I found a fridge on the side of the road – the lightbulb made me pause, then I found $10k hidden inside

A TIKTOKER found that one man's trash is truly another's treasure after scoring $10,000 that was hidden in an old refrigerator.

People constantly leave things by the side of the road rather than hauling them to the dump.

Most people drive past these items, but one TikToker always stops to get a closer look.

The Trash Mechanic (@the_trash_mechanic) took a chance on a fridge he saw left on the curb.

Surprisingly, it worked and only needed a new lightbulb.

When he took off the cover to replace the bulb, a stack of cash fell out of it.

"I just about fell on the floor," he said, holding the $10,000 he found.

He said lucky things like this never happened to him and urged others to check any second-hand items they find for hidden money.

"It couldn't have happened at a better time. I was really, really down on my luck," he said.

However, viewers were skeptical about how lucky he was.

Some viewers commented that the stack of cash looked too small to be $10,000.

Others said they zoomed in on the cash and saw different markings on the bills that showed they were fake.

"It's sad that people have to post corny videos to gain clout," wrote one viewer.

"I paused on the back side of the $100, and it says purposes with matches my fake $100 that is for entertainment purposes."

HIDDEN HUNDREDS

A homeowner was remodeling their bathroom when they found a rare $100 bill.

They were tearing out the closet when the bill from 1974 fell out of the ceiling.

"Pretty nice find, too bad there wasn't more," said the Facebook user.

Rules on finding money

The saying "finders, keepers

While state and local laws may differ slightly, the majority will require you to attempt to find the owner of the money.

If you fail to make reasonable efforts to track down the owner, many states can charge you with theft or larceny of lost property.

The penalty will most likely be based on the value of the lost property as larger finds that are kept without making reasonable efforts to find the owner may be classed as a felony rather than a misdemeanor.

The term reasonable efforts includes asking people nearby if they dropped any cash, checking the envelope or wallet (if there is one) for an ID, handing it into a nearby store, or contacting the police on a non-emergency line.

Some laws will authorize the police to return the money to the finder if no one has claimed it after a period of time.

Always check your local and state laws which will most likely outline what to do if you find property or cash.

It is also advised that you contact the police or a criminal defense lawyer who can assist in what the laws state and how you should proceed.

Source: Criminal Defense Lawyer

But coin and currency expert Eric Miller (@thecoinchannel) explained in a TikTok why older bills may be worth more than face value.

He admitted that most people don't look twice at their bills, but certain serial numbers can make them worth more.

Bills with "solid" serial numbers, which is when the same number is repeated, can sell for thousands of dollars.

A $100 bill with a solid serial number sold for $5,520.

Volunteers for a popular charity found a rare coin worth $2,000 in a donation bucket.

And a senior citizen found $6,000 in cash, but the bank refused to accept it.