They say yard sales are like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re going to get. Well that’s exactly what Emil Knodell from Bellville, Texas, discovered when he went to a yard sale. But it wasn’t exactly a happy occasion for everyone involved.
Yard Sales Are Unpredictable
Yard sale bargains are great! Not only do you get to buy things at a considerably lower cost than at a regular store, but you never know what hidden treasures you might find. Just ask Texas native Emil Knodell who got the surprise of his life at one estate sale...
He Traveled to an Estate Sale
Knodell had gone to an estate sale on May 9, 2015, for a man who had passed away in Missouri City, Texas. The family was getting rid of a lot of their deceased loved one’s belongings and Knodell was respectfully enthusiastic about the whole thing. But he had no idea this sale would pay up big time.
He Went to the Sale Feeling Hopeful
To most folks, a yard sale is a great opportunity to sell some of their unwanted items and earn some money in the process. But for people like Knodell, this was an opportunity to find something unique and hopefully valuable, which is exactly what was in the cards for him.
He Spent a Lot of Time Sifting
The retired marketing director and former United States Veteran spent a lot of his spare time sifting through junk no one else wanted at yard and estate sales. But he was about to discover that some valuables are hidden in plain sight.
Buying Collectibles Was His Hobby
Knodell had a thing for buying collectibles and antiques. This was his favorite thing to do in the whole wide world. So, when he went to the estate sale, his eyes locked on this specific object like a heat-seeking missile.
The Owners Didn’t Know What They Had
Most people would never be so careless as to leave something valuable in a dresser drawer being sold at an estate sale. But some owners aren’t even aware that there’s anything there to find, which is exactly what Knodell was banking on.
The Chest Piqued His Interest
There was a chest with three drawers among the various items for sale. It also had a marble top, which made it even more extravagant. But for some odd reason, no one seemed interested in buying it.
The Chest Was More Than an Antique
The dresser dated all the way back to about 1890, which meant it was over a century old. But no one had any idea that behind this seemingly normal looking chest there was a hidden secret waiting to be discovered.
He Inspected the Chest Carefully
He didn’t think that anyone would leave anything in the drawers of the dresser, but Knodell decided to take a look anyway. And as it turns out, he was right. The drawers were completely empty... or so he thought.
The Cost Made an Alarming Drop
The chest had been priced at $300 during the initial days of the estate sale, but no one seemed to want it. So, the price was reduced by 25 percent, and still, the item remained unsold. So, the cost was cut by 50 percent. Even though the chest was ridiculously cheap already, Knodell was in the mood to bargain.
Knodell Was Ready to Haggle
Being in marketing had certainly given him the advantage of knowing how to haggle. So, he negotiated for a lower price and finally got them to lower the chest down to $100. And it was a deal that would pay off in more ways than one.
The Chest Was a Steal
Knodell would have felt like a fool if he didn’t take advantage of such a bargain. But he didn’t realize that his decision would ultimately allow him to earn back more than he originally paid for the item.
He Had Big Plans for the Chest
The chest had been on sale for days and no one had snatched it. But he was very interested. "Because it has a nice marble top, I hope to use it in my dining room," Knodell told ABC News. But he ran into some trouble.
He Couldn’t Lift It on His Own
Knodell went ahead and bought the chest, but he ended up needing the help from someone at Premiere Estate Sales Network to lift it. However, when they tried loading the furniture into the back of his truck, they heard a very unusual sound.
They Heard a Strange Noise
When they tipped the chest on its side, it sounded like there was metal moving inside of it. "As soon as we laid it down, it started making all this racket on the inside,” Jeff Allen from Premiere Estate Sale Network told ABC News. The men had no idea what was making the noise either.
The Chest Had a Hidden Secret
"When you look at the front of it, it looks like it has three obvious drawers with molding on the base, but the bottom has a secret drawer that opens up," Knodell told ABC News. And when he opened it, his jaw dropped.
Knodell Had Found the Treasure
Most people only dream of ever finding hidden treasure, but Knodell had actually struck gold, so to speak. Once that secret drawer opened, a series of lost but valuable items were revealed to him.
The Chest Was Loaded with Treasure
Inside the drawer was jewelry with diamonds, a lock of hair, some military dog tags and Civil War memorabilia. Technically, they all belonged to him now, but he didn’t exactly feel comfortable keeping all of these incredible trinkets.
The Treasure Was Worth More than $100
The estimated cost of all the items inside the mysterious fourth drawer had never been appraised by a professional, but it’s believed that it was worth about $15,000, according to IcePop. But then Knodell did something very shocking.
The Treasure Was Technically His
No one would have argued with Knodell that the items belonged to him. He did technically buy the chest, which meant that anything inside belonged to him. But he didn’t see it that way at all.
He Didn’t Want the Treasure
"I bought the chest 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," Knodell told ABC News. But he had no intention of betraying his principles.
He Wanted to Do the Right Thing
"I’m an old ex-Marine and I try to do the right thing. Jeff also, the man in charge, his immediate reaction was, 'Let’s call the owner,'” Knodell told ABC News. But how would the owners react to the shocking discovery?
He Returned the Items to the Estate
Knodell returned all of the items from the fourth drawer to Allen at the estate sale. Now it was just a matter of finding the former owner’s next of kin to figure out who these items should go to.
The Son Had No Idea of the Treasure
Knodell asked Allen to call the estate executor, who was also the son of the man who had passed away. “He remembers that dresser in a house in Michigan when he was a little child— in his grandfolks’ house. And he had no idea there was a hidden compartment,” Allen said of the son.
He Restored Faith in Humanity
The son was grateful to Knodell not only for returning the items, but for his kindness, strong morals and integrity. Not only did this guy take the high road, but he restored everyone’s faith in humanity.