Ryan Handson
I’ve remodeled my master bedroom and bathroom, as well as two other bedrooms, in my house, but have yet to find any hidden treasures. Maybe I’m not one of the lucky ones, but then again, maybe I’m not looking in the right places – because one Phoenix couple uncovered quite the mystery while remodeling their kitchen, and now I’m jealous!
Couple Finds Mysterious Safe During Remodel
Meet John and Gina. They moved into their fixer-upper home roughly two years ago, but hadn’t gotten around to remodeling the kitchen until now – most homeowners can relate to that. They were doing all the work themselves, so it was going about as well as you’d imagine – again, most homeowners know the feeling.
But then things got interesting. As they were removing the kitchen island, they came across a safe, but not your usual safe – it was set into the foundation and sticking out from the cement. It had a single dial in the middle of the faceplate and one knob to open the door – but it was locked, of course.
Luckily, The Homeowners Had The Code
The couple estimated the safe to be at least 10 or 20 years old, but admitted there were six other homeowners before them – though it didn’t seem like the house had been remodeled before. Nonetheless, they were left with a safe sticking out of the ground, and no code to open it.
But, wait! Just when the couple were about to give up on the safe, they remembered a strange card they found in a medicine cabinet two years prior when they first moved in. There was a three-number code on the card, and they didn’t know what it was for, but they luckily kept the card – just in case!
Safe Was Full Of Unique Treasures From Decades Ago
Two years later, here they were – lucky they saved that card! Still, they had to make sure the code worked – it was all just a theory at this point. It took about 12 attempts, but the code eventually worked, and they opened the safe. And you’ll never guess what they found!
If it were my luck, the safe would’ve been empty – but not these homeowners. They opened it up and found a stack of old money tied together by a thin string, a bottle of bourbon, a blue book, and a BINGO card. The money and bourbon were an obvious catch, but the other two items were quite the mystery!
Had To Make Sure The Safe Wasn’t Booby-Trapped
Like anyone would in that moment, the couple stared blankly into the safe as their hearts skipped a beat – they couldn’t believe what they were seeing! Time suddenly stopped, and they were running out of expressions to describe what they were feeling.
After taking a moment to soak in their glory, Gina started to reach in to secure the score – but her husband stopped her. “Wait, it might be booby-trapped!” he said. Knowing he was just cracking a joke, they both laughed and started examining their treasured prize. Here’s what they found…
The Money: A Total Of $51,080
The money was what really caught their attention – four stacks of old $100 bills, one stack of old $20 bills, one stack of old $10 bills, one stack of old $5 bills, and one stack of old $2 bills – with $1 bills mixed in.
It was quite the find, and certainly took them some time to count it all, but it ended up totaling $51,080 – what a score! It was even more entertaining because the bills were so old – I wouldn’t even want to spend them, I’d want to display them!
The Bourbon: A Bottle Of James E. Pepper From 1960
Next, they came across an old bottle of bourbon. According to the label, it was a Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey by James E. Pepper – the man who invented the ‘Old Fashioned’ drink (sugar, water, whiskey, lemon peel, ice, and bitters, served with a small spoon).
The seal was still intact, and the tax stamp says it was from 1960 – aged 6 years, at that point. Any lover of fine, aged bourbon – which this couple was – would be happy to learn that this beautiful whiskey was aging for decades, right underneath their kitchen island!
The Book: ‘A Guide For The Perplexed’
The cash and whiskey were already enough to get this couple excited, but then things got a little mysterious. The book was titled A Guide for the Perplexed by E.F. Schumacher. It was published in 1977, and there was a BINGO card inside one of the pages.
The cover didn’t help much – it was just blue with a gray bind. When they opened it up to the first page, they found an old, sepia-colored photograph of a dark-haired man wearing a suit – he had a classic, distinct Gregory Peck look to him, especially with the glasses.
The Note To Allen, From Vincent
The couple turned the photograph over and discovered a brief, handwritten message on the back. “Alan, I have a book you must read. I’ve underlined a few key passages. Your friend, Vincent,” the message read. It doesn’t specify when the photo was taken.
It also didn’t specify who Alan or Vincent was – and whether or not one of them was the man in the picture. What we do know is that the safe and its contents were placed in there no earlier than 1977 – since that’s when the book was published.
The Arizona State Card From 1960
They turned to page 7 of the book and found an old flash card with pictures and stats of the Mountain States and, more specifically, Arizona – which is where the couple lived. Judging by the state population listed on the card (1,302,161 people), it’s safe to say the card was from 1960.
It also lists Phoenix, Tucson, and Mesa as the three largest cities in the state – each of which is marked on the outline of Arizona above it. If you look closely, you’ll see a handwritten ‘X’ over Mesa – could this be a hidden clue?
The Underlined Passages In The Book
Also, on page 7, there was a passage underlined in pencil – “One way of looking at the world as a whole is by means of a map, that is to say, some sort of a plan or outline that shows where various things are to be found.” Now, if that doesn’t scream treasure hunt, then I don’t know what does!
That’s not all. “There yielded such fruitful results,” was underlined on page 11, along with an old photo – a definite clue (more on that below). There was another passage on page 14 that read, “Most modern readers will be reluctant to believe that perfect happiness is attainable by methods of which their modern world knows nothing.”
The Old Photo Found In The Back Of The Book
Page 11 was definitely interesting. Underneath the, “There yielded such fruitful results,” passage, the couple found an old, sepia-colored photo of what appeared to be an old house with a distinct three-headed tree. The corner of the photo was bent and it was tough to make out where exactly the photo was taken.
The back of the photo was even more eye-opening. “Where one tree becomes three,” read the back of the photo – in the same handwriting as the other photo. The couple couldn’t figure out where that tree was, but maybe someone else will recognize the spot!
The Bingo Card: Could It Be Another Safe Code?
Last but not least, we have the BINGO card – another strange find in a safe, but it was used as a bookmark on page 14 – where the ‘modern readers’ passage was underlined. The card looked old, but something stuck out – a potential code.
Three numbers on the BINGO card were circled – B3, G54, 066. Could this be a code to another safe? Maybe the one by the three-headed tree? The couple had no idea, and had no way of finding out – unless someone can help them unsolve this mystery!
If Alan Exists, Come Claim Your Money!
We may never know if there’s a second treasure, but one thing’s for certain – if there’s an Alan out there looking for $51,000 and a bottle of whiskey, you should probably contact Gina and John right away before they spend all your money! Or is this one of those ‘finders, keepers’ situations? Either way, it’s a great find for a deserving couple!
Alright, it’s time for the real question of the day – what’s under your floorboards? Now, we’re not suggesting you start ripping up your floors in hopes of finding a treasure – you probably won’t be as lucky as John and Gina – but if you happen to remodel your house, then you should definitely keep your eyes open. You never know what you might find – it could be $51,000!
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