Have you ever scavenged for lost change in between your grandparent’s couch cushions? It is one of those places that coins roll down into and sits until fingers small enough discover them. What if there was a whole suitcase filled with gold and silver coins hiding behind the sofa?
An elderly British woman had an auctioneer over to her home after acquiring it from a relative. Her plan was to sell some of the items in the house that she might not need or want any longer.
Auctioneer Jonathan Humbert came across the treasure after the pensioner asked him to clear the house in Towcester, Northants.
He said: “When I received the call the woman said she had some ceramics and furniture that needed cleaning out. Those are two words that auctioneers usually dread, but she mentioned a few gold coins too. That pricked my ears, and I went out.”
The auctioneer discovered a treasured piece of luggage that surprised both of them.
The suitcase’s contents included $35,000 EU pounds worth of gold along with valuable pieces of silver.
The auctioneer went on to describe how heavy the suitcase was, saying ““I went to lift it and almost pulled my arm out of my shoulder, it must have weighed well over 40 kg.” (Which is close to 90 lbs.)
Both him and the homeowner, who wishes to remain anonymous, had no idea that the suitcase had that much gold and silver inside of it. The lady explained that a close relative used to invest in silver and gold and had left the bag for her when they passed away.
Inside the suitcase, there were blocks of silver worth £450 ($482) each and hundreds of gold sovereign and full silver coins.
It also contained over a hundred 22-carat gold sovereigns, which cost £200 each ($214), and 17 solid silver bars weighing 1kg (2lbs) that are each worth £450.
It took staff at JP Humbert Auctioneers an entire day to sort out the trove on January 25 before it went for auction on Tuesday. Most of the items will be sold individually. There were so many pieces that they are already planning a second auction next month to finish off the sales.
While many of us only manage to find enough change to make a trip to the laundromat easier, some people occasionally discover fortunes. Back in 2014, a couple in Northern California came across a metal object sticking out of the ground near the roots of a tree. After some digging, they realized that they were jars filled with gold dating back to the 19th century. The couple sold their findings for four million dollars.
Next time you are sitting on a sofa, check the cushions! You never know what you might find. Many people from the older generation tend to hide valuables in their homes, and you might be the lucky person to come across something special.
