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While driving to another city, I stopped to stretch my legs. I walked into the gas station to buy a pop for the road and on the counter I see a pile of pennies. The lady behind the counter starts to scoop them up and drop them into the cash till.

"What are you going to do with those pennies?", I asked.

"Just counting them. There is a dollar fifty."

I could see lots of old copper in the pile. "Do you want to sell them? I collect old pennies."

She looked at me like I was crazy, then gave me a wry smile. "Do you really want them?"

"Yes. Add a dollar fifty to my tab." Happy to get rid of them, she scooped them into a bag. I paid for them and out the door I went.

Three Wheaties, and 62 old coppers later, I am a happy guy.

Cool.

It's these every day spur of the moment happenings that really make this hobby interesting. Good job.

Nice score!
You gotta grab em when you see em

Here's my story... bought a soda, saw a wheat in the take-a-penny-tray, took it.

Very well, then, here's my story: wanted some ice tea, decided to use exact change for once, got an Ike and 7 pennies, found that the tea was on sale and only cost 54 cents, got a wheat penny in change.

Was working today, recognized a lady in the lobby as a teller from my bank. We started talking, and she said, "I wanna show you something." She went out to her car and came back with a velvet bag. In it were $3.00 is Walking Liberty Halves, an 1883 O Morgan, and one 1918 Wheat penny (thought I'd include that since this is the copper thread). Told me some lady came in cashing them in for face. Also said same woman came back the next day asking for them back to sell in a pawn shop. Her deadpan: "I gave her half back." Oh, to be a teller & have first bite at the apple.

here is my story was paying for gas today and the total was $20.01, I gave the teller a 20 & a dime. I do this all the time whenever I get gas, I do it on purpose, so I can get back a nickel and 4 pennies. She asked me if I had a penny instead of a dime, I said "nope". The guy behind me in line tapped me on the shoulder and when I turned around he pointed to a penny just under someones car on the pavement,...I said, "Awesome! Thanks." I picked it up off the ground and stuck it in my pocket, and happily took my 4 pennies and a nickel and walked back to my car.

Great stories! I haven't had these kind of experiences ... but they are fun to read. Congrats on the 1.50 'haul'.

Oh, almost forgot ... my wife found a copper clad quarter on her walk this morning ... does that count? I guess it will buy 25 pennies to look through.

I went to taco bell a couple of days ago because I was craving a tostada . The total was $1.39 . I gave the cashier a dollar fifty and asked if I could have 11 pennies . She laughed and said that in the year and a half of working there no one had ever asked for all pennies like that . I found 4 coppers

here is an idea for you brave ones. one 7-11 I go to always seems to have a full penny tray. I have actually thought out my plan, but have not had enough nerve to try it. I walk in with a pocketfull of zincs, and after my purchase I ask the clerk, wanna see a magic trick? Then I scoop out the tray and replace with the zincs. I wouldnt get in trouble, but Id feel sillly the next time I went in.

the last time a "stranger" showed me a magic trick, it ended with the store owner literally beating the man until his face swelled up like a puffer fish, and then held him at gun point until he complied, and made the item re-appear. I wouldn't use the word "magic trick" that is bad luck, especially at 7-11, those dudes are seasoned foreigners. I am just saying keep it simpler, offer to exchange clean cents for dirty cents as a service,,,,,,,tell them you hand wash the pennies or something, than do your switcher-ooo.