Man Stumbles Upon Wad Of Cash That Has Been Buried In His Backyard For Decades
May 3, 2023
source: Youtube/6abc Philadelphia
In a remarkable discovery, a man from South Jersey, Rich Gilson, stumbled upon a stash of cash dating back to the Great Depression era while excavating his lawn. Rich and his wife Suzanne were carrying out some routine lawn excavation work when they stumbled upon something unexpected – a wad of cash wrapped in burlap. At first, Rich thought he had found root balls, but upon closer inspection, he realized he had stumbled upon something much more valuable.
Upon further examination, the couple discovered two burlap balls, each containing rolled-up $10’s and $20’s that amounted to $1000, with the date 1934 on them. In 1934, $2,000 would have been a whopping $40,000 in today’s money, a significant amount of money by any standards. The couple was both excited and stunned by their discovery and had no idea what they were about to uncover.
As it was revealed the money belonged to the home’s previous owner, a man named James Dempsey. James instructed his daughter to bury the money during the Great Depression, fearing that the banks might fail and the money would become worthless. The family buried the money, but they forgot its location, and as a result, they were never able to retrieve it.
It was an incredible discovery that Rich and his wife Suzanne could hardly believe. The couple shared their excitement with the world through a video posted on the 6abc Philadelphia YouTube channel, which has since gone viral.
The discovery of this cash stash has sparked interest and fascination among people worldwide, as it reminded us of the Great Depression era and the struggles faced by ordinary people during those times. During the Great Depression, many people lost their life savings and were left penniless, leading them to bury their money in their yards, as James Dempsey had done. Some buried their savings in mason jars, tin cans, or even mattresses, in hopes that their money would remain safe and secure, and they would be able to retrieve it when things got better.
While the discovery of the cash is exciting, it also raises some questions. For instance, who rightfully owns the money now? Is it Rich Gilson, the current homeowner who found the stash, or does it belong to the Dempsey family, the original owners who buried the money?
According to legal experts, the answer to that question is somewhat complicated. If the money was buried intentionally and with the intent to retrieve it later, then the original owners, the Dempsey family, would have a legal right to claim it. On the other hand, if the money was buried for safekeeping and then forgotten, as appears to be the case here, then the current homeowners, Rich and Suzanne, would likely have a stronger claim. But as Rich said, the couple wasn’t even planning on spending the money and they wanted to keep it as a memento.
Unlike Rich and Suzanne I’m not sure what I would do with the cash but it sure is an amazing story to tell.
