Where Is the Money Hidden in Old Houses? (9 Spots To Look)

Where Is the Money Hidden in Old Houses

There can be a lot of excitement that comes with buying an old house. In addition to the potential of old homes, some people have even been lucky to find hidden money!

If you’re the new owner of an old house, you may be in for some surprises. As you get to work refreshing the paint and redoing the floors, you may just find a few items of value.

These are some of the most common hiding places for finding money in old houses:

1. Behind or Under Bricks

When people ask, “Where Is the Money Hidden in Old Houses?”, this is the first place to look. Many older homes were made with bricks, so it’s not uncommon to still find brick walls today.

Additionally, bricks make for good secret hiding places. If one of the bricks gets loose over time, it can easily be removed and used as a storage spot. 

You can also usually identify loose bricks by the lack of mortar between them. If you have a brick wall in your new old home, run your hand along the wall and push for any loose spots. Brick fireplaces are an even better place to look for hidden money.

2. Under Floorboards

Loose floorboards are the perfect place for hiding money or other valuables. These hiding spots may be intentional or unintentional. You can usually check for loose floorboards by inspecting the floor for places that may have been pried up previously. 

Wide gaps in the floorboards can also lead to unintentional hiding spots as homeowners drop items, only to later forget about them. People could hide many types of valuable items under floorboards like:

  • Jewelry
  • Money
  • Important documents and paper
  • Gold and silver coins
  • Weapons and ammunition

While cash is the most obvious item you may find, it’s also possible to find other items of value like jewelry. If your home still has carpets, you may even be able to uncover cash by pulling back the carpeting.

If you have plans to replace your home’s carpets, look carefully underneath because you might be in for a surprise.

3. Unfinished Basement Ceilings

You may be lucky to have an unfinished basement with an open ceiling. Unfinished basements could make for a popular hiding spot.

For example, you can easily slip boxes or envelopes of cash into openings in the ceiling. So, before finishing your basement, take a flashlight and check for any hidden items.

4. Flower Gardens

While maybe less common than hiding money in the house, some people have found hidden items in flower gardens. For example, you may find hidden jewelry or knick-knacks in the garden.

Check underneath flowers, as well as paving stones. If there are any ceramic figurines in the yard, ensure that you also move them.

5. Under the Bathtub

Hiding items of value underneath the bathtub is an excellent option because it’s probably the last place anyone would look. Unfortunately, bathtubs are heavy, and most people don’t even know how to remove them. 

Most households don’t remove the bathtub unless they’re replacing it with a brand new one. So even if you have a home that’s been recently remodeled, the bathtub may be a no-go.

6. In the Walls

Hiding money in the walls is excellent because someone would have to remove all the drywall to find it. If they didn’t know where to look, uncovering the money would take days or months.

Most people don’t find hidden money or valuables in the walls until they completely remodel the home.

This technique may be more time-consuming and expensive, but if you’re planning on remodeling anyways, it’s often worth taking a peek at. Sometimes, though, you don’t even need to remove the drywall.

7. In a Shed

Old sheds or barns on the property are also good hiding spots. You may have to remove a few panels or get rid of heavy equipment to uncover items of value, but the barn can be a popular hiding spot.

People associate barns with dirty things of little value, so previous owners might have thought to hide some valuables in plain sight.

8. In a Hidden Drawer

Hidden desk drawers and false cabinets are ideal hiding spots for valuables. You go to slide the drawer open, only to find that it has hinges in some odd places. Sometimes, prying this drawer open may leave you with some extra cash. 

You can usually tell hidden compartments within a desk or cabinet if it is particularly ornate. It can also make some telling sounds indicating the presence of hidden objects when you shake it.

9. Inside Old Furniture

Sometimes, old furniture comes with buying a home. While the furniture may seem outdated and incompatible with your current home’s theme, it’s worth checking it for cash before getting rid of it.

Common hiding spaces for money inside old furniture include hollow parts in beds or deep in the couch cushions. You may even find hidden cash inside ancient vases or jars.

If the previous homeowners left behind any old books, you’d want to check these out for cash. It may take longer to find hidden cash if they have an extensive library, but it may be worth it.

10. Behind the Fireplace

Fireplaces that aren’t securely attached to the wall can also provide good storage. Updating or replacing your fireplace may expose you to some extra cash.

Times were different for the people many generations ago. Following the Great Depression, people lost their trust in the banks. This led to people hiding a little extra money away for security.

Over time, people forgot about these hiding spots. The houses were then left to younger generations or sold to new families altogether.

Further Reading: Where Did People Hide Money During the Great Depression?

Final Takeaways

So, “Where is the money hidden in old houses?” if you live in an older house, there’s a good chance you’ll find some hidden items in the places described above.

For example, you may find cash that you can keep as your nest egg or valuables that you can sell for a little extra money. 

Uncovering these items is also a great way to learn more about the history of your home, including the people who once lived there.

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