Buzz
Many people dream of uncovering something extraordinary, and some are fortunate enough to stumble upon rare items buried right in their own backyard. For the truly lucky ones, treasures may even be lying in plain sight on their lawn. The following tales of discovery come from individuals who found their remarkable finds just beyond their back door.
10. 650-Year-Old Hidden Treasure
Andreas K. was digging in his yard when he uncovered numerous ancient pieces of jewelry and other valuable artifacts. Initially, the items were covered in dirt, and Andreas thought they were of no value. He stored them away in a box in his basement for two years, only to rediscover them in 2011 while cleaning out the basement. By then, the dirt had dried, and some had fallen off, revealing the gold and jewels beneath.
Andreas shared photos of his discovery online. An amateur archaeologist suggested he inform the Austrian Federal Monument Agency about it. The Agency team was thrilled and called the ornaments one of the most important medieval treasure finds in Austria. Andreas had unearthed over 200 rings, brooches, and other decorative items, many of which featured designs with pearls and fossilized coral.
Andreas opted to retain the artifacts, though he intends to lend the collection to a museum in Austria.
9. Roman Villa Remains
In 2016, Luke and Alice Irwin made the decision to transform an old barn into a space for family table tennis. They hired electricians to lay an underground cable. During the drilling process, the electricians encountered a tough layer 46 centimeters (18 inches) below the ground, revealing remnants of a mosaic.
Luke contacted Historic England, prompting them to send archaeologists to the Irwin family’s home. The team concluded that the mosaic had once been part of the flooring in an impressive villa that was built between AD 175 and 220. The Irwins’ house stood right in the middle of what was once the villa.
The archaeologists began to explore the land surrounding the house. In one area, they uncovered a Neolithic flint head, pottery from the Bronze Age, pottery from the Iron Age, and Roman ceramics.
This find holds significant national importance. A large portion of the site has remained untouched since the villa’s collapse over 1,400 years ago, offering a rare chance to gain insights into Roman and post-Roman Britain.
8. Rare Whale Fossil
In 1978, Gary Johnson made an extraordinary discovery when he uncovered a whale fossil in his family's backyard. After reaching out to a local museum, he found that they were unsure how to handle the massive fossil.
The fossil was largely forgotten until 2014, when another whale fossil was unearthed nearby. Following the excavation by the National History Museum, Johnson reconnected with them, and they showed interest in retrieving his fossil.
The museum teamed up with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department search and rescue volunteers, who used the excavation as a training opportunity. With pulleys and a steel trolley, they carefully lifted the fossil and the rock encasing it from the ravine in Johnson's backyard. The total weight exceeded 450 kilograms (1,000 lb).
The fossil was then sent to the museum to be added to their research collection. Estimated to be 16 to 17 million years old, this rare find is one of only about 20 known baleen whale fossils in existence.
7. A Tunnel To The Pyramid Of Khufu
In 2014, Nagy was digging illegally in his backyard when he uncovered massive stone blocks. Beneath the surface, 10 meters (33 ft) down, he had found a hidden corridor. News of his discovery reached Egypt’s Ministry of Antiquities, who sent archaeologists to his home. Upon investigation, they realized that Nagy had uncovered the famous causeway leading to the Pyramid of Khufu, the oldest pyramid in the Giza complex.
For over three decades, archaeologists had been on the lookout for this elusive corridor. It was referenced in the Histories by Herodotus, who claimed to have visited it during the fifth century BC. Herodotus described the passage as being enclosed and adorned with reliefs. Prior to Nagy’s discovery, only small remnants of the causeway had been located.
The Khufu pyramid complex is known to be connected to a long-forgotten temple near the Nile River. The discovery of the causeway has sparked speculation among archaeologists that this temple might be buried under the village of Nazlet el-Samman.
6. Viking Treasure
In 2007, following a heavy rainstorm, Tage Pettersson found a pair of ancient coins on his lawn. He alerted local archaeologists, who uncovered 67 more coins on his land. Two of the coins were exceptionally rare: one had never been discovered in Sweden, while the other was only the second known specimen of its kind.
The majority of the coins discovered are of German, English, and Arabic origin, dating from the late 900s to the early 1000s. These coins reveal the Vikings' expansive trade routes and raiding activities across Europe and beyond. The Islamic coins, in particular, are a testament to the Vikings' far-reaching commerce; they traveled south through Russia's rivers to the Middle East. The English coins, however, likely represent tribute payments made to avoid Viking raids.
The coins were found buried approximately 400 meters (1,300 feet) from an ancient Viking settlement. Experts theorize that these hoards served as hidden safekeeping: The treasure was concealed underground until it was required for use.
5. Saddle Ridge Hoard
In 2013, John and Mary were taking a walk with their dog in their backyard when they noticed a decaying canister emerging from the soil. Using a stick, they managed to unearth it and took it inside. Upon opening the container, they discovered a collection of discs, all covered in dirt.
After cleaning the discs, they discovered they were $20 gold coins from the 1890s. Excited, John and Mary hurried back to the spot where they had found the canister. They searched the surrounding area and uncovered seven additional cans. As they examined their haul, they realized they had uncovered more than 1,000 coins. To protect their find, they reburied the coins and reached out to a coin expert, Don Kagin, to evaluate their discovery.
Kagin spent months carefully restoring the coins, soon recognizing the remarkable nature of John and Mary's discovery. They had unearthed 1,427 coins minted between 1847 and 1894. While the face value of the coins amounted to $27,980, Kagin understood their true worth was far higher. Some of these coins were exceptionally rare, with a dozen being among the finest preserved examples of their type.
The collection was appraised at an astounding $11 million.
4. WWII Airplane
In 2017, 14-year-old Daniel Rom Kristiansen was searching for a compelling topic for his World War II report. His father, Klaus, half-jokingly suggested that he look into a plane that was said to have crashed in the field behind their house. Klaus’s grandfather had claimed that an aircraft had gone down there in November 1944, but the family had always been skeptical of the story.
Determined to investigate, Daniel and his father took a metal detector to the field. They were startled when the device began to beep. They dug at the spot, only to realize that they needed to dig even deeper. After borrowing an excavator from a neighbor, they unearthed the wreckage of a plane buried 4 to 6 meters (13–20 feet) beneath the surface.
As they continued digging, they uncovered thousands of fragments of the airplane. Eventually, they found the remains and personal belongings of the pilot. The Kristiansens reached out to World War II historians and the Danish authorities to report their discovery.
Danish police collected the bones for examination. Forensic specialists are now working to identify the pilot. If successful, he will be honored with a military funeral in Germany.
3. Silver Bars
In 2010, James Sievers was in the middle of a home renovation when his shovel struck something solid. Kneeling down, Sievers pulled out a tube, and to his surprise, inside it were 18 silver bars. Overcome with excitement, he couldn’t help but do the chicken dance right there in his yard.
Sievers went inside to investigate the silver and discovered that each bar was valued at around $2,600, which meant the total worth was approximately $46,000. As he pondered why the silver was buried, he noted that the container was marked with the year 1982. Sievers later found out that Clint Nelson had built the home in Idaho and lived there in 1982.
Sievers reached out to Nelson to share the news about his find. He offered to return the silver, but Nelson insisted that he keep it. Initially thrilled, Sievers ultimately decided that the right course of action would be to split the bars with Nelson.
Sievers packed up all the silver, just in case Nelson changed his mind and wanted to take everything. He drove to Utah, where Nelson accepted half of the silver. Nelson explained that he was a businessman and had been paid in silver. When silver prices dropped, he buried the bars in his backyard. Nelson had already retrieved four other tubes but had missed one.
2. Ackworth Hoard
In 2012, Owen Johnson was inspecting a hole that builders had dug in his garden when he discovered a ceramic pot buried in the dirt. As he attempted to extract the pot, it cracked open, causing gold and silver coins to spill out, tumbling 'like a slot machine.'
Johnson had unearthed nearly 600 coins dating back to the mid-17th century, along with a ring inscribed with the words, 'When this you see remember me.' The treasure was likely buried during the English Civil War. Johnson’s house was located in Pontefract, a Royalist stronghold at the time. With a military post nearby, the coins were probably hidden by a Royalist who feared they might be stolen. The coins had a face value of £85 and 12 shillings—enough to support a Civil War soldier for five years.
The hoard was valued at £54,492 in 2013, and the Wakefield Council purchased it. The collection is now on display at the Pontefract Museum.
1. A Bag Full Of Cash
In 2011, Wayne Sabaj went into his garden in Chicago to pick some greens, but instead, he stumbled upon a bag brimming with cash. He immediately took the bag to his father. Neither of them was thrilled with the discovery, fearing the money might be linked to a bank robbery and not wanting to be implicated.
The father and son contacted the police, who took the cash along with another bag they found in the garden. After counting the money, the authorities discovered that the Sabajs had uncovered $150,000. The money was traced back to their former neighbor, Delores Johnson, who had buried it, believing it was cursed. After her death, Johnson's daughter, Diane Howe, came forward to claim the cash.
In 2013, Sabaj and Howe went to court to decide how to divide the money. Before a verdict could be reached, Sabaj passed away from complications related to diabetes. His father later suffered a cardiac arrest upon hearing of his son’s death.
The judge ruled that the money should be split between the two families. Half of the amount went to Sabaj's son, and the other half was awarded to Howe.
