The Family’s Secret
Eric, our hero, was devastated to learn that his cherished grandparents had passed away. Still, he faithfully went to clear up the Tennessee farmhouse where they had once made their home. He believed this was the right thing to do, so despite the arduous work involved, he put on a brave face.
Following some hints contained within the house, he stumbled upon an enormous and unanticipated discovery. Beneath the worn-out carpet in a rundown room, Eric found something that would change the course of his life.
Read on to find out!
The Forgotten House
Dust can gather fast, but Eric’s ancestral home had more than just a thick layer of grime on its windows. The rundown farmhouse looked like it had been abandoned for decades.
Since 1997, the ancient house had been unoccupied and unused, even by his grandparents. By the time it came into his possession, it had sat untouched for more than 20 years. The reason for its neglect adds an extra layer of tragedy to our story.
Battling Poor Health
In 1997, Eric's grandparents were forced to leave their Tennessee home after his grandfather was diagnosed with lung cancer. Though it’s a story shared by many people on this planet, that doesn’t make it any less heartbreaking.
They packed their bags and moved into town to be close to their family and have quicker access to medical treatment. But, following his grandfather's passing, no one returned to the house. Sadly, that wasn’t the family's only stroke of bad luck.
Bad Luck in Spades
As time went by, Eric's family endured even more heartbreak. His grandma and father died when he was still a little boy. It seemed that death was always hovering on the horizon, and bad luck was determined to devour the family.
With scarcely any family left and an emotional attachment to the farmhouse, the idea of going back there grew more prominent in his mind. Eventually, he was powerless to resist, so he loaded up his car for the adventure.
The End of the Story?
Eric realized that maintaining the farmhouse would be prohibitively expensive. As a result, he decided to put the property up for sale. If he’d found success, our story might have ended here. However, as you might have guessed, nothing was going to come easy for Eric.
The farmhouse could not be sold in its dilapidated condition, so the young man had no choice but to figure out an alternative course of action.
A Fixer-Upper
The farmhouse was covered in dust, mildew, and spiderwebs, and the building was on the verge of collapse. Eric needed to make significant alterations to the house to make it habitable, let alone attractive to a potential buyer.
Eric got to work. After just a few days of cleaning and repairing the old country home, he suddenly recalled something strange. The thought quickly captured his mind and led him down memory lane.
A Tale of Lost Treasure
Eric remembered that his grandpa was a sailor who had once been pursued by pirates. As unbelievable as that story sounds, it’s important to remember that Eric’s grandpa was born in a different era. When he was young, the world was a different place.
His grandparents had once read him the book Treasure Island in the very same house he was now repairing. However, his childish memories insisted that there was a real treasure – one that reached beyond the pages of the book and out into the real world.
Closet Discover
Following this hunch, Eric suspected they may have concealed some items of value around the farmhouse. He immediately began searching the partially cleaned house for hidden “treasure.”
One of his first ports of call was a closet that looked like an obvious spot for hidden treasure. At first glance, there didn’t appear to be anything particularly noteworthy. But when Eric took a step back and looked at things from a different angle, the situation changed rapidly.
What’s Under the Carpet?
Eric noticed an ancient, dusty carpet covering the wooden floorboards in the closet. Could this be the clue he’d been seeking? With nothing to lose and everything to gain, he set to work on removing the carpet.
As you can probably imagine, dealing with the dusty, old carpet was not a pleasant task. However, Eric was determined to dig deeper, so he forged ahead, uncertain whether good fortune or more lousy luck awaited him.
Under the Surface
Eric became convinced that there was something concealed beneath the carpet, so he began tearing it from the floorboards beneath. The day was about to take a most unexpected turn. The question is, will Eric be pleased about it?
As the young man proceeded to lift the carpet, he spotted something peculiar. As Eric crouched on his heels, trying to figure out what it might be, an astonishing realization dawned on him. Something was terribly wrong with the floor beneath the carpet.
No Place for Concrete
After staring at the peculiar structure for a few moments, he developed a theory about what this well-hidden object might be. At first glance, it looks like a mere block of concrete. However, close examination revealed that it was so much more than that.
As you can see from the image above, Eric had discovered a cache or secret chamber of some sort. However, it was sealed tightly shut, and there did not seem to be any way of opening it. Still, he was determined to uncover this mystery.
What’s in the Safe?
Eric was clueless as to the nature of this odd piece of concrete concealed inside a cabinet in the old family home. At first, he believed it might be little more than a frivolous accessory, added to the farmhouse for some reason or another and then forgotten.
However, there was a raised circular piece located in the center of the concrete, and this was his clue that he shouldn’t be so dismissive about the discovery. He began to speculate – what if this peculiar-looking square-shaped block of concrete was a safe in which his grandparents were holding a secret?
What Kind of Family Secret?
Eric was convinced that his grandparents were concealing something. As mentioned previously, he was aware that they were the kind of people who had a predilection toward "treasures.” However, that was no guarantee that this secret stash contained something good.
His grandma had been a collector of relics, but Eric also knew that he had a taste for antique weapons. Whether they were good, bad, valuable, or terrifying, the secrets stashed in the concrete vault would remain a mystery until Eric figured out the trick needed to pry the door open.
What Did Mom Say?
Eric was convinced that his grandparents were concealing something from the family and the world at large. However, he also knew he had a wild imagination, so he decided there was nothing for it but to consult his mom. She was sure to have some unique insights to offer.
Thankfully, mom came to the rescue with a wealth of helpful memories and information. Read on to discover precisely what Eric’s mother revealed to him about what his grandparents may have been hiding.
Birthday Combination
In addition to knowing that Eric's grandparents had hidden a safe, Eric's mother had a good idea of where to search for the key. She also suggested that the safe combination was probably her husband's date of birth.
If that didn’t work, she advised Eric to try his father's Social Security number. Now the only thing that remained for him to do was to crack open the mystery safe. But was his mom on the right track with the combination?
Cracking the Code
Eric was disheartened when he realized that his mother’s suggestions for the safe combination could never work. There was no combination lock – only a handle that, no matter which way he turned it, just would not budge.
No matter how hard he pulled on the handle, it stayed firmly in place. Eric conceded defeat and acknowledged that to confirm what was inside this safe, he was going to need professional help. Who do you call when you have a stubborn safe and a potential treasure to uncover?
Calling in the Professionals
Since the lock didn't appear to be operational, and there was no obvious method to decipher the combination, Eric decided to find a locksmith who might quite literally hold the key to the problem.
Unfortunately, he discovered the safe on a Sunday, so no locksmith was immediately available. He had no choice but to wait patiently and do his best to subdue his anxiety. He spent the rest of that day switching between dread and excitement. Would the locksmith be able to get the thing open? And if so, what would they find lurking inside?
Too Early to Quit
Eric was determined to crack open the concrete safe. When Monday arrived, he called a locksmith who immediately came out to the farmhouse to assist. It took the locksmith half an hour to conclude that the task he’d been set was impossible.
Had the locksmith been aware of the nature of the problem, he said he probably would have "directed the project to someone else." However, lacking the ability to see into the future, he accepted the troubling job. Against his better judgment, he also agreed to keep trying to open the strange safe.
Throwing Everything at It
Eric and the locksmith were keen to break the safe open and discover what was inside. As the locksmith chipped away at the concrete, a new element of the safe began to emerge. At last, the combination lock was revealed.
With that revelation came a renewed sense of hope that they might be able to get into the safe after all. However, it would take many more hours before the men achieved this goal.
Code Cracked!
Eventually, after putting in a significant amount of time and effort, Eric and the locksmith were successful in locating the lock. Finally, it was time to try the numbers his mother had suggested. Would his dad’s birthday or social security number open the lock?
Sure enough, when Eric carefully entered the code into the lock, it popped open! The decisive moment had finally arrived. Was Eric about to discover something that would go down in history? Or would this amount to nothing at all?
What Are Those Things?
The image of a substantial pile of books was the first thing that sprang to Eric's mind. Boxes were also a possibility in this scenario. At this point, Eric was not dismissing any possible options. However, it turned out to be neither of those things.
Did the objects in the safe contain the old "weapons" Eric's granddad often spoke about? Maybe they were items that his granny held in high regard. As he continued to search within the safe, things became clearer.
Not Impressed
As Eric dug deeper inside the old concrete safe, his hopes began to dwindle, and his excitement turned into a feeling of hopelessness. He was now convinced that the only items of note inside the safe were a few coins, some empty boxes, and several uninteresting books.
However, as Eric studied each object, he came up with many new reasons to be excited. After all, this wasn't the only area in the house that seemed to be hiding something significant.
Tough Books
This book was the first item Eric picked out of the pile. He dusted it off and set about examining the rusty tome. The photo below shows how musty the book became after lying untouched for many years.
A devastating flood and fire had occurred not long ago at the farmhouse. Thankfully, only a portion of the building had been affected, and though the contents of the safe weren’t in great shape, they had survived.
Precious Coins
Though Eric was disheartened to see numerous wet and damaged dollar bills on the floor, there was still a great deal to be thrilled about in the safe. For example, when he opened the book, he found dozens of carefully preserved coins hidden between the pages.
Given their uniqueness, his grandparents had decided to keep them locked up in a safe. Though this was already a good find, Eric had done little more than skim the surface. Many more surprises lay in store.
Money Makes the World Go Round
Along with the coins – which looked like they might be valuable – Eric found many dollar notes stashed in the safe. Though they were rather moist, Eric thought they stood a good chance of being salvaged.
All that would be required was to separate and dry them out. As Eric delved further into the safe, he made his most significant find to date. Things were growing better with every passing moment, and his next find was a doozy.
A True Treasure
Eric found yet another stash of coins; at a glance, he estimated their worth to be several hundred dollars. Little did he know that experts would eventually place a value of tens of thousands of dollars on this cache of old coins. But we’re getting ahead of ourselves!
Eric began to feel that he was perched atop an astonishing vault containing an endless stream of treasures. However, he didn’t want to get ahead of himself. So he asked as many people as possible for their opinions.
Silver Stash
Eric's discovery of rare silver bars was another exciting moment. After discovering that they bore the dates of the founding of Connecticut and two other American states, he immediately grasped the historical importance of these artifacts.
It was reasonable to anticipate that these artifacts would bring in a high price when put up for auction. This stash of silver alone would be enough to satisfy any treasure hunter, but it seemed that every time Eric reached into the safe, he unearthed yet another precious relic.
Valuable Coins
Although a few of the more fragile objects stored in the safe had been damaged, most of the goods were still in fine condition. Take a look at this carefully preserved silver coin, for example. It remains perfectly intact despite its antiquity.
Since it was contained inside a plastic box, the coin had every chance of remaining well preserved, even though some weathering had taken place. Though things were looking up, Eric still had obstacles to face.
What’s in the Box?
Eric needed help unlocking the rusted box at the very bottom of the safe. He thought it was most likely a toolbox, meaning it would be of little value. However, if we’ve learned anything so far, it’s that things aren’t always what they seem.
After a lot of hard work and determination, Eric finally opened the box and found some things inside that brought a tear to his eye. While some treasures are valuable because of their monetary worth, others are invaluable because of the memories they inspire.
Grandma’s Bling
This find held a great deal of sentimental value to Eric and his family. Upon opening one of these strange-looking boxes, the young man realized that he had discovered some of his grandmother's jewels.
While holding a piece of jewelry that his late grandmother had worn many years before, Eric experienced a strong emotional reaction. Each piece of jewelry brought back a special memory. However, Eric had more touching moments in store. Though he was already overwhelmed, there was still more to discover.
Coffee Table Treasure
After Eric had removed everything from the hidden safe, he searched the entire house to ensure that he hadn't overlooked anything. If his grandparents kept one hidden vault, it was logical to assume there might be more.
After an exhaustive search of the house, he found an old coffee table. At first, he assumed it was nothing more than an ancient piece of rotting furniture. Then he pulled out a drawer, and inside he found yet another remarkable treasure trove.
The Second Safe
Eric couldn't believe that inside this coffee table, there was another secure safe waiting to be opened. It seemed that this was about to be one of the luckiest weeks of his life! Of course, he had to get it open before he could celebrate.
His grandparents had concealed some of their treasures but exhibited others so everyone could view them. So, Eric couldn’t help but wonder what they’d hidden inside the second safe. Would it be something he recognized? Or would it be a secret treasure known only to the secretive old couple?
An Oldie but a Goodie
The second safe contained coins, books, and other artifacts similar to those found in the first safe. However, there was something more – something Eric’s grandfather had hinted at when he was just a kid. Here’s your hint: You wouldn't want to pull the trigger if these artifacts were loaded.
Since Eric's grandfather was a fan of guns, it wasn’t a surprise to discover a cache of weapons hidden in the house. However, the guns were not the most astonishing discovery Eric made that day.
Hitting the Big Time
Upon opening the second safe, Eric found a stack of rare banknotes signed by Joseph Barr – a politician who was friends with JFK and served as the Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Congressional Relations when Kennedy was in power. Eric had just recovered from this shock when he discovered that this safe also contained yet another store of rare coins.
After this astounding discovery, the value of Eric's treasure surpassed all previous estimates. Now, all he needed were some specific answers to his remaining queries.
Telling His Story
Eric had stumbled across something truly significant. Moreover, the plot progressed to the point where he felt ready to share his findings with a broader audience. It was time to go beyond the walls of the house and share this remarkable story with the world.
Because Eric was so happy with his discoveries, he documented everything with photographs and then posted the lot on Reddit. While showing off the gems he’d inherited from his grandparents, he anxiously asked whether anyone could identify them and evaluate their worth.
Turning to Reddit
Eric failed to garner much information about his newly acquired riches via the internet. No one was able to identify the books, nor could they help much with the coins. However, one person did mention that the Bureau of Engraving and Printing might be able to replace damaged bills under certain circumstances.
Although people couldn't physically view the books and coins, the photos Eric shared online were sufficient for them to get some idea of the valuables he had found. That is the beauty of modern technology – information is accessible at the click of a mouse.
The Total Value
It was reasonable for Eric to speculate about the value of the “treasure” he had discovered in the family farmhouse. However, speculation can only get you so far. After cleaning his bounty up and categorizing everything, he wanted a final figure.
Eric was ultimately able to confirm his assumption that his find was worth tens of thousands of dollars. In his words, "everything that was produced in 1964 or before is 90% silver and valued about 20 times the face value of the coin."
Collectible Coins
One member of the Reddit community was adamant about determining the worth of Eric's haul in monetary terms. This person collects coins and asserts that there is a significant difference between coins stored in safes to those held in other locations
The face value and collector value of a coin are essential to a numismatist (someone who studies coins, paper money, and medals). This person told Eric to "check everything; even damaged notes may have huge value as collector's goods." In other words, "be on the lookout for anything of monetary value.” We hope Eric found every item of value in this incredible cache of treasures!
Modern treasure troves are less common in our modern times than back in the day when people went on adventurous explorations around the world. So imagine the surprise of a simple man who stumbled upon an old treasure cache on his farm. Read on to discover how it happened.
Two decades after his grandparents died, our hero discovered that he had inherited a farmhouse from them. Little did he know that a groundbreaking find was waiting to be uncovered on the property. Indeed, his life was turned upside down when he went to clean the place up and list it for sale.