What's The Largest Amount Of Cash You Have Ever Handled?

I used to build all steel metal buildings....I had a customer pay for a $68,000.00 building in cash. He was a retired tattoo artist who lived in the country. He also was wary of banks and the government. He sat me and my dad at his kitchen table while he went to his safe in another part of the house....counted out all the money.... (he was a silver hoarder too...coins mostly).... very eccentric interesting guy...

I used to work in movie theaters and before credit cars were common it was an all cash business. Our usual Monday morning Wells Fargo pick up would see me handling over $100,000 in cash (mostly $20's bundled in $500 stacks). It was insane really. Our usual delivery was up to $2,000 in quarters, $2,000 in $1s and around $2-3,000 in $5s. Fun times!

This is what my Monday morning desk typically looks like.


I usually have at least a thousand on me for "just in case" money. You never know what you may find or be offered when you are out and about. All people accept cash very few take credit cards. The most I have ever had in my possession at one time was around $75,000.

usually keep around a $100 on me. However back in 2006 The people I sold a house to made a balloon payment of $110,000 in cash to pay off house....was nervous during the 50 mile trip to bank carrying that much on me.

And just where is this desk?

I just returned from Iran, where I had to take a large amount of cash with me, as Iran is still isolated in monetary terms: it's not possible to take out money at banks or ATM's with foreign bank cards or credit cards there.

Despite it just being around $2500, I felt slightly uncomfortable, also as I live in a nearly cashless country where all goes with card payments. In addition, I really had to take good care of myself and my money, as there would be no back up in case I lost it (not afraid it'd get stolen, as it's a pretty safe country). Plus that it gave a bit of hassle at the airport, as the drug dog the airport smelled that I had a lot of bank notes with me (never realized they are trained to smell that too), so I had to explain to the customs officer and the police at Oslo Airport what I intended to do with my money. Fortunately my story was backed up by some easy-to-verify facts, though. :)

In Iran, $2500 would enable you to live like a king for a month or so. I took my chances to buy some gold coins (Pahlavi coins) there.

A couple grand to buy a new car with. I'm never nervous because I certainly don't look like I have money.

My crew and I shingled a roof one time and the owner paid me in $100 dollar bills for a total of $12,000.