The answer is: Gave them back

Matt 27:3-4 - He threw them down in front of the chief priests and elders, and being tainted money they decided they couldn't put it in the treasury and so bought a field instead in which to bury strangers

Let's take a dive into that dramatic moment in Matthew! After betraying Jesus for those 30 pieces of silver, Judas felt an overwhelming sense of remorse. He rushed back, headphones blasting with regret, and threw the silver into the temple’s inner sanctum. Can you imagine the clattering of coins against the stone floor as he declared, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood!”? The emotion was as raw as a soap opera scene.

Now, here’s a twist: the chief priests and elders couldn't just pocket that money. It seems they felt it was too "tainted" by blood, a term that echoes throughout the ages about the moral implications of ill-gotten gains. Instead, they purchased a potter's field—a graveyard place for strangers and the forgotten. Ironically, this provides a deeper narrative: Judas’ act of currency and subsequent guilt didn’t just result in betrayal; it flowed into a story of grave and neglect—a stark reflection of life and the esoteric warnings surrounding greed!

In every field, there's a lesson tucked away. This particular "Field of Blood" (Akeldama) tells us more than just Judas' sorrow. It symbolizes choices and their weight, which resonate in such supernatural yet profoundly personal ways. Also, consider how in early Christian tradition, many believed Judas' actions openness about the ugly side of power and corruption—even decades down the line. Quite the tangled web for such a simple betrayal!