Featured Anyone else ever get more than they bargained for?

No pictures, but once inside a library book I found a booklet describing a tour of historic homes in Salem, Massachusetts in the 1920s. I later donated it to an archive in Salem.

 

Went to a garage sale onetime several years back and upon seeing what the gentleman was facing (his mother had died and he had limited time) I tried to steer him to someone Honest I knew who could maximize the estate for him as there were a lot of valuable stuff but was rebuffed. Was told that "just stack up what you wanted and he would give a price". My wife and I spent the better part of a day there and when he looked at the pile said 40 bucks which I paid.
When I got home In one of the boxes which I had glanced at and saw some sewing stuff and put on the pile were several gold coins, a krugerand a 10 dollar gold piece 2 gold pandas and about 4 grand in jewelry.
Some pics of some of the "Pile" after I got home.

 

I bought a suede fringed Western coat for 4 or 5 dollars at a thrift store, stuck it in the closet with intentions of wearing it at some point. I never did lol
About a year later, I was moving and weeding through my things to see what to keep and not keep. I hadn't worn the coat yet and decided to give it to a friend who liked that style. I went through the pockets and found a $100 bill in there. Being pretty broke at the time, it was a Godsend.

 

Awesome! You were rewarded for being honest

 

Grabbed a wee plastic baggie for fifty pence once at a car boot sale when it was pee'ing down. Thought it was beads. Silver and aquamarine bracelet, USSR seed pearl and amethyst earrings set in 18ct and a USSR turquoise ring, also 18ct. I seem to do well when I don't actually look closely at things.

 

Wise words poisonivy - komokwa he is a jerk!

Good on you coreya, you tried to help but sometimes people just don't want to listen. Great score for you.

 

I've never found anything 'extra' in my finds but my husband had an interesting time cleaning out his mother's house after she passed away.
Her death was somewhat unexpected and due to complications from surgery.
She held onto everything and at the age of 83 when she passed away, my husband had quite the task in front of him. This was his old 3 story level childhood home and he was the last surviving member of the family so everything fell to him.
Needless to say, it was a very difficult time.
As he was going through her personal items he found a paper bag stuffed in an old shoe inside a closet in her bedroom. Inside was cash, saved over who knows how many years, and in a few other random places throughout the house, more cash hidden away. The total ended up being over $10.000.
She had removed her wedding ring set before going into the hospital and she never told him where she put it and he didn't think to ask.
He planned on burying her with the set but couldn't find it anywhere. He searched all the usual places and couldn't ask her as she never woke from her surgery. He never found the set and had to bury her without it.
Months later, while cleaning out the house out to sell, he found a wadded up tissue in an old housecoat she never wore anymore, along with her dentures ! He almost put that housecoat out with other clothes to give to a local charity but he learned while finding the cash in odd places to look at EVERYTHING before getting rid of it.
I wear the set now, a beautiful 1945 white gold diamond engagement and matching diamond band ring set.
He never had any idea she had that kind of money stashed in odd areas of the house.

 

I once bought a 1950's silver marcasite brooch at an auction. The original box it was in was very tatty. It was cardboard with a cheap type padded liner for the brooch to sit on. I went to throw away the box and the split second before it left my hand I felt something moving in the box. I removed the detachable padded insert and found a gold sovereign and 2 gold half sovereigns hidden underneath the pad. From then on I always checked underneath the pads in jewellery boxes.

 

I still like the one told...where they used gold coins to hold down the drapes...

 

Another unappreciative gift recipient:
I love to do hand smocking/embroidery. One year, I made the women of the family (my mother, sister, and sister-in-law) handsewn lavender sachets, very nice for tucking into lingerie drawers. Each was completely handmade by me and painstakingly hand-embroidered with their own initial among colorful flowers using a variety of stitches. Each sachet took hours and hours to do.
The next Christmas, the sachet I gave my SIL showed up in the White Elephant silly gift game we play.
I realize that some people just don't put the value on handmade gifts that I do but it still hurt.

 

Several years ago, I bought a period Bessie Pease Gutman print for $5.99. I knew I'd probably get about $100 for it on the bay (and I did). When taking it out of the ratty old frame in order to prep the print for auction, I found a WW2-era cardboard Wrigley's gum advertisement by Otis Shepard being used as backing board... got $200 for that, despite some tears! (Have to admit, I kinda wish I kept it... I love the image.)

 

Oh no.
I bet the new caretaker loved it though!

 

That's fabulous!
I think of my Uncle who served in the Merchant Marine then

 

I was the lucky winner!

 

what goes around ...comes around...

 

Hi Blu,
I hear you. I bought my SIL a 400 dollar antique stained glass hall fixture. She had it for several months and then decided to use a chrome fixture instead. She had it in her yard sale for 10 bucks!!!!! I sent a friend to the sale to get it for me. He bargained her down to 8 dollars.
greg

 

HOLY CAT PUPPIES!!!!

 

That's Rich !!!!!
& sad....
& really....really....smart !

 

When I was 16 my folks went on vacation & left me at home.
One evening I broke a glass tube off in my hand & took a cab to the ER.
While there a $20 bill fell out of my pocket. I was really bummed.....never forgot it either !

3 months ago , while walking around the new ER at the same hospital, to visit Dad.....there on the floor was a crisp new $5........I keep that one in my wallet !!
2 weeks later on another visit....I was about to turn the corner to go to his room....and there on the floor...a crisp new $20.....just sittin there in the middle of the hallway......it joined the $5 in my wallet....!

payback.....is not always a bitch..!