Buzz
There are times when forgotten items remain hidden under layers of dust and cobwebs for years. Often, this is of no concern.
But occasionally, it turns into a major issue. From priceless treasures to outright disasters, attics hold all kinds of surprises.
10. Glass Plate Negatives
When you dare to search the attic, you might unexpectedly come across a large box filled with an old slide projector and a collection of slides. Among these, a few photographs of far greater value than your typical vacation photos were discovered in Peoria, Illinois, tucked away in a box in the attic of an abandoned house.
The box contained over 200 glass negatives, dating from the late 1800s and early 1900s. These were uncovered just before the house was set to be demolished, and they were later sold to photo restoration specialist Chris Traugott Coulter from the Peoria Historical Society. Coulter had to create custom holders for the negatives, as they came in 11 different sizes, and began the process of restoring and digitizing them. He now shares the photos online, seeking public assistance in identifying the people and scenes captured.
The photos provide a rare and fascinating window into history, featuring scenes such as soldiers training in the late 1890s, cowboys, a dog leaping through the air, people awkwardly staring at the camera, and much more.
9. Grandson’s Body
Attics, much like basements, can sometimes feel eerie. Now, imagine discovering a dead mouse up there. But what if, instead of a rodent, you stumbled upon the lifeless body of someone you knew and loved? Talk about a nightmare.
8. A Shocking Discovery
Literally.
In Oak Creek, Milwaukee, four fully operational grenades were discovered in an attic. Can you imagine someone deciding it was a good idea to stash four bombs directly above people’s heads? Or perhaps they simply forgot where they'd hidden them?
After the initial shock wore off, the homeowners called the police, and the grenades were detonated safely under supervision. Surprisingly, bombs that survived are often found in attics. In 2016, a builder found a World War II fire bomb hidden in an attic. Some of the wooden beams showed signs of burning, but, for an unknown reason, the bomb didn't go off.
7. The Head of a Monarch
Stephane Gabet, a journalist with a TV production company, was exploring the attic of Jacques Bellanger when he came across a skull. It turned out to be the preserved head of a 400-year-old monarch, and not just any ordinary peasant. After scientists examined it, they confirmed it was the head of Henry IV, the King of France until 1610.
The story of how the monarch’s head ended up wrapped in an attic is somewhat mysterious. However, it is known that royal revolutionaries desecrated Henry’s tomb 183 years after his death, severing his head. In the 1900s, a French couple bought the head at auction, later selling it to Bellanger in 1955 for 5,000 francs.
6. An Unattributed Van Gogh
What do Picasso, Warhol, Caravaggio, and Van Gogh have in common? Besides being legendary artists, they also created masterpieces that were lost to history, only to be rediscovered later, making their finders incredibly wealthy.
The Sunset at Montmajour was stumbled upon by a Norwegian man in his attic in 2013. Initially, he dismissed it as a fake. In 1991, the owner had consulted experts at the Van Gogh Museum, who concluded that it was indeed a forgery, mainly due to the absence of a signature. However, years later, using cutting-edge technology, the painting was re-examined. With chemical analysis, X-ray research, and insights from Van Gogh’s letters to his brother, experts confirmed it was an authentic Van Gogh. They even pinpointed the exact date of its completion: July 4, 1888.
For perspective, Van Gogh's Portrait of Dr. Gachet fetched a staggering $82.5 million at auction.
5. Hitler’s Vinyl Collection
Lew Besymenski, a captain in the Russian militia when World War II ended in 1945, made an astonishing discovery at the Reich Chancellery in Berlin, the captured Nazi headquarters. Inside, numbered boxes filled with Hitler’s personal items were scattered throughout the building. The Russians took a few as souvenirs.
Years later, in 1991, Lew Besymenski’s daughter, Alexandra, was searching the attic for a badminton racket. Instead of the racket, she found a box labeled Fuhrerhauptquartier (Reich Chancellery). Inside was Hitler’s personal record collection, featuring Wagner, Beethoven’s piano sonatas, and, surprisingly, composers like Peter Tchaikovsky, Alexander Borodin, and Sergei Rachmaninoff—artists whom the Nazis had branded 'subhuman.' Hitler, despite his ideology, had been an avid lover of music, attending the opera nearly every day during his time in Vienna.
4. $5 Million Fabergé
A rare Fabergé figurine, hidden for over 70 years in an attic in New York, was eventually sold for a staggering $5.2 million at auction, largely due to its captivating history.
The figurine was originally commissioned by Tsar Nicholas II in 1912 as a gift for his wife, Empress Alexandra. As we know, the fall of the Russian monarchy also meant the figurine’s disappearance. In 1934, it was rediscovered and sold to George Davis, but for reasons unknown, it vanished once again, only to resurface 70 years later, almost by chance.
There are only 50 of these figurines in existence, but it could easily have been mistaken for a simple holiday decoration. Maybe it’s time we start paying more attention to the items we hang on our Christmas trees.
3. Bags Of Cash
Josh Ferrin, a man from Bountiful, Utah, had just purchased his first home. While he had checked every room, what he discovered while looking for a spot to store his tools in the garage was something he never could have imagined.
While searching, Josh noticed an unusual panel in the ceiling with a small piece of carpet sticking out. Thinking it might be a hidden play area for his children, he decided to investigate. Behind the panel, he found an antique ammunition case and seven additional boxes. When he opened them, he was stunned to find they were all packed with rolls of cash.
The family started counting but gave up after $45,000. However, in a truly remarkable act of kindness, Josh Ferrin decided not to keep the money. He returned every penny to the family of the previous owner, explaining that he wanted to set a good example for his children.
2. Diamonds
Diamonds aren’t just a girl’s best friend; they’re everyone’s best friend—especially when they turn up for free inside an old chair.
Angela Milner-Brown, 50, and her husband Angus, 47, live in Biggar, South Lanarkshire. Around 2006, they purchased an old chair at an auction for £5. The couple recalls that the chair was in terrible shape, and due to a lack of funds for repairs, it was eventually stored in the attic.
The chair remained in the attic for six years, until one day, Angus decided it was time to reupholster the old piece. After peeling away several layers of cushion, he was surprised to see a sparkle. Hidden inside the chair was a stash of diamond jewelry. Angus, being the romantic he is, kept the discovery a secret, surprising his wife on multiple occasions with the jewelry as a gift before revealing its origins. The couple later brought their find to the BBC Antique Road Show, where it was valued at approximately £5,000.
1. Superman Comic
This tale feels like it's straight out of a fairy tale. Or perhaps a comic—a Superman comic, to be precise.
When a couple was forced to prepare their house for repossession, they decided to clean out the attic. Among the clutter, they discovered over 50 boxes of comics, most of which were worth little to nothing. But one comic stood out from the rest.
Inside one of the boxes was a copy of Action Comics No. 1 from 1938, in excellent condition. Up until that moment, only 99 copies were known to exist. Originally purchased for just 10 cents, the couple took this comic—the holy grail of comic books—to an auction, where it sold for a staggering £1.5 million. With this newfound fortune, they not only saved their house but were also able to buy a luxurious new villa.
