Contractor finds 200k in cash in a wall of reno

[cowboyjwc]

I just did a check on an inflation calculator to see how much 182K from the late 1930's would be worth in today's money. I used the year of 1938 and 2008 and it appears that the 182K from that time would be worth about 2.8 million in todays inflated world. Very few people lose that kind of money and just forget where they put it. I'll bet there is an interesting story as to where all that money came from to start with ( you know, in cash ).

Would be fun to hear it. I bet that Randy is on the right track though, just someone who had been through hard times and wasn't going to let that happen again.

My mom was kind of like that lived on a ranch growing up, didn't even have electricity until she was 16 or so. Not really a horder but, left over hamburger and mashed potatos became sheperds pie, turkey became turkey soup, meatloaf became sandwhichs for lunch, if we had ham one night you could bet we were having ham and beans soon. Nothing got wasted.:smile:

 

[Besoeker]

Interesting thread.
"I can resist everything except temptation."
Oscar Wilde.

Obviously the money wasn't the contractor's.
Maybe a sensible outcome would been have for him agreed to have enough of the windfall cash in an escrow account to ensure that he got paid for his work.

 

[MAK]

I think there'sa legal precedence that states if previous ownership of the money can be proven, then it legally belongs to that person.

Good thing they don't have to pay taxes from the 1930's. Imagine what the IRS could stick you for if they had the juice running all that time on that cash.:wink:

 

[480sparky]

Good thing they don't have to pay taxes from the 1930's. Imagine what the IRS could stick you for if they had the juice running all that time on that cash.:wink:

I'd much rather pay the tax rate from 1930s than todays' (stifling) rate.

 

[MAK]

I'd much rather pay the tax rate from 1930s than todays' (stifling) rate.

I agree. I was thinking imagine if the IRS could make the heirs that laid claim to the money pay "late fees" on all that unreported cash. That would probably be a few bucks.

 

[SEO]

I'd give the homeowner the money and if they offered a finders fee I would gracefully take it.

 

[charlietuna]

working in a resturant ceiling and looked down inside a partition with my flashlight and saw a toy gun? Like a "Dick Tracy" type gun? i reached down and as i picked it up - i realized it was too heavy to be a toy!! Oh boy! the dust on it told me it had been there for some time! Another look and i could see that it was sitting on a leather money bag? I reached down and picked it up and saw another money bag under it? i opened the first bag and it was packed with cash--didn't have to look in the second one to know it also had cash. Worked my way back to the scuttle hole and went to the owner's office! there were two owners! Soon as they saw the gun--they both about dropped to the floor! What had happened many years before, was one of them thought they were going to robbed one night--some guys had come in and someone eating in the place told them they were going to be robbed! One of the owners went to the office with the last two night's reciepts and the gun they kept in the office and hid the money and gun up in the electric room hole in the wall. they were never robbed and he thought his partner had picked up the money-which he didn't ! well there was $16k+ in the money bags---guess that was "PURE PROFIT"??? I got a "THANK YOU" !

 

[charlietuna]

In an very old house on Miami Beach a electrician and his helper were remodeling and opening walls. rumor has it they came across a wall full of cash! neither one was ever heard from since????

 

[MAK]

well there was $16k+ in the money bags---guess that was "PURE PROFIT"??? I got a "THANK YOU" !

Well did you get your finders fee? I think it's supposed to be 40%!

 

[growler]

In an very old house on Miami Beach a electrician and his helper were remodeling and opening walls. rumor has it they came across a wall full of cash! neither one was ever heard from since????

The electrician is living in the Bahamas and the helper is with the fishys ( Davy Jones Locker ).