Your spare change is doing more than just making a wish come true.
Tossing a coin into a fountain is a timeless ritual for travelers, a small offering made in the hope of a return visit or a secret wish granted. As the coin splashes into the water, we walk away, leaving our luck to fate. Have you ever wondered what happens next? Those thousands of pounds of glittering coins don’t just disappear.
In many cases, your spare change embarks on a second journey, one that is far more practical and often incredibly charitable. The story of what happens after the splash is a fascinating tale of logistics, goodwill, and surprising generosity.
1. Rome’s Trevi Fountain funds a supermarket for the needy.
The Trevi Fountain is the undisputed king of wishing wells, with an estimated 3,000 euros tossed into its basin every single day. Legend says a coin thrown over your shoulder ensures your return to Rome. Given this tradition’s popularity, a massive amount of money accumulates. The city of Rome has a special team that comes to collect the coins regularly.
The process involves shutting off the water and using giant suction hoses to gather the money. For decades, this fortune has been donated to a Catholic charity called Caritas Roma. The money is used to fund a variety of social programs, including a free supermarket for the city’s residents in need, homeless shelters, and soup kitchens, according to Smithsonian Magazine. Your wish for a return trip helps feed a local family.
2. The coins from Disney World’s fountains help children.
Walt Disney World is a place where wishes are central to the experience, so it’s no surprise that fountains across its parks, especially Cinderella’s Wishing Well, collect a fortune in coins. Guests toss in spare change from around the globe, hoping for a little bit of that Disney magic to follow them home. It’s a tradition that adds up to a significant sum each year.
Disney has a heartwarming system for this money. All the coins from the resort’s fountains and waterways are regularly collected, cleaned, and then donated to local non-profit organizations that support children and families in the Central Florida community, as reported at CNN. The funds are distributed through a program that helps make wishes come true for those who need it most.
3. Las Vegas’s Bellagio Fountains support global housing projects.
The spectacular Fountains of Bellagio on the Las Vegas Strip are one of the city’s most iconic free attractions. While visitors are mesmerized by the choreographed water show, many also toss coins into the massive man-made lake, hoping to capture a bit of Vegas luck. The task of collecting these coins from such a vast body of water is a major undertaking for the hotel’s maintenance crews.
Once the coins are cleaned and sorted, the Bellagio donates the entire sum to charitable causes. One of its primary beneficiaries has been Habitat for Humanity, a non-profit that helps build and improve homes for families around the world, as per Al Jazeera. The money has also supported other local and national charities, turning those lucky pennies into tangible good.
4. Chicago’s Buckingham Fountain helps keep the city’s parks beautiful.
Located in Grant Park, the magnificent Buckingham Fountain is one of the largest fountains in the world and a beloved Chicago landmark. Its impressive water displays, set against the city skyline, inspire countless visitors to toss in a coin for good luck. The Chicago Park District, which manages the fountain, is responsible for collecting the change that accumulates in its massive basin.
Unlike fountains that donate to external charities, the money from Buckingham Fountain goes directly into the Park District’s general operating fund. This means the coins tossed by tourists and locals help pay for the maintenance and upkeep of Chicago’s vast network of public parks, as well as funding community programs. Your wish helps keep the city’s green spaces beautiful for everyone.
5. The Mall of America’s fountains benefit a new charity each month.
It’s not just outdoor fountains that attract wishes. The fountains inside the massive Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota, collect a surprising amount of money, totaling tens of thousands of dollars annually. For decades, the mall has had a dedicated program to ensure this money goes back into the community in a meaningful way.
Each month, the mall partners with a different non-profit organization. All the coins collected from the fountains during that month are donated to the chosen charity. This system has benefited a wide range of causes over the years, from animal shelters and food banks to health research foundations. This rotating system of giving ensures the coins make a broad impact.
6. The fountain at the Spanish Steps also goes to a Roman charity.
While the Trevi Fountain gets most of the attention, Rome is full of beautiful fountains that attract their share of wish-makers. At the base of the famous Spanish Steps sits the Fontana della Barcaccia, or “Fountain of the Ugly Boat.” Tourists often pause here to rest and, of course, to toss in a coin for good measure before making the climb up the steps.
Just like its more famous counterpart, the coins from the Barcaccia fountain are collected by the city and designated for charitable use. They are added to the funds gathered from the Trevi and other public fountains and are managed by Caritas Roma. This ensures that even the smaller coin collections from across the city are pooled together to make a significant impact on social welfare programs.
7. The fountains of Paris help with their own upkeep.
Paris is another city famous for its romantic and historic fountains, such as the Stravinsky Fountain near the Centre Pompidou or the Medici Fountain in the Luxembourg Gardens. Tourists frequently toss coins into these waters, hoping to capture some of the city’s romantic spirit. The process for handling this money, however, is often more civic than charitable.
In Paris, and many other municipalities, the coins collected from public fountains are typically gathered by the city’s own maintenance crews. The money is then processed and absorbed into the budget for the upkeep of the fountains themselves. This includes paying for cleaning, pump maintenance, and repairs, ensuring the landmarks remain beautiful and operational for future visitors to enjoy.