This article was originally published on RetroWays
No, these aren't a glitch in the matrix. These are just mind-blowingly strange things discovered in even stranger places. From secrets hidden behind home decor to vintage products and memorabilia left behind, these bizarre coincidences will have you picking your jaw up off the floor. So please keep your hands and feet inside the vehicle as we take off on a rollercoaster of emotions - all thanks to these unexpected finds.
Turns Out They Weren't Strangers After All
As a child, losing a puppy can be sad. But imagine if the same puppy found its way back to you. Yes, this actually happened. A woman shared the miraculous story of her adoption story on social media and amazed the world. She adopted an elderly dog from a shelter but little did she know it was actually her lost childhood puppy. Indeed, this one is a story to tell the grandkids.
This reunion was probably better than any movie scene we have ever seen. If you think you’ve lost your puppy forever, maybe one day, you will be reunited, like these two.
A Message in a Bottle From Dorian
Meet Dorian. What do we know about him? He came from Cumberland Island and wanted his ashes to go viral. Dorian's ashes were washed ashore in a bottle, with a message saying, "Please don’t open me, my ashes are on a journey, I started at Cumberland Island, so if you see me ashore, please snap a picture, email it & throw me back so I can travel some more." Well, Dorian, your wishes came true! An individual for sure did share this snap on social media.
Dorian may be gone, but his ashes have certainly gone viral. Maybe he will find his way back to Cumberland Island. Who knows!
The Creepy Writing Behind The Wall
Have you ever wondered what is behind the walls of your home? Perhaps a haunting message from your ex-owners. When stripping their bathroom walls, one family was greeted by a rather abrupt telling-off from the previous owners. In their message, the 'Shinseki's' asked why the new owners were remodeling their bathroom, writing, "What's wrong with the way we did it?!" The message was dated back to 1995. What a nice introduction to your ex-owners!
The new owners evidently felt that the bathroom needed a renovation. Sorry, Shinseki's! But the main question is: How did the ink stay on for that long?
Say Congratulations to the Carrot!
We all love finding our lost things, especially when they are precious and probably expensive. And it is even better when we find them in the most unexpected places years later. One woman shared her story of losing her engagement ring in her garden. She, fortunately, stumbled across it thirteen years later, wrapped around a carrot. The muddy carrot then posed with a beautiful engagement ring around its middle. What a romantic tale!
This woman has been reunited with her sparkling engagement ring and even got a carrot out of it. Get searching, guys. You never know what else you might find that you thought you had lost!
All Fun and Games Under the Old Floor
Monopoly is fun. Giant Monopoly is even more fun. Imagine finding your very own giant monopoly board in your home that you didn't even know was there. A lucky woman shared a picture of her in-laws' giant Monopoly board that was recently discovered under their carpet. Yes, we are jealous. However, there may be a slight problem. The games will begin, and the family feuds will follow. Good luck, guys!
It looks like this couple will be spending lots of time at the in-laws' house. Let's hope they don't get too caught up in the games. We don't want any family fallouts!
That Is One Old Pendant
What an absolute treasure to stumble upon! When metal detecting, you expect to find coins or old jewelry, but this really takes the cake. A story was told on social media about a guy who was casually metal detecting and found a silver pendant, but not just any old pendant: it was dated back more than two centuries ago. The pendant was addressed to Anna A. Leonar. Perhaps this antique silver pendant is worth a lot of money today.
227 years ago is an incomprehensible amount of time. Who knew metal detecting would reveal such items of history? Get metal detecting, guys; you don't know what you can find!
You Won't Believe What This Toy Car Lived Through
Alert! This is an emotional one. Two brothers returned to Chornobyl 30 years later to find their toy car sitting in the same spot they left it. They recreated this childhood picture to show how the exact blue toy car that they once rode in when they were younger stayed parked there from 1986 until 2016. They're lucky they didn't get a parking ticket! Although surely they would be let off this time.
Among the hardships families underwent from the effects of Chornobyl, this is for sure a stand-out story. Now, the brothers can ride in their toy car again. Oh, wait. They might be a little too old for that!
Thanks for The Advice, Jon!
Have you ever been given advice from a random guy called Jon in 1997? Well, someone has. A woman came across a friendly message when redoing the wallpaper on her wall, advising her to buy eight rolls of wallpaper rather than six for that wall. The new house owner was also kindly informed that apparently wallpaper cost only 17 pounds per roll in 1997. This was annoying to find out. Wallpaper has definitely experienced the wrath of inflation.
The new house owners also found out that Jon was "pissed off" in the message due to his wallpaper mistake. Thanks for letting us know, Jon.
Who Won This Year's Election?
Anyone wondering who was up for election during the Civil War? If you are, you now know. In the midst of romance and conflict, a fella stumbled across a voting ticket from the Civil War in an old Shakspeare book. When attempting to understand the complex language used in a Shakspearean novel, the last thing you want is to be distracted by an ancient voting paper. We hope this guy was able to concentrate on the rest of the book after this discovery.
So how did this end up here? Did someone forget to vote and left the ballot in the book instead? Let's hope it didn't affect the election results!
An Ancient Find in Deep Waters
Who knew a 600-year-old Buddha carving was living 10 feet below the water level in a local reservoir in China? Thanks to a construction company who caused the water level to descend, we now know! A magnificent, ancient Buddha carving revealed itself from the deep waters. Thankfully, someone decided to share this beauty with us on social media. We are wondering if there are any other intricate ornaments deep, below water levels.
Since when does a decrease in water levels reveal something so wonderful? We guess there is finally a positive to come out of a change in water levels!
Something Could Be Hiding Behind Your Heating Vent
Imagine ripping off your heating vents to paint them and finding a random guy named Roy Steven's note from 1971 hiding there. Yes, this happened. On the note, Roy wrote, "It sure took long enough" and "P.S Apollo 14 took off and headed for the moon last Sunday, Jan 31." Thanks for the insightful note, Roy! If it wasn't such a cool, fun fact, we might've found it a little creepy.
This note was most definitely not placed there as a coincidence. Roy for sure wanted his new homeowners to find this to keep his memory alive in the house.
In Perfect Condition After 54 Million Years
Archaeologists, this one is for you. It isn't every day that you see a 54 million-year-old fossilized gecko stuck in amber. Thankfully, someone shared this crazy sight with us. This gecko was discovered in north-western Russia. The gecko actually looks alive in the amber, and it looks a little freaky if you stare at it for too long. Imagine being stuck in amber for all those years. The poor gecko!
It is unfortunate this gecko has been stuck for centuries and has not been set free. Let's hope someone sets him free soon! He deserves another chance at life.
Found The Tickets
Have you ever looked everywhere for your tickets and still not been able to find them? One person shared their lost and found story: the individual's dad had misplaced their Led Zeppelin tickets and rediscovered them. Unfortunately, they were found 44 years too late. Looks like the concert has already happened! We just hope he was able to find some other way into the concert all those decades ago.
Next time you guys misplace something, let's hope it won't be as long as 44 years until you find it. Sorry, Dad, you have definitely missed the concert! There's always next year, though.
Anyone Need Some Change?
Bingo! This man won the money. Someone shared this image on social media, showing money they found in the crawl space above their bedroom. Lucky them! You most definitely don't find money lying around your house every day, especially not in your crawl space. We know it's coins, but we have a feeling there's a hefty total stacked in there. Dinner is on these lucky finders tonight. Maybe there are even some collectible coins in there.
We live in a pretty much cashless society these days, so it must have been left a long time ago. Spend it wisely!
The Oldest (and Longest) Birds' Nest We've Ever Seen
When you're renovating an old home, you never really know what you might find. We've seen messages from previous homeowners and old coins, but this one - this is one find we could have never predicted. One fellow found 25 generations of stacked-up birds' nests when renovating their house's unused chimney. How many birds must have lived and laid eggs there? That's one unique piece of nature's history. It's too bad it'll be no more.
Next time you want to tear down an unused chimney, you might find something unexpected. Even a bird's home that has been there for a quarter of a century!
A Reborn Love Letter
Alert! Another emotional story. This is a heartwarming one. A woman shared their parent's love letter on social media that their mom found when cleaning up. The note was from before the individual's parents got married in 1986. They were together until, sadly, the dad passed in 2011. A beautiful memory for Dawn and Ray! Someone pass us the tissues because this letter is making us feel all the feels.
Wow. We all hope for love like Ray and Dawn. It would also be nice to find old love letters to reflect on our past. Our hearts go out to you, Dawn!
A Glimpse Into the Past
Let's uncover another item from the past. An individual shared a picture of a time capsule that they found in their backyard. The time capsule is thought to be over 100 years old. If you ask us, that's very old. Inside the time capsule were some simple remnants of the time, including a photograph and a can of food. We have a feeling whoever put this together was the kind of person who appreciated the simple things in life.
It is fun to see things from history. It is even more fun when people share it online for us all to see.
Your Ex-Colleague Might Come To Haunt You
Sometimes, you think or even hope you will never see your ex-colleagues ever again. And then, when you least expect it, they come back to haunt you in the last places you'd ever imagine. And that's exactly what happened to the person who captured this photo: their co-worker hid photos of himself in random places after quitting. Two years later, his former coworkers are still finding these gems around the office.
This picture had been sitting on the back of a clock for two years. Yes, it is a little creepy when you think about it.
Never Judge a Book By Its Cover
Next time you want to buy a new couch, go to your local free pile. Then tear off the first layer, and ta-da! You have a beautiful new couch for your living room. The person who inspired this story thought they bought a 'white couch' in a free pile years ago. When they were cleaning, they came across a rip to find it had been reupholstered over a ravishing emerald green suede couch.
What a nice surprise that a used, low-quality couch turned out to be a luxury and top-of-the-range piece. We have definitely learned not to judge a book by its cover.
Let's Count On Facebook To Reunite An Old Student With Her Elementary School
Facebook is a perfect and useful platform for finding long-lost family members or reaching old friends that you have lost touch with. One woman reunited a former third-grader from 1987, Brenda Walters, with her elementary school. The individual found a balloon note from Brenda; it explained that she lived in East Leroy, Michigan, and placed the flying note into the air in 1987. The person who found it decades later came across it in western Pennsylvania.
Who knows where Brenda Walters is? Hopefully, this post will help the finder of this note out. We love a full-circle moment.
Just a Casual Pair of Hand Grenades
The global pandemic made us all consider working out at home. And for some, this involved lifting dumbells at home. One fitness fanatic was surprised when they thought their mom had kindly brought dumbells from their basement. The 'dumbells' were even washed to be used straight away. But oh no, these were not dumbells. The mom had dropped off old Soviet-era hand grenades and not realized! Hold your hands up, and start pumping that iron!
Sometimes we make mistakes. But this is a very silly one. How is it possible to mistake dumbells with old hand grenades? But the real question is: where did mom get these from?
He Never Gave Up
Suppose your meal needs to get saucy. Just making sure you know, we mean in terms of flavor. Maybe take a peek behind your microwave; you might find some sauces! One inquisitive individual shared their story of when they were remodeling their kitchen and came across a Taco Bell, Mill Sauce behind the microwave. The sauce has a message on it stating, 'I know you'd come back for me.' Well, yes, they did indeed come back for you.
Well, the Mill Sauce certainly did stick around. God knows how long the sauce had been sitting there. Surely the sauce has passed its expiry date. Don't touch it, guys!
Found The Crayolas 110 Years Too Late
There was a picture shared on social media of a packet of Crayola that was apparently found in the back of a family secretary's desk. You would think there would be no crayons left. But no, the vintage packet still had ancient crayons in them! The picture of these antique Crayola went viral as they were thought to be maybe 110 years old. Yes, they are some very old Crayola.
The most random things can be found when you least expect them. Perhaps the Crayola even still works! Now, that would be impressive. These vintage Crayola are for sure a new, antique piece. Perhaps, they could even be resold!
When Gym Class Turns Into a History Lesson
Gym class is canceled today, kids. Instead, let us learn about the medieval ruins that exist under the school's gym hall. One student shared a photograph of exactly what was going on under their school's gym hall. It seems like a bit of a mess. But actually, it was uncovered that prehistoric rubble has probably been sitting there for years and years. You never know what can be unveiled under a school gym hall! Perhaps, something historical!
How interesting. Thanks for the history lesson! You never know what random things could be built on top of archaic ruins. Well, at least no gym today for that class! Yay, result!
An Old Treasure Returned to Its Rightful Owner
$2 well spent, Bethany! One girl shared on social media that her birth announcement that her auntie made when she was first born found its way back to her. Apparently, her mother donated a box of old kid's stuff to her local thrift store and coincidentally arrived back to Bethany, who lives in a town several hours away! What a shock! Good job, Bethany, for buying back your own legacy!
It was an incredible coincidence for Bethany's birth announcement to make it all the way back to her, in a town several hours away. $2 is certainly expensive to buy back your own legacy, don't you think?
When Vintage Art Predicts the Future
Unveiling a piece of beautiful modern art. A masterpiece, in fact. A painting of a robot from 1918. One pupil shared a drawing of a robot that they found in their Chemistry book from 1918. We all thought artificial intelligence didn't exist back then! Clearly, people were planning modern technology and how robots will exist in the future back in 1918. Let's not forget to acknowledge that the person behind this was a talented artist too!
This masterpiece was certainly telling a story and predicted the future. This individual foresaw modern technology back in 1918. What an exciting thing to find in your Chemistry book.
Find A Penny, Pick It Up
Find a penny, pick it up; all day long, you'll have good luck. Looks like this guy will have extra good luck! One person picked up three pennies and a part of someone's coin purse. It was calculated that these coins and purses were around 103 years old! Yes, that's 103 years of those valuable pennies getting dirty. Hmm. Perhaps they are more valuable now than they ever have been!
Finding 103-year-old coins is certainly one of the luckiest on the list today. And, let's not forget the part of the purse found. But anyway. Dude, you need to go wash those hands. They look very dirty!
But What Was It Doing on the Roof?
Have you ever wondered what the oldest pencil in existence looks like? Thankfully, someone provided us with an image of the 'carpenter's pencil,' which is the oldest known pencil in existence. This super interesting item was found on the roof of a 17th-century German house. This archaic pencil can now be found in the Faber- Castell private collection. What we are wondering is why was a pencil found on a roof?
Thank you to whoever shared this fascinating fact with us. If you ever lose a pencil, guys, you know where to find one. We want to see a picture of the oldest pen now, please!
The First Man On The Moon
When rummaging through your grandma's or great grandma's drawers, it is likely you will find a hidden gem. Whether it's a piece of classic jewelry or an old newspaper, it will always be exciting. One person found a newspaper dated back to July 20th, 1969, which their great grandmother had kept all this time. Why did she keep it? Yes, it was the first time America had landed on the moon. Shoutout to Neil Armstrong!
It was a revolutionary day for Neil Armstrong and America because, yes, we made it to the moon. This day was certainly marked in history. We are happy we could relive this historical moment!
Tell 'em Floyd
The previous owner of the house, Floyd Harshaw, made sure that the current owners of the house were aware of his territory. The new house owner found this message on the back of a floorboard in the house, "This house was built by Floyd Harshaw. If you don't like the way it is built, that's too damn bad. June 21, 1956". Thanks for letting us know, but no need for the attitude Floyd!
Indeed, this is not exactly vandalism but certainly a salty message from a previous owner. What a way to mark your territory, Floyd! Maybe the new owners can hang it up as a souvenir!
Round Up The Troops
One story shared on social media has given us a fascinating insight into World War I. This man was cleaning out their aunt's house, who had passed away, and found their great-great grandfather's enlistment paper for the war. Yes, that's a lot of greats. That must be old then. This official document presents a long paragraph of writing showing the details of being in the US army in World War I.
It isn't every day that you find an item dated as far back as a great-great-grandfather. So, this is a very cool thing to find and show to us. We appreciate it!
Well, We See No Expiration Date
The image below shows an old Mcdonald's coupon that an individual found amongst their grandfather's things. This grandchild was lucky enough to have a free hamburger, fries, and a shake. Yes, we are all very jealous. We have the address of the Mcdonald's offering the coupon, so let's go get our free McDonald's. Oh, wait. The coupon has perhaps expired by now. Keep your fingers crossed that it hopefully still works!
This colorful card elegantly welcomes the individual to receive a meal for free at this Mcdonald's. In this day and age, all we get is a piece of scrap paper telling us we can have half-priced Mcdonald's chicken nuggets! Lucky you, grandpa!
A Day To Be Remembered
What a day. And we can relive it thanks to this individual who shared an image of a newspaper conveying the exact day Germany surrendered from World War II. This was one of the best headlines that had appeared in a long time during World War II, as it marked the end of the war. This headline represents a positive day in History, so thanks, grandpa, for preserving it and sharing it with us!
This is definitely a headline worth holding onto. Hold onto newspapers with significant headlines because you will probably want to discover it in future years and relive that day.
Drunk Off Guinness From 1874
Free alcohol found is always a blessing, even if it is from 1874. One alcoholic stumbled across two bottles of Guinness in their attic. These bottles of Guinness were from 1874. Yes, that is old. Surely it can still get you plastered drunk even if it is out of date. That's a lucky find! Who doesn't love unexpectedly finding alcohol? It looks like a few people are getting a little tipsy tonight.
Now, if we want to get drunk, we know whose house to go to. The next round is on these people. Let's hope it still tastes ok.
A Resilient Computer
Do you ever want to chuck your computer out the window because it keeps crashing or doesn't work properly? Surely, this has happened to some of you. Maybe it's time to invest in a computer from the 90s. It will probably work more effectively. This was proved by an individual who shared an image of a computer that had been booted for the first time in 17 years. And yes, it works perfectly. Perhaps it is even quicker than a modern-day computer.
This computer is certainly fighting to stay alive. So, if you need a new computer at a low price, maybe look into buying a second-hand one from the 90s as it is guaranteed to work! But we were all wondering, can you download Microsoft Word and Spotify on it?
Volcano Ash Put To Use
You learn something new every day. And apparently, today, it is the use of volcano ash. Maury Vogel kindly offered advice regarding the uses of volcano ash that was deposited in Spokane, Washington, in May 1980 by Mount St. Helens. We are unsure where Maury learned these tips and tricks, but we will certainly try polishing coins and shining dentures with volcano ash. Not so sure about the 'shipping to friends' advice.
It for sure isn't every day that you find volcano ash at the back of your uncle's cupboard. This advice will definitely be taken on board. Thanks, Maury!
Adult Sliders Turn Into Baby Shoes Using Mysterious Technique
If you want baby shoes for your child, they can be obtained at no extra cost. An individual published a technique on social media. You simply leave your shoes in a window for two months, and they shrink. Useful. This individual presented the example of one of their Nike sliders shrinking to over half the size of the original shoes. This mini science experiment looks like it succeeded! You guys should try it too!
Well, there you go. Now we know the technique if you ever need to downsize in sliders. And no need to spend money and buy your children shoes anymore. Hand-me-downs are the way forward! Just leave them in the window!
First Dates Have Always Been a Big Deal
One grandchild shared a nostalgic picture of their grandmother's calendar which contains the date of her first date with their grandfather. Evidently, their grandmother's first date with 'Grant' on Thursday 10th May 1955 was successful because apparently, they got married one year later. We are wondering how Grant must have wooed her back in the day for them to romantically run off into the sunset. Who knows, but it worked!
We love a cute love story. Oh yes. And now we also know that a box of Hallmark notes is an "ideal Christmas gift" thanks for the tip!
Message From 1926 Found Deep Sea Diving
One lady was casually deep-sea diving and found a message in a bottle. How long had that been there? If you look closely, it can be seen that this message was dated back to November 1926 and stated, "will the person who finds this bottle return this paper to George Morrow, Cheboygan, Michigan, and tell where it was found." This photo was shared on social media so if anyone knows George Morrow, reach out to this lady!
You never know what you can find deep in the dark ocean. Perhaps a note in a bottle addressed to a special someone. Keep a lookout!
22 Years Too Late
One woman shared a photo of a 4th birthday card and a 5-dollar bill that their mother forgot to give pass onto them. Now, the individual is 26. Happy birthday! Oh, wait. It is 22 years too late. The chance was missed to wear the special birthday badge. Perhaps the card can be reused for the individual's 27th birthday. It's not too babyish, is it? We don't think so!
Aunt Hanna forgot her daughter's birthday. Well, hey, at least they have five extra dollars in their pocket now, even if it is 22 years too late!