A penny for your thoughts

So, over the years, we've accumulated a lot of pennies. Now we're debating what to do with them (other than roll them up and deposit). Maybe some sort of charitable guess-how-many contest? Other creative suggestions?

(Edited to add: Sorry about the sideways shot. Not sure how to correct that view, but you get the idea.)

A "guess how many" contest would require someone emptying out and counting the pennies.

Empty them out into plastic boxes and take them to your bank. They will likely count them. 

If they won't, my bank in Summit has a counter. P.M. and I will go with you and give you the proceeds.

Take that to a coinstar machine, I think Stop & Shop still has one.

Black_Panther said:

Take that to a coinstar machine, I think Stop & Shop still has one.

Agree with above, we just took a jar of accumulated coins in and it ended up being $160.00..it was like getting free money!

emmie said:

Black_Panther said:

Take that to a coinstar machine, I think Stop & Shop still has one.

Agree with above, we just took a jar of accumulated coins in and it ended up being $160.00..it was like getting free money!

Ditto!

If you use the Coinstar instead of getting cash (less a big fee) you can get 100% of the value of your pennies if you elect to get a gift card.  We've always opted for the Amazon gift cards and I've used them to splurge on my own tools!

eta:  Yes, free money that has added up to big bucks. My tools help me with my volunteer building.

I appreciate all the recommendations for getting the cash, but I wonder if there isn't a fun/charitable way we could put these coins to use. (Even if there are 1,000 pennies, that's still only ten bucks, not exactly a trip to Europe.) I wonder, for example, if some worthwhile group could use the pennies as a fundraiser--e.g., adults/kids buy a chance to guess the number of pennies for 50 cents or a dollar. Perhaps even the library? Silly idea?

Games of chance or skill are licensed by the state -- can't just start a contest like that with a prize without filling out applications in quintuplet, etc.  I've seen floors and table-tops tiled with pennies and then sealed with epoxy. Or just dump it in the coin-counter and donate proceeds somewhere. They're pennies. Truly not worth overthinking this. (nickels and dimes maybe another story)

That's interesting. I'm a big Amazon user, too, and going that route does avoid the fee. I've never used Coinstar: how many coins can you feed in at a time?

krnl said:

If you use the Coinstar instead of getting cash (less a big fee) you can get 100% of the value of your pennies if you elect to get a gift card.  We've always opted for the Amazon gift cards and I've used them to splurge on my own tools!

eta:  Yes, free money that has added up to big bucks. My tools help me with my volunteer building.

Yes, @hausfrau4now--the entryway at The Corner in Montclair is "tiled" with pennies and looks really cool. I wondered when I saw it whether it was legal, but it looks awesome.

Doesn't Coinstar take 20%?  That's a lot.

It depends what you ask for. I have used it in CT and got gift cards for Lowe's. They gave me 100% that way, probably because Lowe's and other retailers pay them something to steer business their way.

The machines have trays you pour the coins into, but it can be fiddly to keep them from jamming the opening into the machine's innards. A little time consuming, but not as much as putting them in wrappers.