Who wouldn’t love to discover hidden treasure? Wouldn’t it be great to stumble across a priceless painting at a garage sale or find a rare historical document in your attic?

Personally, I dream of appearing on PBS’ Antiques Roadshow with my grandfather’s coin collection and hearing the expert say: “Mr. Fausch, this is a stunning collection, filled with the rarest pennies ever assembled. It’s easily worth $5 million.”

OK, the truth is I know I’d be lucky to get $50 for the collection. As a result, I’ve avoided having the collection appraised in order to keep my dream alive.

So where should you look for hidden treasure? If you work in construction, start by looking in your scrap heap, warehouse, storage shed or truck.

A recent article by the Associated Press said recycling is booming as businesses turn unused metal into money. Apparently, lots of people, from farmers to construction pros, are turning their junk into gas money and groceries. 

Recycling centers are brimming with electrical wire, copper pipe, aluminum cans, farm implements, appliances, auto parts and more.  Forgotten metal products that used to collect rust now generate valuable extra income.

If you are in construction, maybe it’s time for you to start getting paid for your hidden treasure and stop paying for someone to haul it away. You might even tidy up your shop or storage shed in the process.

Have you identified some “hidden treasure” and scored some cash by recycling it? If so, share your story by posting to this blog or e-mail me at fauscht@bnpmedia.