The thing about grandparents is that they’ve had a lifetime to collect all sorts of keepsakes, and each of these items have their own story. But when one man decided to go sifting through his grandmother’s old art room, he found a secret to his past and a key that could potentially change his entire existence.
He Was Searching for Something Interesting
In 2013, Imgur user Todirerl went sifting through his grandmother’s art room, but there was a problem. The space was filled with tons of past projects. But he had no idea that he was about to find something very special among all the old junk.
Cupboard in the Corner Caught His Eye
He moved things around and tried to find order in the midst of all the chaos. Then, he noticed a wooden cupboard in a corner of the room. And he felt compelled to get closer as if a mysterious force was beckoning him to investigate.
He Mistakenly Assumed the Cupboard Was Empty
Something didn’t add up. The entire room was nothing more than a cluttered mess, and yet, the cupboard was empty. At least, that’s what Todirerl assumed.
Then he saw something that sent chills down his spine.
Someone Had Tampered With the Cupboard
Upon further inspection, he realized that someone had messed with the wooden panel at the bottom of the closet. And Todirerl suspected that he was closer than ever to discovering a secret that had remained hidden for years.
There Was a Hidden Space Hidden in Plain Sight
He noticed that the bottom of the cupboard could be removed, which meant that someone had created the illusion of a false bottom to hide something within the hidden space. But why would anyone try to pull off such an elaborate deception.
What Was His Grandmother Hiding?
Once he removed the bottom of the cupboard, he saw that it was covered entirely by sand and gravel. But he couldn’t help but wonder why his grandmother or someone else went through so much trouble to hide something.
He Unearthed a Hidden Safe
Once he cleared the gravel, he saw what looked like some kind of hidden safe, but its dial was almost completely buried by rocks. But would he be able to open it? Of course, not! He didn’t have the combination. But there was one person who could have had the answers he needed.
His Grandmother Was Very Confused
He asked his grandmother about the safe in the hopes that she would know the combination. But much to his dismay, she told him she didn’t even know that the safe existed. So, he wondered if the safe was stashed away by the previous homeowners.
She Gave Him Permission to Crack the Safe
He needed to crack the safe open but it wasn’t his to crack. So, he asked his grandmother for permission and she said yes. But he couldn’t do it alone, so he reached out to the only other person he knew who could help.
His Father Helped Pry the Safe Open
Todirerl’s father had the right power tools to open the safe. It wasn’t easy. First, they had to pry the safe from the closet.
Then they sanded the edges down with a circle saw and prepared to open it, but they weren’t prepared for what awaited them when they opened the lid.
A Cryptic Message Greeted Them
There was a bundled black cloth and a mysterious message that read: “Abandon All Regret Ye Who Enter Here.” This line was taken from the medieval book “Inferno.” The message is the inscription on top of the gates before Dante walks into Hell. But was the message legit or some sort of joke?
Was It a Joke from Beyond the Grave?
Todirerl’s late grandfather was known for being a prankster. So, he figured that the cryptic message was just another one of his jokes. But there was something else in the safe that was anything but a joke.
There Was a Meaning Behind a Mysterious Symbol
There was a black cloth with a white Chinese symbol marked on the outside. Imgur users told Todirerl that this was often used at Chinese weddings. The symbol is also a form of branding on products like soy sauce, cigarettes and even jewelry. But the cloth was just a wrapping for what was really hidden within.
There Was More Than Knick-Knacks Inside the Safe
From the size and weight of what was stored inside, Todirerl and his family figured that his grandfather had stored his personal items. But what they found when they took out the contents was a treasure trove with ties to his distant past.
The Items Had Historical Meaning
Among the items was a gold pen, a lamp, a pouch that dated back to 1776 and the photo of a woman. But she wasn’t some random lady. She was Todirerl’s great-great grandmother.
And then Imgur users helped him identify some of the other items he had found.
Imgur Users Helped Identify the Items
The gold fountain pen was identified by a user as a Duofold, 51s and Vacumatic, and another deduced that it could be worth about $500. But there were some items that were priceless and thanks to Photoshop, some users managed to touch up some of the old photos he had found. But what he found next proved to be very valuable indeed.
The Next Item He Found Was Golden
Todirerl found a leather pouch with a date that read 1776. Inside the pouch was a gold pocket watch. He figured it was an heirloom because one of the photos he found in the safe showed his great-grandfather with it.
But the cloth used to house the watch also provided historical clues.
The Cloth Had Ties to the British Military
One Imgur reader pointed out that the fabric of the cloth that was used to house the watch was issued by the British military. It was a barrel cloth, which was used to clean rifles, which didn’t surprise Todirerl one bit after he found another item.
His Great-Grandfather Was In WWI
One of the old photos not only showed Todirerl’s great-grandfather wearing the pocket watch, but also a series of medals from World War I. According to a reader who was a self-acclaimed WWI aficionado, one of the medals was given to troops from the British Commonwealth who came to Europe to serve in the war. But another item proved his grandfather was a globetrotter.
Stamp Collection Was Ancient
Readers pointed out that Todirerl posted a photo of his grandfather’s stamp collection, which suggested the man had traveled a lot. One reader pointed out that some stamps were very old and others came from countries that were no longer around. But one item appeared to come from a magic realm.
This Lamp Made Him Believe in Wishing
Another item Todirerl found looked like a lamp one would expect to see from a Disney film. So, he admitted to readers that he rubbed the lamp in the hopes of getting three wishes from a potentially imprisoned genie. But what did it really contain?
The Lamp Linked Him to the Eastern World
While the lamp didn’t contain a genie, Imgur readers did offer Todirerl information on the lamp which was used for incense and meditation. The lamp along with the Chinese Cloth hinted that his ancestors may have visited the Eastern World. But his next discovery had him wishing he had a piggy bank.
He Had Inherited a New Coin Collection
He also found a series of 15 coins that came from various parts of the world like Southern Rhodesia (present-day Zimbabwe), New Zealand, Australia, the United States, Jamaica, Pakistan, Cuba, United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela. But were any of them worth anything?
Some of the Coins Were Valuable
Imgur readers told Todirerl that one of the coins in the collection was a Morgan silver dollar, which may be worth an undisclosed amount of money. Another reader claimed he spotted a South African coin similar to one he had sold for four thousand rand (about $217). But there was one final item that could potentially make him rich.
He Found an Old Golden Key
Wrapped inside the black cloth was another item that made Todirerl’s heart jump. It was a golden key with the head full of intricate patterns. He wasn’t sure what the key would open, but his mind was racing with ideas.
What Could they Key Open?
Todirerl and netizens alike started theorizing what the golden key could open. Maybe there was another safe hidden in the house waiting to be discovered. But perhaps, he had already found the biggest treasure ever.
He Found the Most Important Treasure of All
Todirerl never revealed if he ever figured out what the golden key opened. But while he didn’t find treasure chests full of gold coins, he had found a stash of items that had belonged to his grandfather and those who came before him. But there was one question netizens asked that made Todirerl laugh.
His Great-Grandfather Was a Total Catch
There was a photo of his great-grandfather, which he posted on Imgur. The man had a nice haircut, round glasses, and a suit. An although he was obviously a man from a different time, Imgur users had fallen in love with his good looks.
One person even asked if he was single.
Family Roots Were Once Used to Obtain Things
Even with the use of genealogy and the internet, it’s still quite difficult to explore one’s roots. But long ago, one’s family history was not only used to obtain prestige but to obtain a decent marriage and even pursue a new business venture. But what was Todirerl’s takeaway?
The Time Capsule Was a Link to His Past
Although he might be able to make a couple of bucks from his discovery, his grandfather’s carefully placed time capsule provided him with a piece of his family’s past that dated all the way back to WWI. So next time you think about selling your old jewelry, think about making a time capsule that your children, grandchildren, or great grandchildren can find.