Admit it. We’ve all been there. We’re short on change for the laundromat, the bus stop, or a forty of malt liquor, and we start digging through the couch cushions, under the floor mat, or through the junk drawer to find a quarter, dime, nickel, or in times of desperation, a penny. Coins are everywhere. Relatively useless on their own in today’s modern society of debit cards, big bills, and Venmo, a handful of quarters can still buy your way out of a big jam from time to time.

The first rule to finding coins is clearly to start on your own property. Whether you reside in a studio apartment or 3-story mansion, you’ve likely got several dollars in coins stuck in odd places. Your automobile is a great second place to look. How about your desk at the office? If it’s yours, it’s fair game. Search away at will! But if you’re invading someone else’s property, it’s wise to ask for permission first. Public places are great, too. From the beach to the sidewalk to vending machines, the world is your oyster.

The most obvious places to look for coins are places you sit down. When one sits, the angle of the legs can incline to a position where contents of pockets would tend to slide downward. Coins, mints, and even pills can spill without notice. These areas include, but are not limited to, couches, chairs, and beds. Another area to consider searching is where you would take your clothing off. For many, that area is a corner of a bedroom, or even a laundry room. For that matter, pull out the washer a little ways and check along the sides. Other places in the home to consider are under rugs, in storage boxes, and even jewelry boxes.

So far we’ve searched the nooks and crannies, but don’t forget the obvious open areas. Countertops, window sills, and dressers are likely to be loaded with coinage. Chances are, you’re so accustomed to seeing coins in those places that you just overlook them!

Cars, naturally, are a goldmine for lost coins. Dig deep in every seat, every pocket, and every compartment. Check under every mat, inside the spare tire compartment, and even the trunk. According to a real study from 2000, the average car has $1.32 in spare change hidden!

In public, the possibilities are endless. But try to focus on areas where people would be using coins, like bus stops, laundromats, vending areas, drive-thrus, and banks. Theoretically, anywhere someone can make a monetary transaction is a good place to consider.

That covers the question of where to look, but how does one look for coins? Primarily it’s simply looking with your eyes and feeling with your hands. For the seasoned pro, a metal detector is a wise investment, but only if you believe the detector can pay for itself with the amount of money you’ll find. A flashlight can also be a handy device when searching in tight, poorly-lit spots.

My Hot Take:
I tend to toss any spare change onto the top of my dresser when taking off my clothes, but sometimes I forget I have change and it spills out near the washer and dryer. Just tonight I found 3 quarters near the washer wide out in the open! I can’t discount this enough: though you’re likely to find coins hidden in cushions, the obvious open areas are more likely to have coins.

tl;dr
Look for coins at home, in your car, and in public places. Look in tight areas and open areas alike.