Safes, those sturdy metal boxes designed to guard our most precious possessions, often hold more than just valuables. Sometimes, when the combination is finally cracked or the key is discovered, what’s inside can be downright jaw-dropping. From mysterious artifacts to unexpected treasures, the contents of safes have a knack for surprising us.
1. The Unearthed D.B. Cooper Treasure
In the annals of unsolved mysteries, the case of D.B. Cooper stands out. In 1971, Cooper hijacked a commercial airplane, extorted a ransom, and then parachuted out over the rugged wilderness of the Pacific Northwest, disappearing without a trace. Fast forward to 2017, when a man named Robert B. Rackstraw claimed to have cracked the code left by Cooper in a series of letters. This led to an investigation, and a safe belonging to Rackstraw was opened, revealing a trove of peculiar items. Inside Rackstraw’s safe were various artifacts, including a guitar, handwritten notes, and a collection of foreign currency.
2. The Hidden Picasso Painting
In 2010, a retired French electrician made headlines when he revealed a long-lost treasure inside his garage safe—an original painting by none other than Pablo Picasso. The electrician, Pierre Le Guennec, claimed that the artwork, along with 271 other pieces, was a gift from Picasso and his wife, Jacqueline. The collection, believed to be worth tens of millions of dollars, included sketches, lithographs, and paintings spanning Picasso’s career. The discovery was met with skepticism, and legal battles ensued as the Picasso estate vehemently denied gifting such a valuable collection. Eventually, Le Guennec and his wife were convicted of possession of stolen goods, as the court found it improbable that Picasso would have given away such a significant portion of his work.
3. The Eccentric Einstein Brain Snippet
Albert Einstein, one of the greatest minds of the 20th century, left behind a legacy that extended beyond his scientific contributions. In an unexpected turn of events, it was revealed that Dr. Thomas Stoltz Harvey, the pathologist who performed Einstein’s autopsy in 1955, had preserved Einstein’s brain for further study. For decades, the fragments of Einstein’s brain were kept in Harvey’s possession, stored in a safe. The revelation of Einstein’s brain being kept in a safe stirred controversy and ethical debates. In 1997, Harvey allowed journalist Michael Paterniti access to the fragments, and the story gained widespread attention. The snippets of Einstein’s brain, preserved in formaldehyde, offered a peculiar glimpse into the lengths some are willing to go to unravel the mysteries of brilliance.
4. The Enigmatic Voynich Manuscript
The Voynich Manuscript, an ancient and mysterious book filled with strange illustrations and an unknown script, has puzzled scholars for centuries. Named after rare book dealer Wilfrid Voynich, who discovered it in 1912, the manuscript was locked away in a safe, adding an extra layer of intrigue to its enigmatic nature. The book’s contents, written in an undecipherable script and adorned with bizarre drawings of plants, creatures, and celestial bodies, have eluded the efforts of code-breakers and linguists. The safekeeping of the Voynich Manuscript has only added to its mystique. Some believe it to be a medieval guide to alchemy or herbal medicine, while others think it’s an elaborate hoax.
5. The Time Capsule of Houdini’s Secrets
Harry Houdini, the legendary escape artist and illusionist, was known for his ability to keep secrets. In an intriguing twist, a safe belonging to Houdini was discovered decades after his death in 1926. The safe, kept in the magician’s former New York City home, held a trove of artifacts, including a collection of love letters, unpublished manuscripts, and surprising revelations about Houdini’s personal life. One of the most fascinating items found in the safe was a detailed list of magic tricks and illusions, revealing some of Houdini’s best-kept secrets. It also sparked debates among magicians and historians about whether revealing the secrets behind illusions tarnishes the mystique or enhances the appreciation of the art form. The safe, in this case, became a time capsule preserving the essence of a master illusionist.