and in with the corks was a dime. That just goes to show how money can be found in all kinds of wild places!

Winos..
Flip side. I used to collect the bottle caps from bars.lots of times there were quarters from tips. Thinking back.I believe a couple pennies and one $5 bill.

Sunday night I was driving around the neighborhood looking for discarded items sitting by the curb. It is that week when the city picks up curbside clippings and rubbish.

In a box with books, a stuffed animal and other miscellaneous stuff was 56 cents. No good dates, but the coins were just sitting loose at the bottom of the box.