My Dad...The Couch...And The Treasure!

[Indianhead Jones]

The year was approximately 1961 or 1962.

My Dad, who was a prolific "treasure hunter" in his own right, was always up for adventure and exploring, and this hobby of his often took him to the Pittsfield State Forest in Pittsfield, Mass. with me in tow.

He would pack us a lunch, and tuck two mesh onion bags into his knapsack, an off we would go.

Dad seemed to know the best places to find his treasures, usually spots that people had illegally dumped junk and refuse in the woods off the main vehicle trails.

On this particular summer day, we found an old derelict cabin deep in the woods, which Dad explored throughly with his trusty flashlight. Nope, no treasures there!

After a lunch break, we continued our trek, and we happened upon a large old couch that someone had dumped just off the dirt road. He explained to me that often, people sat and unknowingly deposited their pocket change as they relaxed! Well, I found this hard to believe, and I watched as he removed the old, musty cushions, and began ferreting out items! I recall a fountain pen, and someone's old bill from the electric company in particular.

I was getting bored when suddenly Dad shouted out to the treasure gods, and what a bellow it was!

He walked over to me with the biggest smile I had ever seen, and thrust his cupped hands into my face, and gleaming in the sun were 13....yes 13 old silver half dollars!! No clads back then, of course! I remember how many there were, because he counted them out as I watched in awe!

I just couldn't believe that money could be found inside an old couch, but there it was!

On the way home that day, I was treated to ice cream to celebrate Dad's good fortune.

Just a simple story here, but it will live on in my memory....my Dad....I'll always "treasure" the days when he never ceased to amaze me!

Larry G.

[shaun7]

Must have been a lot of money back then

[Indianhead Jones]

Must have been a lot of money back then

You could buy a lot for $6.50 in those days, Shaun!

Larry G.

[chkn]

Nice story!!! Old cars too maybe underneath the seats? Did your dad have any kind of metal detector?

[shaun7]

Must have been a lot of money back then

You could buy a lot for $6.50 in those days, Shaun!

Larry G.

A weeks wage...or more?

[EdleBrock]

A weeks wage...or more?

Looks like the minimum wage in that time was around $1.25 USD per hour.

http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0774473.html

So about 5 .2 hours...almost a days wage !!!

Fascinating find...

[shaun7]

A weeks wage...or more?

Looks like the minimum wage in that time was around $1.25 USD per hour.

http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0774473.html

So about 5 .2 hours...almost a days wage !!!

Fascinating find...

Ok, thanks

I thought it would have been more going by what my dad says he earn't. Our money was different then though

[Indianhead Jones]

Nice story!!! Old cars too maybe underneath the seats? Did your dad have any kind of metal detector?

No, he didn't have one...but, knowing my dad the way I did, he certainly would have found his share!

And yes...there were old abandoned cars in our jaunts, and he pulled coins and other little treasures from those also!

Larry G.

[Indianhead Jones]

A weeks wage...or more?

Looks like the minimum wage in that time was around $1.25 USD per hour.

http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0774473.html

So about 5 .2 hours...almost a days wage !!!

Fascinating find...

Thanks for that interesting link, EdleBrock!

Larry G.

[ivan salis]

treasure is where you find it --* theres money to be had lost by careless folks all the time

[Indianhead Jones]

treasure is where you find it --* theres money to be had lost by careless folks all the time

You don't even need a detector to find treasure, Ivan...as we all know!

Larry G.

[Smudge]

It just goes to prove there's no limit as to where treasure can be found. An old abandoned couch...who would have thought?

This one friend of mine, he always searches every hotel room he ever stays in, even the bottoms of the dresser draws, looking for money people hid and left behind. He once found over $500 that way.

[EagleDown]

My utmost respect for your Dad's tenacity!! I hope that his lesson stuck with you. Treasure is where you find it!!

Reminds me, when I was a pre-teen, I was listening to an adult conversation, and I remember one of my foster dad's friends telling about his dad. It seems that when his dad bought gas, he would drop his change into the gas tank of the car. Then when it came to the point that the car needed to be replaced, his dad would drop the gas tank and retrieve all of the change accumalated over perhaps several years. He said there was usually enough to almost pay for another used car.

I've often wondered if others had this habit. An old derelic car with an empty tank would only need a slap of the hand on the bottom of the tank to make any coins rattle.

[cyberdan]

This one friend of mine, he always searches every hotel room he ever stays in, even the bottoms of the dresser draws, looking for money people hid and left behind. He once found over $500 that way.

A friend of mine is a plumber and an MDer. When he stays at hotels he always checks the "P" trap in bathroom sinks. If the trap is plastic he just uses his White's pinpointer probe. Puts the tip up against the outside of the pipe.

If someone was washing and a ring falls off and down the drain it wont go any further than the trap. If they do not realize it fell off they would never think of having the hotel plumber pull the pipe to check.

Can't remember if he has found anything.

[Tuberale]

Nice story. You forgot the treasure of your father. Or was that the point of the story? Yeah, the half dollars were nice. But your father's tenacity and "due dilligence" were treasures too.

[ivan salis]

its a fact --folks dump couches off a lot rather than pay the dumping fee to get rid of em properly , these same folks --often sit on said couch with pocket change and it slides down in the couch --under the cushions * then thru the back and side slits into the bottom area----if one spots a "ditched" couch -- always check under the cushions and along the sides ---at the bottom and the "underbottom"

old by the way side --home clear outs -- that have old dressers and old picture frames "by the road" -- check out --the drawer bottoms (folks would tape money in envelopes to the bottom -- and in back of the picture frames -- also look for old books (some of the old books in themselves are valuible) plus-- folks would hide money in books --between the pages.

also old abandoned cars --check out --the ash trays --gloves box --stowage spots between seats --under seats and in the crack between the seat & back support -- the trunk is always worth looking at too.

[Mighty AP]

Thats a great story & an awesome memory IHJ!!! Thanks fer sharing!

[CHAINCHOMP]

wow! cool find! never thought of that! keep it up and hh!

[idigdirt]

Hey, you wouldn't be the same person who wrote the article in the april 88 treasure mag would you?

[Indianhead Jones]

Hey, you wouldn't be the same person who wrote the article in the april 88 treasure mag would you?

I wrote a few...which article and mag are you referring to?

Larry G.