[PatG]

So, with everyone saying that they would hand in the $1200 found at a shopping centre, what's the largest amount you would keep if you found it?

I picked up a $50 note at a bus stop and took it into a shop to return directly to the owner as I'd seen the guy drop it when he got off a bus.

I kept $40 found on the footpath on a Sunday morning (thinking dropped getting out of a cab perhaps).

I think, if there were no identifying characteristics, I might keep up to $100 if I found it but hand in to the police anything higher. Not sure though.

If it was money contained in something like a wallet I wouldn't keep any of it, even if the wallet didn't have any cards with name etc. I'd just take the whole thing to the police.

[Jemstar]

If I saw someone drop it, it wouldn't matter how much it was, I would pick it up and give it back to them. I saw a guy leave his wallet on a seat once and he walked away so fast I had to run after him!

If there was stray money with absolutely no way of knowing where it came from, up to $50 or so dollars I would keep. More than that I would hand it in.

[unicycle]

I saw five cents on the ground today and couldn't be bothered picking it up. Thought of the smile on an hypothetical child's face when he picked it up instead ( yes, I imagined a boy). Does this count?

[buffygirl]

I'd keep up to $20, assuming I didn't see the person lose it.

[meggs1]

Ooh good one. Depends on the place. Same as OP really.

I'd always hand in a purse or wallet or a packet that looked like rent money or whatever.

Inside a shop, at work, childcare etc, or beside an ATM or anywhere the owner is likely to be easily identifiable I'd hand in any note. I'd probably keep coins though unless I actually saw who dropped them.

On the street/park/beach with no obvious owner, I'd probably keep anything under $100.

[lifehacker]

hmmm with no way of returning it, no name, wallet etc? probably $50?

[ubermum]

I wouldn't hand in money. I'd put a note up where I found it and an email address.

[epg]

It's not the amount of money, it's the likelihood of tracing the owner.
I twice found $50 notes at university and kept them - because seriously what are the chances of locating who'd dropped it.

But if a business had undercharged me anything more than about $5 I would probably make some effort to get it back to them etc

If I found a large amount of cash (probably would need to be over $200) that didn't look traceable I would hand it in to the police.

[JRA]

DH found $50 or so at a shopping centre. He handed it in to the shopping centre. A woman who lost it was a single mother, in a very low socio economic area. It certainly reminded us how important handing in money is

[WinterDancesHere]

Probably $50 - $100. If there were identifying details then I'd hand it in no matter the amount.

DS's day was totally made when he found a $5 note a while ago. He wanted to buy lots and lots of lolly-pops with it.