Blocked by CoinStar

[DigToChina]

Saturday morning I was in a Meijer in Michigan. I took one of the kids over and checked the reject tray of the
CoinStar and found a dime. This cheesed off the other kid so I took him over and asked the counter if they would let us have the contents of the dirt tray and dirt cup. She dumped the contents of the tray no problem but froze when she saw what was in the cup. There were quite a few goodies with at least one of which was an Ike based on size. She called the manager over who said they had to leave it for CoinStar.

I tried explaining the dirt cup being an unpaid reject cup and even convinced her to call CoinStar which she did. They told her not to give me the contents of the cup because I hadn’t put money in (a question she never asked). I was surprised at that so I asked for and got the CoinStar guys name.

I tried stopping in today after I figured the manager wouldn’t be there and tried a version of the “my wife and our sons coin collection” story but that didn’t get anywhere either because the manager had been talking. Lost cause or should I call CoinStar and try to get them to collect for me using the story?

The kids got a couple of coins from the dirt tray but not the silver I saw in the cup. We’ve all seen clad so no pics of those.

Dig

 

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[cdickrun64]

Yeah.....no.

 

[washingtonian]

I'd say this is a lost cause unfortunately. Seems like a good program though. Take your kids with you to the next coinstar in town and give it a go there!

 

[TheCoinKid]

Not to be a negative Nellie, but you make it sound like you were wronged by not getting to keep the contents of the cup. The machine is owned by someone other than you, and is located in a place of business owned by someone other than you. In that same regard, if you found a $20 bill on the floor at Walmart, you don't have the right to put it in your pocket. It would have been found on private property not owned by you.

Now, don't get me wrong, I've checked the CoinStar trays before, and would keep the $20 bill (if not obvious who it belonged to), but wouldn't feel wronged if called out for it.

TCK

 

[boogeyman]

I've posted this up before. Get yourself a pencil & put something sticky on the end. Found the sour apple bubble gum from the nearby machine worked best. Have since found the putty from Staples for hanging posters works better. I had to do security duties up to an hour after store close. So, I'd go the extra mile & clean all the stuff out of the tray

I filled a small 2" x 2" plastic box with diamond & CZ stud earrings. If you were going to fish, I'd have a jar of coins sitting near to use as an excuse if confronted as to what you're doing. Yes Sir! I dropped that in there & the girlfriend is going to kill me. Another observation, in over 8 years I've never seen anyone confronted except people that looked as if they were outright trying to vandalize the machine. Also stand back a ways and look under in between the wheels for the box. You'd be amazed what's under there! It never gets swept and most of the stuff in front gets pushed back under by the dust mops. Dropped my scratcher works in this instance. Another good use for those non winning scratchers. Once you ask anyone on the front end especially the CSMs you'll get a negative answer. They don't want to do something wrong & get demoted back to cashier or even carry out. Just personal experiences & hoping this helps others to find treasure easily!

 

[Honest Samuel]

Sorry for your lost.

 

[trdking]

Where is the dirt tray on a coin star?

 

[smokeythecat]

It's inside. Someone at the facility has to open it with a key.

 

[A2coins]

thats persistance

 

[sprailroad]

It's inside. Someone at the facility has to open it with a key.

Did not even know you could ask that or that they were even allowed to, other then the "coin star" people.

 

[ivan salis]

once I showed the store manager some 22 bullets in the machine's junk tray thru the round holes in the dump grate ….told her those could go off it the rims get hit hard ...so let me remove them for you ...went and got my "nut grabber" gripper tool from the car ...got the bullets as well as several bits of jewelry like diamond stud earrings and a silver chain ...ah the joy of doing a ….good deed..

 

[trdking]

It's inside. Someone at the facility has to open it with a key.

Thats what I thought. I am shocked anyone opened that machine for anyone but an authorized.

 

[the_mad_cladder]

Next time take 8 clad quarter and use them in the coinstar. Then they will have to give it to you. Guess it will cost you a small percentage to check though.

 

[Ryano]

What's the expression , carpe diem ?

My Coinstar routine is strolling through the doors of my local grocery store, picking up a handbasket which are stacked next to the Coinstar. As I collect my shopping basket I quickly eyeball the reject tray and collect the change. I've made at least a dozen collections this way and the very few times I've gotten a funny look from a store worker, I'll say "Hey, can you believe they left 35 cents behind ?!".. they laugh and shake their heads, probably thinking I must be crazy.

Of course I don't tell them I just scooped a few 1940 Nickels or a 1946 Dime and a 6 Euro coins !

My advice, next time just grab and go - don't ask permission.. that just gives a manager an opportunity to get high and mighty if you catch them in a bad mood.

Edit: Duhh, misread China's post.. I've never asked to get the contents of the dirt tray.. my hat's off to you, that's bold !!

 

[Honest Samuel]

I like to check out the machines but do no asked for the machines to be open.

 

[DigToChina]

Not to be a negative Nellie, but you make it sound like you were wronged by not getting to keep the contents of the cup. The machine is owned by someone other than you, and is located in a place of business owned by someone other than you. In that same regard, if you found a $20 bill on the floor at Walmart, you don't have the right to put it in your pocket. It would have been found on private property not owned by you.

Now, don't get me wrong, I've checked the CoinStar trays before, and would keep the $20 bill (if not obvious who it belonged to), but wouldn't feel wronged if called out for it.

TCK

No problem Nellie,

I didn’t intend on making it sound like I was personally wronged although Corporate misdeeds (because CoinStar knows their machines are collecting people’s silver without paying) should be problematic for everyone who uses these machines (which most of us do even if most of us aren’t dumb enough to put anything but clad in). I also wasn’t “called out” for anything. I asked for something and got half the result I wanted.

Simply want people to know CoinStar also appears to be giving different answers now vs. what I’ve read of Monstarules extensive posts. Worth the read if you haven’t seen already.

 

[DigToChina]

What's the expression , carpe diem ?

.. I've never asked to get the contents of the dirt tray.. my hat's off to you, that's bold !!

I have an expression too, lol. Fortune favours the bold!

Seriously though, I’ve only ever asked a couple of times and have never bothered with a BS story. No is the worst they can say. Monstarules has some great posts about these machines.

 

[DigToChina]

Thats what I thought. I am shocked anyone opened that machine for anyone but an authorized.

All you can do is ask. You can usually tell before if it is worth asking. If it’s filthy inside through the grate, then it might be worth it.

 

[boogeyman]

Did not even know you could ask that or that they were even allowed to, other then the "coin star" people.

The stores have access to the top part because it's easier & cheaper to let them return inadvertently dropped stuff. The only part they're worried about is the bottom cart part. If I was told right & remember right, even the guards can't open the cart part. It's kind of weird watching them change them out! They have a handle that looks like the ones you use to move boat trailers. They hook it push the handle down & tug it out to the truck. Can't count how many times I've taken my foot to add a little push so the guard can get it over the door threshold. Felt really bad for the guards! All they're required to have is an armed guard card and be willing to work for the same pay as the old boys guarding construction sites. When you go Star diving, take a look around you. It's as though they intentionally put the machine in the worst place they could find to give the guard or tech any way of seeing what's coming up from behind. Oh! if you get in a situation where the driver slams on the brakes & you get a pile of bagged coin thrown on you wreaking your shoulder you've got no insurance through the guard company so it's all out of your pocket. For a long time I couldn't figure out why we were getting a ton of aps from these guys!

 

[sprailroad]

No problem Nellie,

I didn’t intend on making it sound like I was personally wronged although Corporate misdeeds (because CoinStar knows their machines are collecting people’s silver without paying) should be problematic for everyone who uses these machines (which most of us do even if most of us aren’t dumb enough to put anything but clad in). I also wasn’t “called out” for anything. I asked for something and got half the result I wanted.

Simply want people to know CoinStar also appears to be giving different answers now vs. what I’ve read of Monstarules extensive posts. Worth the read if you haven’t seen already.

Aw come on, "Corporate misdeeds?" If you want to dump grandma's jar of change for a quick payday, that's on you. I don't think "coinstar" placed these things around thinking, "We can get everybody's silver without paying!" It's just a simple fun thing to do as you walk by to do your shopping. I don't know who "Monstarules" is, nor do I care.