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View Poll Results: Would You Pick Up a Penny That You Found?
I always would 70 45.75%
I never would 41 26.80%
Would depend on the situation. 42 27.45%
Voters: 153. You may not vote on this poll

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Old 04-26-2013, 07:16 AM   #21
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Back in the late 90's, I used to deliver pizzas in the evenings after work. The car I was driving, a 1979 Chrysler Newport, seemed to have a habit of stealing the change out of my pants pockets. I don't know if it was a combination of the type of pants I was wearing and a low seat, or what. But, the coins would get down in that spot where the base cushion and the backrest joined together. And being a 4-door car from that era, the seats didn't tilt or recline, so you really had to dig at it to get the money out.

Well, one day, I went to a McDonalds or some other fast food restaurant with a friend, but neither of us had any money. However, we actually dug enough change out of that seat to feed us both! Okay, so it wasn't a fancy dinner or anything, but it was still amazing how much change that car swallowed up!

I remember reading somewhere years ago that on average, the junkyards find about $1.50-$2.00 just in change of the cars they get in. I actually bought that Newport from the junkyard, for $250, before the junkyard had a chance to start dismantling it. I think I only found about 50 cent in it, though.
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Old 04-26-2013, 07:18 AM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Koolau View Post
Oddly, just a few days ago, i saw a few pennies left on a table (maybe at Taco Bell?).

The novelty of finding a 70 year old "special" coin was worth the effort whatever the value.
You never know, - could have been a 1909-S vdb Lincoln penny in there... Then you would have something worth hundreds or even thousands of dollars. (Depending on condition)
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Old 04-26-2013, 07:37 AM   #23
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Koolau View Post
Oddly, just a few days ago, i saw a few pennies left on a table (maybe at Taco Bell?). I scooped them up and later discovered that one of the pennies was a steel penny from 1943. No idea what it's worth (not a lot, I suppose) though I understand a few 1944 pennies were accidentally struck and circulated from left over steel blanks. Those ARE valuable. The novelty of finding a 70 year old "special" coin was worth the effort whatever the value. As a kid, I recall getting change containing "indian head" pennies, steel pennies, 1944 "spent shell casing" pennies, "war nickels" (cast in silver as we had plenty of that stuff at the time - some of the base metals, not so much.), etc.

Thanks for the brief reverie as we consider the value of a penny. Sigh! I recall them as quite valuable to a kid of 7 or 8 back in the 50s. YMMV.
That's weird. Are you sure that wasn't some a bad tip left on the table? Oh wait..Taco Bell. Some kid raided grandpas coin collection. What were the dates on the other coins?
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Old 04-26-2013, 07:51 AM   #24
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Originally Posted by heeyy_joe View Post
I know it is odd, I will pick up a penny, but only if it is heads up.
I pick them up however I find them, because It's bad luck to be superstitious. :-)
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Old 04-26-2013, 08:00 AM   #25
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Originally Posted by David1961 View Post
When I was younger, I'd always reach for a penny but now most of the time I pass it by, figuring someone else needs it more than I do.
I do pick up quarters and things, but when it comes to pennies, I leave for the same reason. Someone either needs it more, or wants it more. A million and one people could get more joy out of that penny than I ever would, whether it's someone excited to retire a nanosecond earlier () or a young kid who wants a bit of luck.
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Old 04-26-2013, 08:08 AM   #26
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There was one of those news shows that did a segment on picking up actual dollars...

But, it was buried in dog poo....

I can not remember it that well, but there were a number of people who did pick it up... I think the higher the value, the more took it...
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Old 04-26-2013, 09:11 AM   #27
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Yes, I pick up pennies. They are tax free!
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Old 04-26-2013, 10:37 AM   #28
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I pick them up as I say, "I'm working on my next million $".

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Old 04-26-2013, 12:25 PM   #29
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We do, and the reason is . . . a closely held secret known only to DW, I and a select few around us. Has something to do with june bugs, singing do wah diddy and the color orange. That's all I am saying about it.
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Old 04-26-2013, 01:04 PM   #30
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If I was younger, maybe..but heck just last year, my back went out on me for a week, just because I picked up a tshirt off the floor. I have a $5000 deductible, not risking the deductible for a penny!
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Old 04-26-2013, 03:15 PM   #31
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Yes! Recently counted up my pennies (nickles, dimes, quarters) that I picked up from several years of walking / running and had over $35.
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Old 04-26-2013, 03:33 PM   #32
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My penny story from teen years:

Friend drops a penny, I pick it up for her, but she doesn't seem to want it back.

I play with it, flip it, catch it, while chatting, then, absent mindedly pocket it.

NOW she says "where's my penny"!
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Old 04-26-2013, 03:47 PM   #33
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Yes, I will pick it up. That penny is equal to the interest paid on my checking account each month.
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Old 04-26-2013, 04:30 PM   #34
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I still do, but it's somewhat superstitious. I figure if there's a God and he see's me ignore the free penny, he'll go..."Oh, too good to pick up a penny eh? Now I'm going to really rain some financial Hell on you!"
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Old 04-26-2013, 04:34 PM   #35
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A part time teacher in the UK lived on a pound a day for a year. She picked up any money she saw on the ground and it covered a third of her annual budget. I tried to copy and paste a link but I am a bit useless, hopefully it will work . I dont often pick money up myself but maybe I should start. find.http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1052710/How-cash-strapped-teacher-beat-credit-crunch-living-1-day-YEAR-drunken-bet.html. Sorry didn't work google pound a day for a year.
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Old 04-26-2013, 04:36 PM   #36
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Yes, I will pick it up. That penny is equal to the interest paid on my checking account each month.
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Old 04-26-2013, 05:20 PM   #37
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Originally Posted by Onward View Post
I would pick up a 1/10-penny if they made such a coin. To me, legal tender is legal tender.
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Old 04-26-2013, 05:27 PM   #38
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Originally Posted by Arifriekinel View Post

I do pick up quarters and things, but when it comes to pennies, I leave for the same reason. Someone either needs it more, or wants it more. A million and one people could get more joy out of that penny than I ever would, whether it's someone excited to retire a nanosecond earlier () or a young kid who wants a bit of luck.
YouTube calculation on the subject.

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Old 04-26-2013, 05:29 PM   #39
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A penny? You gotta be kidding me. I would pick up a nickle or a dime, maybe a quarter but probably not that either. I'd pick up a dollar and that's worth almost nothing so pennies, nickle and dimes so far down the list of value not gonna happen.
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Old 04-26-2013, 05:42 PM   #40
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I picked up one today while on a hike.
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