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20.Emil Knodell
Emil Knodell found an awesome antique dresser that he knew he had to have so he decided to purchase it! The best part about it, it was less than $100 making it a deal! When he began loading it up into his truck, he noticed it started making a lot of noise, almost like a slot machine. In May 2015, he told NBC News that, “It sounded like a metallic waterfall”.
19. Jackpot!
“It was like the Hardy Boys. Jackpot!” he explained. He was about to have the surprise of his life! The contents of the dresser were about to not only shock him, but everyone else involved, too.
18. Where It Happened
When Emil Knodell was in Missouri City, Texas when he attended a Premier Estate Sales Network event at saw the dresser. The retired marketing director is not new to events like these, as he told a reporter,“I always come to a sale with an open mind because you never know”. He said it’s better to come during “half price time” because that’s when all the fun begins.
17. Estate Sales
The purpose of an estate sale is to sell things quickly because generally, they occur after someone has died, and the family wants to have closure. Things are basically given away, as the purpose is speed and efficiency, so there can be some pretty awesome deals to be made. Sometimes, things are even left in drawers of furniture that’s been sold off…
16. The Thrill
Many people attend estate or garage sales in hopes to get the best deal out there, while others go in search for specific items. Some thrill seekers even participate just because of the rush they receive when they find something unexpected. If a professional company is hired for the estate sale, they usually know how to price things but occasionally, you can find something truly exceptional.
15. Know What You’re Looking For
It helps to know what you’re looking for when it comes to treasure hunting because you can pass up a really good find without knowing it. One couple was stopping at a couple local garage sales one day when they found a vase from the Ming Dynasty being sold for only $3. They quickly snatched it up and re-sold it for a whopping $2.2 million dollars.
14. Ethical?
This brings up an ethical issue regarding the value of objects like these. Some think if you buy something for pennies on the dollar and later find out its worth millions, at least a portion should go to the original owner. Others believe once you’ve purchased it, it’s rightfully and 100% wholly yours. Whichever side you fall on, you have to admit, it’d be nice to find a treasure for chump change.
13. 1890
The beautiful dresser that Emil found was a true antique from 1890, and it was absolutely stunning. It was in great shape; featured three drawers and a marble top. For under $100 it was a steal. He knew it would go perfectly in his dining room.
12. A Discount
The dresser had been at the estate sale for three days before Emil bought it. In fact, it started out at $300 and it was discounted twice before the final price of $100. It was fate! On the third and final day it was his. He couldn’t wait to get his hands on it.
11. Someone Didn’t Pay Attention
He was pumped! He felt like he had gotten the best thing at the estate sale for the best price. He asked one of the employees working the sale to help him load it into his truck. Someone obviously didn’t do their job very well because they didn’t see what was hiding inside…
10. Noise Maker
The worker that helped him load it told ABC News,“As soon as we laid it down, it started making all this racket on the inside. Obviously, we were very intrigued with what was happening with the dresser”. They were puzzled, so they decided to check it out and look inside. When they realized what it was, they were shocked…
9. Hidden Drawer
When you look at the dresser, it appears to only have three drawers, but the men told ABC News that, “But the bottom has a secret drawer that opens up”. It seemed crazy how the seller, buyer, and workers all missed this detail until after it was sold. This made this dresser way more valuable…
8. Treasure
When they opened it up, they realized it was full of treasure! They discussed with ABC what they felt,“It was a real adrenaline rush, both of us were in shock for a second”. It’s so unlikely that you find treasure in the modern day and these two gentlemen just stumbled upon it.
7. Jewels And Coins
The drawer was full of everything you would think would be in a treasure chest–jewels, bracelets, dog tags, diamonds, rings, antique foreign currency, coins, and even a lock of hair. It was full of treasure from what must have been generations of family heirlooms, including war metals.
6. Valuables
Among the jewels and gems was substantial civil war memorabilia, which carries some value for interested collectors. Most of the items were at least a hundred years old and it was like they opened up a portal to the past. There were things personalized and most of it looked decadent. They were shocked and amazed at what they had found.
5. Estimated Value
The worker that had helped load the dresser up had been working with the estate sale company long enough to estimate the value of all of the treasure. He guessed that there was around $15,000 worth of treasure in the hidden drawer. His profit was substantial, especially for a days work.
4. One Problem
Technically, the treasure they found wasn’t included in the sale, but because it was in the dresser, it now belonged to him. He could walk away, no harm done. However, he had to decide if that was the right decision and if he could have a clear conscience. After all, there were some family heirlooms in that drawer…
3. Was It Right?
$15,000 is a lot of money, and for some, it could change their situation. However, Emil didn’t feel right about it. He couldn’t just sell off all these family heirlooms and sleep at night,”I bought the chest [of] drawers. I didn’t buy those things. If I kept them, I would never feel right about it. There would be a cloud over the whole thing. It’s a feeling more than anything else”
2. A Nice Guy
During his interview with ABC News, he explained how they felt in the situation and how fun it was to be apart of it, “There was never a question of anyone keeping it. It was, ‘This is fantastic. Let’s call the owner and get the stuff back to them’”. He also told them it never crossed his mind because he’s a Marine–he does the right thing. We have to say, we’re impressed by his integrity.
1. Back To The Owner
When they got in contact with the owner, he was astounded. He was the son of the deceased and he told Emil he remembers the dresser from when he was a child, at his grandparents’ house. He was unaware that all this time there was their family treasure hiding in the drawer below. Both men were happy with the result. This is one happy ending to an enchanting story.
Brittany
Silvia
