Every home has a few secrets. Most are boring, like the drawer full of Schrödinger’s batteries or the mystery key that opens nothing. Then someone pulls up a floorboard or knocks through a wall, and the house reveals what it has been hiding since before they moved in.
People on the Things Found In Walls page shared the strangest things they found lurking in their own houses, and the answers range from time capsules to messages left by previous owners who clearly had a lot on their minds. Some are charming. Others will make you rethink that renovation. Whatever you do, don’t open the attic after dark
#1 I Have A Couple Fabulous Finds To Share. The First, At My Old House In Nw Indiana We Were Cleaning Out The Attic. This Cameo Ring Was Found And I Was Thrilled
Image source: Jayme Smith
#2 Found This Old Sundial On The Property We Purchased, Perfect Condition
Image source: Jose Marlasca
#3 From The Rafters At Grandma’s House Clean Out. “Nixon’s Last TV Show 5-25-77” Cassette Tape Clearly In Grandma’s Writing
Image source: Mary McBuglover
Houses often outlive the people who live in them, and they hold on to things even better. According to the English Housing Survey, roughly one in five homes in England was built before 1919. That gives previous owners a lot of time to lose, hide, or forget about whatever is now sitting in the attic. Some of what’s up there is worth a fortune.
In 2010, a family clearing out a house in Pinner, a suburb in northwest London, found an 18th-century Chinese vase among the household clutter. It dated from the Qianlong period, and the auctioneers at Bainbridges in nearby Ruislip estimated it at around a million pounds. It sold for £43 million to a buyer from mainland China, a record for a Chinese work of art at the time.
#4 My Husband Found This While Surveying Some Woods And Brought It Home For Me I Love It
Image source: Tiffany Faucheux McCain
#5 This Was Hidden By The Ages. In 1885, 97 Years Before I Was Born And 141 Years Ago, A Little Girl Named Carrie In Hartford Had An Autograph Book
Image source: Sarah Kristen
#6 1890 Farmhouse I Found This Photo Behind Our Window Trim In Our 1890 Farmhouse. I Don’t Know What Year, Who They Are But That Is Definitely Our Backyard
Image source: Geneva Blickenstaff
In 2014, a leak in the roof of a house near Toulouse, France, sent the owners up to the attic to check the damage. They found a large painting that had apparently been sitting there for around 150 years. Eric Turquin, the Paris art expert who examined it, argued it was a lost Caravaggio from around 1607, and it was valued at up to €100 million. Other specialists disagree. A private sale in 2019 stopped it from going to auction, and the argument over who painted it hasn’t ended.
#7 This Beautiful Photo Is Of Walter And Veronica, Taken In Chicago In 1917! Walter Worked For The Railroad For 43 Years, Retiring In 1960. Their Family Is Coming By Today To Pick Up This Treasure
Image source: Brittany Lavinder
#8 These Are All Objects We Found In The Walls Of Our Circa 1901 House In Michigan
Image source: Kathleen Hardy
#9 Sue Anne Massey Of Middletown, Ohio, I Found Your Message In A Bottle From December 6, 2017
Image source: Matthew Heinrich
Before governments insured deposits, plenty of people kept their money in places a bank couldn’t lose it. Roughly 9,000 US banks failed during the 1930s, and the FDIC didn’t exist until 1933, so cash ended up in mattresses, jars, and walls.
In 2013, a couple walking their dog on their own property in Northern California spotted a rusty can sticking out of the ground. It held gold coins, and more cans turned up nearby, 1,427 coins in total, dated between 1847 and 1894. The face value was $27,460, and the collection was worth around $10 million. The couple stayed anonymous and it’s now known as the Saddle Ridge Hoard.
#10 About This Time In 2020, Because I Had Just Moved Into An Old Farmhouse, And Was Stuck There, Due To Quarantining….i Started Cleaning Out All The Old Closets And Basement… I Still Hope She’s Not Haunting This House
Image source: Karyl Alderman
#11 My First Find! Hidden Behind A Floor Joist Between The Wall And Under The Floor Boards Of My 1800s Barn!
Image source: Michael Brodeur
#12 HVAC Mechanic Found This Deep In The Walls Of Our 1918 House This Morning While Installing Central AC
Image source: Julie Wood Wilson
Old British houses hold strange finds, and one of the most common is a single worn-out shoe. Builders and homeowners hid them in chimneys, beside doorways, and inside walls over several centuries. The usual explanation is that shoes held the shape of the person who wore them and were meant to trap evil spirits trying to get in through the gaps in a house.
Northampton Museum, in the middle of England’s old shoemaking country, has spent decades keeping records of these finds. They show up across Britain, and also in North America and Australia. Mummified cats have been found hidden in the same spots, which is a lot to discover mid-renovation.
#13 Found 11 Of These In A House In Sweden We Purchased From An Old Coupe. A Bit Too Big For Dart, Or?
Image source: Johanna Ahl
#14 While Out Metal Detecting Yesterday I Was Able To Find This Amazing Us Army Military Metal Badge In My Hole About Seven To Eight Inches Down Using My Equinox 800 Metal Detector
Image source: Brian Schmidt
#15 Hi All! I Joined Because I Found These Items In A Can In My Wall Upstairs When Doing Some Work On Our Ducting!
Image source: Ash Bailey
Some houses were built with secrets in mind. Under Elizabeth I, being a Catholic priest in England was a crime, so wealthy Catholic families had hiding places constructed inside their homes. These were called priest holes, and a Jesuit lay brother and carpenter named Nicholas Owen built many of them until he was arrested and saw his end in the Tower of London in 1606.
Searchers would measure rooms and tap walls to find the missing space, so the best hides sat behind staircases and under floors. Old country houses like Harvington Hall in Worcestershire still have some on show, and a few more may be waiting for someone with a crowbar.
#16 Hi Friends — My 10 Year Old Found This Coin And Is Obsessed With Figuring Out What It Is. He’s Had Several Theories, But Can Anyone Help? Us Quarter For Reference!
Image source: Samantha Grey
#17 Mrs Robinson’s Library Card, Found In A Copy Of Operas Every Child Should Know (1911) That’s Gonna Be A Big Late Fine
Image source: Brian Johnson
#18 Found This Buried At The Edge Of My Backyard After Having Some Bushes Removed. I Knew Instantly Who This Was When I Saw The Arms
Image source: Hunter Ray
If you find something yourself, the rules depend on where you live. In England and Wales, the Treasure Act 1996 says that objects at least 300 years old, made of at least 10% gold or silver, must be reported within 14 days of the discovery. In the US, rules vary by state, and you should check before you start selling anything. You will probably also want to check before you tell the neighbors.
Not every discovery will pay for a new roof. Plenty of people found old newspapers, a time capsule, or a note left by a builder, and the house felt a little more interesting afterward. That is still a better result than the drawer of mystery batteries.
#19 I’m Trying To Clean Out My Attic. I Have 4 Scrapbooks My Grandma Made For My Dad 1943-47
Image source: Sue Roberts Riebling
#20 Moved Into An Apartment Built In The 1800s A Month Ago. Found Some News Papers From The 70s In The Basement But Just Found These In The Cupboard The Owners Left For Us
Image source: Elizabeth Walker
#21 Today (9/26/26) My Wife Bought A Skirt From A Goodwill Here In Iowa. This Receipt Was In The Pocket…the Date On It Says 11/20/94!
Image source: Jesse Dau
#22 Found Today While Doing Asbestos Abatement, Lodged In Insulation Behind The Drywall
Image source: Jason Sukow
#23 I Found This On A Key Ring In The Glove Compartment Of The 1952 Windsor Deluxe Convertible I Just Acquired. It Says “Smart Key” On One Side And Nothing On The Back. Anybody Have Any Idea What It Might Be?
Image source: Nick Russell
#24 Found In A Wall, Looks Like They Were Used As Filler For An Old Hole Patch
Image source: Kara Bonsack
#25 When We Moved Into Our Home, We Learned That The Older Gentleman Who Lived Here Before Us Was (As Well As Being A Bit Of A Hoarder) A Worker For The Park Services
Image source: Orion Graves
#26 My House Was Built In 1842 And This Used To Be An Icehouse. The Front Face Of Some Bricks Came Off Recently And Inside Was This Horseshoe. The Only Banana I Have Is My Kid’s Giant Banana Squishy – Sorry
Image source: Hannah Katherine
#27 My House Was Built Around 1850, This Floor Was Put In By The 1880s. Found This Beside The Fireplace Under The Floor But I Don’t Know What It Is. Glass, Hollow. Just Excited To Find Any Treasure
Image source: Eva Dot Hawk
#28 I Went Out Metal Detecting Last Night For A Couple Of Hours Before The Sunset, Low Humidity And A Cool Breeze Made For A Perfect Evening Here In South Central Minnesota
Image source: Brian Schmidt
#29 We Found This On Our Basement Wall
Image source: Jen Ny
#30 My Daughter Found This And Gave It To Me. Wondering If It May Possibly Have A Story? Found In Driveway Stones Most Likely From The Arkansas River
Image source: Donald Small III
#31 While Out Metal Detecting Here In South Central Minnesota At An Old Football Field I Found This Twenty Six Year Old Wedding Band Just Two Inches Under The Grass
Image source: Brian Schmidt
#32 My Partner Is Redoing The Window Frames In Our House And Found A Time Magazine From 1941 Tucked Inside The Wall As Insulation
Image source: Tannaz Hosseini
#33 I Inherited A Property And Found These Sheets Of Metal In An Old Garage Attic
Image source: Lilith Shade
#34 Found Under A Deck We’re Demolishing. Hand In Photo For Size Reference
Image source: Marcella Lewis
#35 Believe It Or Not, I Found This Civil War-Era Minie Ball Bullet In My Garden While Planting Potatoes Last Week, Just On The Surface!
Image source: Sue Sudekum
#36 I Found This In The Attic At My Family’s House In South Central France
Image source: Ellie Gardner
#37 My Sister Lives In Rosamond, California. They Were Chopping Down An Oleander Tree In Their Backyard, When They Found This Hanging On The Side Of Their Shed
Image source: Jillian Fuller
#38 Found This Ring In My Backyard Today Up Near Our Deck Where Our Dog Likes To Run Back And Forth
Image source: Kimberley Jenkins
#39 I Finally Opened Up A Wall In My 1910 House In Nova Scotia. Anyone Have Any Idea What This Is?
Image source: Dayna Nelder
#40 Not Found In A Wall But Unearthed! Heavy Rainfall Tends Reveal New Finds Every Now & Then At My House. This Land Has Been In My Family For Many Years
Image source: Brooke Rowell
#41 Purchased An Old Vintage Frame And This Beautiful Photo Was Inside
Image source: Kristin Cowart Pierce
#42 Found This In A Crate, At An Abandoned House. Probably Not Anything Special, But Does Have A 925 Stamp On The Back. Pretty Earring
Image source: Erin Munter
#43 We Bought Our House In October And Have Been Avoiding The Terrifying Under-Deck Abyss Ever Since
Image source: Amanda Gore
#44 Found This Metal Thing Sticking Out Of The Ground Of Our Property. It Goes Straight Down Seemingly No End And Will Not Pull Out
Image source: Laura Becker Foltice
#45 Found This Taped To The Underside Of An Old Home During A Remodel For The New Owners. I’ll Keep Y’all Posted. Has A Done Even Try Sort Of Vibe To Though
Image source: Joshua Proctor
#46 We Recently Renovated Our Bathroom In Our 1918 Home. During The Demo Of The Old Shower/Tub Combo, We Found A Little Door That Leads To The Closet Behind The Bathroom
Image source: Julie Wood Wilson
#47 Found In Our Yard By Metal Detecting Hobbyists. Anyone Know What It Is? Edit: Here Are Some More Pictures & A Banana To Scale LOL Found In Ohio USA My Home Was Built In 1853
Image source: Lexi Brady-Bouscher
#48 Well, Technically The Guys We Hired Did… But, While Demoing Our Master Bath, The Guys Came Across This And Saved It For Us
Image source: Katt Van Niman
#49 Just Bought A House And Found This Near The Front Door
Image source: Tara Beer
#50 I’m Remodeling My House, And In The Process Of Removing The Ancient Trim Look What I Found Stuck To The Back Of The Trim
Image source: Rocky Lawton
#51 Found This Old Photo In My Moms Attic, I’m Pretty Sure It’s A Picture Of A Movie Star Or Someone Of That Nature But Not Sure Who, It Was In A Beautiful Blue Glass Frame That Unfortunately Broke
Image source: Kayte Elisabeth
#52 I Was Cleaning Out My Restroom And Found A Brown Paper Bag That I Assumed Was Broken Glass And I Was Just About To Throw It Out When I Decided To Checked It And Found All Of These Old Roman Coins
Image source: Joodiee Syko
#53 Our First Good Find Was This Candle Holder, Dating To Sometime In The Late 1800s. The Building Was Electrified In 1898
Image source: Jim Winter
#54 Patient Of Mine Brought In This Vertebral Body (Spine Segment) For Show And Tell:). Found In FL Digging (Not Really Near To Water)
Image source: Lisa Sonberg
#55 My Uncle And His Partner Have Started Renovations On A House They Bought. Yesterday They Uncovered These Beauties Behind A Wall
Image source: Mel Kranjc
#56 I Was Ripping Out An Old Bathroom And Found Thisnin The Wall, Can Anyone Give Me Any Insight To What It Might Be? It Is About 3 Inches Long
Image source: chickdilly
#57 Found This Cool Brick In One Of The Rivers By Our House. Thought It Was Kinda Cool
Image source: Meg Pepitone
#58 Remodeling And Found This Behind The Bathroom Wall. Someone Finished A Whole Double Gulp Before They Put Up The Drywall. Circa 1991
Image source: Cathy Kramer
#59 Not Found In A Wall… But Hanging On My Mom’s Wall
Image source: Erin Horan Baudille
#60 So These Blankets Are Handmade By My Mother 30+ Years Ago. My Aunt Messaged Me And Asked If I Wanted Some Stuff Of My Mom’s
Image source: Brandy N Smith
#61 The Coolest Find In The 1700s Hotel, Renovating Seven Stars, To Date!
Image source: Bryan Ande
#62 Found This In The Rear Heater Vent Of A Car While Investigating Why The Vent Wouldn’t Blow Air
Image source: Heather Jus Heather
#63 Ohhhh I Finally Have Something! My Husband And I Have A Heating And Air Company And This Weekend We Were Putting Duct In An Old House
Image source: Chelsey Luna
#64 I Moved In My House 9 Years Ago And This Has Been Here Since. The Guy Who Lived Here Before Me Was The Original Owner Of The House
Image source: Jennifer Stark
#65 I Present For Your Consideration A Roughly 70 Year Old Cemented Spider. Found In The Wall As We Took Down The Build-In Airing Cupboard, Next To My Side Of The Bed
Image source: Lucy June Sheridan
#66 Found In My Pasture In Southern Alberta, Property Was Once A Cattle Farm And Before That A Pig Farm
Image source: Sarah Linde
#67 Does Anyone Know What This Paper Is? I Refinish Furniture For A Living, And This Paper Was Stuck Under This Weird Cloth Lining Inside This Night Stand
Image source: Katherine Lee
#68 Help A Guy Out. I Found This Glass Coke Bottle In The Woods. The Cap Shows An Ad Campaign I Remember From 1995. Please Tell Me That This Bottle Still Has Coke In It From 30 Years Ago!
Image source: Michael Lynch
#69 Found Removing Walls In Maryland Basement
Image source: Anonymous member
#70 So I Recently Moved And In My Basement Is This Creepy Little Door And This Creepy Little Room Where The Creepy Little Door Is
Image source: Desiree Forist
#71 We Live In Washington State. We’re In The Process Of Buying A House And Moving In. The Previous Owner Has Left Several Things Behind
Image source: Jacque Burris
#72 I Went Out Metal Detecting Last Night To A Home For An Hour And The Home Wanted To See What I Might Find With His Young Daughter And Followed Along
Image source: Brian Schmidt
#73 Not How I Wanted To Start A Sunday. Found In The Ceiling Edit: They Were On The Top Plate Of The Shower Wall In The Basement
Image source: James T Espinosa
#74 Was Ripping Out An Old Bathroom And Found This In The Wall Space. Anyone Know What It Might Be? It’s Around 3 Inches Long. And About As Thick As Your Pinky Finger. Looks Like Brass Maybe?
Image source: chickdilly
#75 I Have Been In This House For Almost 4 Years. I Looked Up The Other Day And Saw This, Plain As Day, On A Fireplace Brick
Image source: Veronica Brandenberg
#76 Any Guesses On This? It’s Next To My Back Door, Set In The Cement
Image source: Tana V. Kendall
#77 Found A Book But It Was No Ordinary Book And After Several Attempts To Get It To The Owner, Finally Successful
Image source: Jønathan Stanwood
#78 1890 Home Gem To Our Surprise After Ripping Up The Carpet In Our 1890 Home! I’m Assuming The Yellow Was At One Point White. The Original Hard Wood Floors
Image source: Geneva Blickenstaff
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