ALBANY, N.Y. (WTEN) — Ocean State Job Lot, a discount retailer with stores across the Northeast, is offering gift cards to select customers in exchange for rolled coins as it and others throughout the nation grapple with a penny-fueled coin shortage.
“At Job Lot, we’re short on coins, so our Crazy for Coins offer has returned!” Ocean State Job Lot said as part of its promotion.
The company, which has more than 170 stores across 11 states, announced Thursday that customers who use at least $10 worth of rolled coins to purchase an Ocean State Job Lot gift card will receive a Crazy Deal Gift Card equal to 40% of their gift card amount.
For example, if you bring in $10 worth of rolled coins, you’ll receive a $10 gift card, plus a $4 Crazy Deal Gift Card. Spending $50 in rolled coins on a gift card will receive an additional Crazy Deal Gift Card of $20. A $100 gift card purchase will come with a free Crazy Deal Gift card of $40.
There are some caveats, of course.
The deal is exclusive to Job Lot Insiders, Ocean State Job Lot’s free-to-join loyalty program.
You can only use full rolls of coins. Rolls that are partially filled and loose change will not qualify for the program. Here’s how many coins fit in each roll, and what value each roll carries:
- Penny: 50, worth 50 cents
- Nickel: 40, worth $2
- Dime: 50, worth $5
- Quarter: 40, worth $10
- Half dollar: 20, worth $10
While the gift card you’re purchasing will be ready for use right away, Crazy Deal Gift Cards aren’t active until the next day, the company said. These gift cards can only be redeemed by Job Lot Insiders and cannot be used on certain deals or during Crazy Deal promotional events. More details can be found on the retailer’s website.
Ocean State Job Lot has stores in Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It was one of a handful of major retailers that took over former Big Lots store fronts last year.
It’s also not the first to offer customers gift cards in exchange for change. Shoppers at Giant Eagle, Price Chopper, and Market 32 stores were previously offered gift cards worth double the value of the coins they brought in late last year.
Many national retailers and restaurant chains have started rounding transactions or customers’ change as the penny slots in their register tills run dry.