Incredible secret hidden under kitchen cupboard
A couple who are renovating their home smashed out a kitchen cabinet and made a surprise discovery - a safe built into the floor. When they got it open, they discovered $51,080 in notes, a rare bottle of Bourbon, and an intriguing treasure hunt. The couple posted details of their discovery on imgur, and it has gone viral.
They said when they first moved in they'd found the code to a safe at the back of a medicine cabinet, and had hung onto it just in case. The code opened the safe in the floor. They wrote: "We stared in disbelief. Time stood still. I started to reach in the safe and Eddie yelled, 'Wait it might be booby trapped!' I'm still laughing at that one."
As well as the money, they discovered what looked like a treasure hunt. There was a book, 'A Guide for the Perplexed' by E.F. Schumacher. There was a photo of a man tucked into the book, and on the back someone had written "Alan, I have a book you must read. I've underlined a few key passages. Your friend, Vincent."
Tucked into page 7 was a card with an outline of the state of Arizona and a cross on the town of Mesa.
A series of passages have been underlined on pages 1,7 and 11 of the book, that seem to be clues. One reads: "One way of looking at the world as a whole is by means of a map, that is to say, some sort of plan or outline that shows where various things are to be found." There's also a Bingo card with three numbers circled. They posted the story in the hope someone can make sense of the clues and track down the hidden treasure.
The couple have offered to return the money to 'Alan' if he comes forward, but say they will keep the whisky.
Surprise for movers
It's not the first time that people have discovered their fortune hidden at home by a former owner. In 2011, a family in Utah were moving into their new home when they opened the attic and found eight metal boxes stuffed with rolls of cash. There was $40,000 hidden up there, so they called the children of the former owner and returned the cash.
At the end of last year a man in Tennessee was cleaning his grandparents' house when he stumbled across a safe. It had been under the carpet in a cupboard. He opened it to discover rolls of coins and notes, along with silver bars. Underneath the money collection was a rusty tool chest containing jewellery.
Sadly not every story like this has such a happy ending. In March last year a woman inherited her uncle's house in Italy. She discovered a safe stashed in the property, containing £43,000 worth of Lira notes. Unfortunately, by this time the Lira was no longer in use, so when she went to the Banca d'Italia to exchange the money she was told it was worthless. She even hired lawyers to challenge the decision, but they had no luck because the deadline for exchanging old Lira had expired in 2011.
Lucky finds on AOL
Beaker found in a box of odds and ends sells for £37,000
Treasure hoard sunk by Nazis discovered by divers
£1 book from car boot sale valued at £1,500
