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A couple decides to renovate their home and discovers an old treasure that is worth millions, and that was hidden for centuries. Although it looks like a perfect plot for a movie, it is something that happens in real life for several people around the world. Most of them decide to remain anonymous and avoid dragging attention to their new fortune.
For some reason, people can leave behind valuable paintings, cars, money, or jewelry. Some people are lucky enough to buy a property with them. Keep scrolling and discover ten people that found a treasure at their own home.
$51,000 in a wall
A couple in Phoenix decided to do some renovation in their home in 2015. They decided to do it themselves and started by the kitchen. When they broke the first wall, they notice there was something inside it, and they were surprised to see it was a safe box. Them the puzzle to find out the password started.
The couple remembered that there were some random numbers written inside the medicine cabinet when they moved in. After several attempts with those numbers, they manage to open the box. They found $51,080 and a bottle of bourbon from 1960.
An original Van Gogh painting
Alex Ruger, director of the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, at the unveiling Monday of Vincent Van Gogh's Sunset at Montmajour.
Five years ago, a couple bought a new home in Norway. When they checked the attic, they found, among other things, an unsigned painting. The couple that remains anonymous asked a specialist to analyze it, and they found out it was an original Van Gogh painting that is worth thousands!
Their home belonged to an art collector. He bought the painting, but it was considered fake in 1990 because it was not signed. The collector was upset and banished the painting to the attic and forgot about it. He might regret it.
$52,000 in the backyard
Sometimes the treasure is just in front of you, and you don’t notice it. It is the case of Matthew and Maria Colonna-Emanuel. During many years, they saw a rusty box among the trees in their backyard, but they never paid attention to it, assuming it was just part of the electrical system.
Last year, the trees were damaged, and when they checked it out, they notice the box was a safe box. When they opened it, they found a box full of money, diamonds, and gold. The total inside it was $52,0000. However, they also noticed there was an address inside it, and it belonged to their neighbors. The couple decided to ask if they were robbed, and they confirmed the safe was missing since 2011. Matthew and Maria returned the treasure to the real owners.
$175,000 rare comic book
David Gonzalez was restoring a house in Minnesota in 2013 when he saw a comic book among old newspapers in the attic. It was a Comic Action #1, released in 1938. Although he thought it would be worth some money, Gonzalez had no idea how valuable it was. There are just 100 copies of this comic book, and it is the first appearance of Super Man.
He sold t in an auction for $175,000, but it could be worth over $2,000,000. Gonzalez damaged the cover when he was checking it out, which made it lose some value.
Archaeological treasures
A couple decided to buy a piece of land to build their home at the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem's Old City in Israel. The Israeli Department of Antiquities gave them the approval to start the construction since there was nothing historical in the area. When they moved, in 1970, the couple found out the inspectors couldn't be more wrong.
The couple invested a lot of money and started exploring underneath their home. What they found was impressive! The first thing they found was a bronze ring that dates from the Second Temple period, a wall of 2,000 years home, a Byzantine water cistern, and several other treasures. They decided to turn the house into a museum.
$3,700,000 in hidden golden coins
In 2016, a French man inherited home in Evreux, France. When he checked out the place, he saw that there were some gold coins under the furniture. He kept exploring and discover they were all over the house: in the bathroom, inside boxes, in the kitchen… It was a real treasure hunt.
By the end, the lucky heirs had 5,000 gold coins, gold bars, and also 37 gold ingots. The total amount of the treasure was $3,700,000, probably more than the house itself. It seems that hidden treasures were a common habit in the region. Years before, constructors found $1,000,000 in gold buried in a garden in the same city.
Ancient Mayan Murals
Renovations seem to result in valuable discovers. Like most of the cases on this lists, a couple in Guatemala decided to renovate their home and found out multiple Mayan murals behind the painting layers. The paintings date from 300 centuries ago.
The discovery made headlines all over the world, and several specialists tried to discover the meaning behind the paintings. They had limited time since the mural started to fade away because of the exposure. Some specialists believe they represent Mayan rituals, and someone important owned the house in the past.
$15,000,000 paintings inside a fake wall
It looks like a plot of a movie. One day, Don Jr., son of a cartoonist, decided o land the painting Breaking Home Ties (Rockwell), for a museum. The art piece was for decades in the family, and his father bought it from the painter, who was his neighbor, for $900. However, after it was in a museum, some specialists claimed it was fake.
Don and his brother decided to explore the home and try to find answers. When they were in their father's office, they discover there was a fake wall and behind it, the original painting. They decided to sell it in an auction, and someone paid $15,000,000 for it.
$10,000,0000 in buried coins
A couple in California was just going to a walk with their dog when they found out there was something buried in their property. They found out eight cans with 1,400 gold coins inside of them. The treasure dates from the 19th Century, and it is worth $10,000,000. The couple that keeps their identity a secret, just released the history after they were sure they could keep the money.
It is a smart decision since there are several rules about who can keep a treasure. But in that case, it worked out.
$3,800,000 rare Bugatti
When Dr. Harold Carr passed away in 2009, he left his house for his relatives. When they started exploring the home, they found several antiques, but one of them was outstanding. A 1937 Bugatti Type 57S that was abandoned in his garage for 50 years. Carr bought the car in 1955 for thousands of dollars and drove it for just a few years. After that, the vehicle was forgotten inside the garage,
The family was surprised to find a buyer willing to pay £3,043,293 ( approximately $3,800,000 ) for the car.