Hot Wheels dump bins are the wild west of diecast collecting. They can be frustrating and fruitful all depending on when they were filled, and how quickly you got to them. I’ve found some of my best finds in dump bins, and I’ve also come across a lot, and I mean A LOT, of wrecked cards and more Zoom Ins than I can count.
But as I’ve hunted and spent many hours elbow-deep in those mysterious cardboard towers, I’ve noticed a weird and somewhat alarming trend: people using dump bins for their unwanted merchandise or trash.
Now I know I’m not the first to notice it, nor am I the first to bring it up….but with today’s ever looming shadow of the COVID crisis, I’ve started to notice it more and documenting some of my findings.
First, I’ve noticed that other toys seem to be the number one ingredient in the dump bin tossed salad. From Star Wars coloring books, to those colorful LOL Surprise balls, I’ve seen a ton of toys mixed in. Am I mad about that? Not really, as I know kids will set stuff anywhere and that is expected. What is unexpected are items adults have carelessly dropped in dump bins.
For example, these are the actual non-Hot Wheels contents of a dump bin I came across in a Dayton, Ohio, area Wal-Mart store over the 4th of July weekend.
It contained the following:
A pair of bluelight blocker reading glasses
A Johnson brand fishing lure with tri-hooks (what’s the harm in putting a sharp, hooked-item into a toy bin meant for kids? FACEPALM)
An electric scooter owners manual
A 5-pack of Ardell fake eyelashes
A large camping supply box of some sort
An unused gift card/pre-paid Master Card
Not only is random dump-bin-dumping a pain for us collectors, it’s a pain on the store staff who have to restock the items. It can also be very gross when people put their trash in them. I recently stuck my arm into a pile of cars in a Kroger dump bin, only to bring up a used anti-bacterial wipe with the cars. Big yikes.
So I want to know: what’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever found in a dump bin?
Come across a beef tenderloin in a dump bin? Box of condoms? A new hammer? A DVD of the movie Stripes? Perhaps a set of wiper blades for a ’92 Toyota Previa? Tell us about it.
Use the hashtag #dumpbindumps on IG so I can chronicle some of the crazier dump bin finds and post about them. But no fakes! I want to see genuine finds, not something placed there for a photo. There should be plenty to post without resorting to faking it.
I don’t even notice that garbage anymore. I just drop it in the nearest basket or cart.
The weirdest thing I’ve found in a Hot Wheels dump bin was ZAMACs. Just not what you’d expect to find in there. LOL! What would be incredibly weird would be finding a Super in there!
Seriously though, I always see merchandise and trash in the dump bins that does not belong. Lazy indiscriminate shoppers that use them as a dumping ground for anything they change their mind on or don’t have a nearby trash can for. And I swear it’s not just the shoppers, but the employee’s as well. There have been times I’ve pulled out all the strays and garbage during my hunt and placed on a nearby shelf. Next time I’m at the store, all the same junk is back in the dump bin. That’s how the employees tidy up their department. **facepalm**
To me, finding random stuff in dump bins aggravates me. It may not to you but I personally see it as an act of laziness and a lack of respect to the merchandise, the employees, and the customer. Not only does it not belong in there but it destroys the blister packs, looks really bad, and it’s a dead giveaway that it’s been heavily gone through. I’ve noticed that over the years. Naturally if the bin is fresh, there’s no random garbage stuffed on top or in between and the cards are crisp. However, if there’s random garbage mixed in and the blisters are severely worn, it’s been gone through numerous times and anything good in the bin is long gone. This hasn’t been a problem for me lately as I’m trying my best to stay away from stores with COVID-19 going on. Also, with the factory shutdowns lately, there hasn’t been a whole lot in terms of distribution anyway. So the one time I go to the store, there’s nothing there anyway, and there’s especially no dump bins within site.
An actual OPEN pop tart with a bite out of it. On multiple occasions. Not even joking I have found 3 different pop tarts, all open, on 3 different occasions.
All the same flavor or random different flavor? Could be the same shopper with the munchies each time? LOL!
Not sure. I dont really follow pop tart flavors nor have I ever had a pop tart. So…?
😀
Minions….. A SH$% load of Minion toys….. Not just one one or two… but like 5 handfuls. T’was weird! LOL
The most shocking find in a dump bin was the Hot Wheels 2013 Chevy Camaro Special Edition Super Treasure Hunt.
The weirdest thing was a toddler’s ride-on pony toy. I mean, that took effort to bother lifting it off the floor and putting it in the bin. I don’t think any toddler did that. Those things aren’t exactly small.
Worst thing I’ve found is a tub of ice cream, it was pretty warm, and a lot of the cards under it were wrecked from the condensation. I made sure no one saw me as I placed it on the shelf. I didn’t want anyone think it was me lol