If you live in an old house, there could very well be some hidden treasures on the property. In today’s article, we are going to take a look at some people who found gold hidden in their homes and where people long ago hid their gold for safe keeping.
1. Finds old gold coin when removing window
William Bray found a small gold piece while removing a window from a home in Indiana back in 1916. The coin was dated 1854 and on the reverse side were the words, “California Gold.” [Source]
2. Workman finds $100,000 gold coins behind secret panel in old house
In 1924, a workman found gold coins worth $100,000 hidden in a secret panel inside an old house. A newspaper report states the house, originally built in 1860, was being torn down to make room for an apartment building.
The money was found on the second floor in a panel inside a wall. The coins were in an iron box along with some papers showing that the last time gold coins were placed into the box was in 1878. [Source]
3. Woman hid gold coin and bills
An article published in 1914 tells us that a woman hid gold coins and bills in various places about her house. It says:
“Gold coin and greenbacks dated before the Civil War were discovered hidden in a dozen places in the home of Mrs. Harriet Riley, aged 80, a wealthy resident of East Germantown who died recently.”
After the woman’s passing, a relative found nearly $3000 dollars in gold and money on an initial search of the home.
The article goes on to say:
“The aged woman had hidden money, some of a recent date in the mattresses, in cupboards, under a window sill, under stairs, in crevices all over the house.” [Source]
4. Gold cache found in old stove pipe
In 1954 we learn that when Michael Barry was a little boy he used to stuff his treasures into an old stove pipe above the ceiling of a second-floor bedroom.
When he turned twelve, he reached into the stove pipe and pulled out a rusty wrench, water pistol, and an old comic book.
Then, on a whim, he decided to reach further into the pipe and pulled out a rusty can filled with $700 in gold coins.
According to the boy’s family, the grandmother would often point to the ceiling and say, “There’s gold up there.” However, since she was in her 80s, no one believed her. [Source]
5. Melted Gold
And finally, one of the problems with hiding gold inside one’s home is that if there is a fire, you will have to sift through the ashes of your house to find it. That’s what happened to a Tacoma man back in 1907.
A newspaper report states:
“Frightened at the money situation, a laborer converted his savings into gold and hid the gold in his house. The house burned down last night [and now the man] is washing the ashes of his home to recover the gold. He found two $5 gold pieces and 20 more melted into a lump.” [Source]
