MAN BUYS A BOX OF PHOTOGRAPHS FOR $2 FROM AN ANTIQUE SHOP BUT WAS ASTONISHED AFTER KNOWING ITS TRUE VALUE

 

It wasn’t a usual day for him. Today he was having an interview which could shape his life for the better. After the interview, he sat on a park bench and it was scorching heat outside. While everyone was searching for shade, Randy stood on the bench completely hopeless. He messed up his interview and now had no other means of living. He was disheartened on realizing the fact that everyone is moving forward in life and tasting success, but he was just sitting there completely aimless in life.

Just then an old man came there and sat next to him on the bench. He saw the folder that Randy was carrying with him. The old man was amazed to see Randy’s qualifications. He asked Randy, “Would you mind joining my business empire? I need a man who can handle the things there and I think you are the best choice I can ever opt for”. Randy was surprised at seeing how uncertain the life can be. Just that never lose hope.

Sure, the above story is all fiction but here we have a real-life ‘Randy Guijarro’ who was in the right place at the right time. His life took a very unexpected turn and what happened next would surprise you.

Randy The Collector

Since childhood, Randy had this obsession with collecting anything that was old and had some historic values. He has some awesome collections of old coins, comic books, and sports cards that take up half of the space in his house. He is a very proud owner of all these antiques as they all have some history attached to them. Even his wife loves to collect old photographs and it seemed like they are the perfect soulmate for each other.
He never thought of finding something this big in a place where he didn’t want to go in the first place. It was all destiny and he found something extraordinary which shocked him and the people around him. What is that? You will find out soon.

All For The Love

Randy was in California and as we have heard how badly we try some habits just doesn’t change. The same was happening to Randy. He was trying really hard to control his urge of not entering into the antique shop and eventually he did enter the shop with some other reason in his mind. He knew how much his wife loves old photographs and how happy she will be if he takes some good old photographs for her as a surprise. One thing led to another and Randy was dumbstruck by the discovery he made.

An Unexpected Discovery

Randy Guijarro is a very interesting man if you ask us. He works as a telecommunications technician in Fermont, California. Even working as a technician he never left his passion of collecting antiques. Collecting and searching for special antiques has always been his passion and he loves doing it. For him, all of this is like an adventure. Believe us, what he found in that store is more than an adventure. Randy’s discovery changed the history and he helped in putting some missing link back which were lost in time.

Randy’s Little Adventures

Talking of adventures Randy has always been this passionate about old stuff that he has all sorts of things in his house. You just name it this man for sure will dig it out from somewhere and will show it you, were you talking about this? From collecting sports cards to comic books that are really valuable if are auctioned today. Other than sports cards and comic books Randy also has a very beautiful collection of old rare coins that he is very proud of.
His urge to keep looking for something special and valuable kept him going and he stopped when he found it. His adventure just took a very exciting turn and it was just a start.

Made For Each Other

But what makes an adventure more beautiful? It is the companionship. Randy was lucky to have Linda as his wife who always supported him in this journey. Even Linda had an interest in antiques and old photographs. Because of this, their house was packed with all sort of old stuff and they both are extremely knowledgeable. And it was this knowledge that helped Randy in discovering this big and valuable. It took a while even for him to get the crust of it but he found out what a great stuff it is.

Not So Famous Shop

So yeah, he was in Fresno Tower District situated in California where he found this Fulton’s Folly Antique Collective store which was looking really out of the place. Why out of the place? Because of the location of the shop and Randy saw no one inside the shop which brought him to the conclusion that the people of this town have no interest in antiques and even he was losing it but it was Randy’s intuition which was telling him to go check out this shop. He almost crossed the shop to move to the next and while doing that the owner of the shop opened the door of Fulton’s Folly Antique Collective and Randy felt like the shop was calling him inside, so he went in and soon he will meet his destiny.

Shop With Nothing To Shop

There were only two people inside the shop, one was the owner and other was Randy. At first glance, nothing caught Randy’s eyes but he didn’t leave the shop before examining everything around him, an old habit you can say. The shop consists of several items but nothing impressed Randy and the owner could see that. The owner inquired him about what he was looking for specifically but Randy was lost somewhere. He was looking at two guys at the backside of the shop. They were picking some old boxes and were putting them in their truck very cautiously. Randy was intrigued and asked the owner about the boxes. The owner told him about the boxes that they contain some old stuff and it was enough for Randy. He wanted to see them before they load everything in the truck.

Mysterious Old Boxes

The shopkeeper told him that he still have some boxes left in the storage room if he wants to check them out. Randy was more than happy and he agreed on checking them out. Randy saw the boxes but he wanted to check the other boxes that were bought by those two strangers. The owner was very desperate to sell something and he asked the other two guys to show Randy some of the boxes and they agreed. Before that Randy wanted to go through the boxes that owner brought from the storage. Now, what’s that?

All The Talks And Trash

The owner brought the boxes out from the storage to show Randy the stuff inside them and was in the mood sell something to this mysterious Randy who had his eyes on something big already. Randy opened the first box and found that there is nothing of his interest and then he opened the second box then the third and he opened eight boxes but still, there was nothing which was worth spending time and the owner was very desperate to sell him something and he kept telling Randy about every stuff he saw, as if Randy needed to know. The owner wasn’t still aware of the knowledge he has regarding all of the stuff around him. Now it was time to check the other boxes those two-man possessed. He found it!

Meet The Strangers

Randy introduced himself to the other two guys and the owner was in shock after knowing Randy’s true identity. It was like everything was working in favor of Randy and the two guys somehow knew who Randy was. Randy was very happy after hearing that and the other two guys were more than happy to help him and showed him the boxes they bought from the owner. The guys knew that it might take a while for Randy to go through all these boxes but they were generous towards him and said take all the time in the world while they went out to something. Randy and the owner were left alone and Randy began to check the boxes. There were like twenty boxes but still, Randy was excited about it. He still feels the shiver he gets while opening unknown boxes. Think about the excitement he might have felt when he opened the destiny box.

Let’s Get Started

Now Randy was all alone with the boxes and he knew what he has to do. But where to start as they were a lot. But Randy thought, more boxes, more fun. Little he knew the fun will be turned into the most amazing findings of all time. One thing was a big relief that all the boxes have numbers written over them and he was checking every one of them. He opened the box number one and he found nothing of his interest in it and he was about to give up but something clicked. The box number one is bigger than the other boxes and he opened it.

Now What’s This?

Randy opened the biggest box of all and he was really surprised to see that there is nothing inside it. He was really confused. Were these guys just loading empty boxes all this time, he thought? He wanted to clear his thought but the guys were already out for lunch. He has to wait for the answers he was seeking.

There They Are

Randy was sitting near the boxes on the chair provided by the owner. Randy wasn’t tired physically but mentally his head was about to explode. He saw those two guys walking towards him and was relieved to see them. Randy inquired them about the box number eight. They told him there was another box inside it number nine written over it. But to Randy’s knowledge, he didn’t see the number 9 box anywhere. Then where it is?

Box Number 9!

The two guys told Randy that because it was a small box they kept it in the front of the truck. Randy asked them if he can see it. They were already getting late and now have to load the boxes again, but box number 9 was small so they agreed. They told Randy that they have to be somewhere and it’ll be really nice if he checks the box like really fast. They bought the box and gave it to Randy while they load the boxes back on the truck. Randy had no idea that he was holding his destiny in his hand which will be in open very soon.

The Cardboard Box

The box was small and wasn’t that heavy. Only weight Randy could feel from the box was from the material it was made from. The box was clean from the outside and it looked new. We don’t know on what mechanics our instincts work but somehow we get this shiver in our spine that something is really there. You get us right? The same feeling was inside Randy when he was holding the box. He sat on the chair and putting the box on his lap he opened it very carefully. He was actually seeing what he came for in the first place. He was really surprised by the content of the box. Old photographs in good condition and this could be the perfect gift for his wife, he thought. Little he knew this gist will change their lives forever.

Confused Salesman

The owner of the shop was looking at Randy while he was opening the box. He can see the smile that was on his face. But the salesman wasn’t happy because Randy was impressed with something which he has already sold to those two guys. Now, even the owner was curious t know what is those photographs that bought this big sense of satisfaction on Randy’s face. The owner asked Randy about the content of the box and he told him that he needs these photographs fro his wife as he wants to surprise her because she loves such old photographs. The owner was really happy to see this man love for his wife. But the box was already sold. But you know, nothing can change destiny which is already written, not even destiny.

All The Convincing

Randy was very disheartened of the fact that this box was already sold. He spent so much time in finding something special for his wife and when he found he can’t have it. Randy asked the owner if he can convince them selling this box to him. The truck was about to leave and the owner went to them and told everything to them. Both the guys saw Randy’s face which was looking like a child who wants something very dearly and they had a lot of respect for him, so they agreed. But Randy had only $2 with him and he knew they won’t agree on it, but fortunately, they did. He bought the box for $2 which will be worth he-wouldn’t-have-imagined-dollars.

Thorough Inspection

Randy was going through the contents of the box and he was feeling really good about it. He was excited to present all these photographs to her wife. He was confident she would love them. Randy knows what kind of photographs his wife likes to collect and looking at them he was pretty sure that they’ll fit perfectly in her collection.
While going through the photos his eyes caught a glance on a photograph in which the person looked like someone, could it be really him? he asked himself. He will soon find out the truth of this mystery man.

How To Be Sure?

Randy was now rushing as he was so excited about the discovery. He has found something that was lost in time and he was holding a very crucial proof that could prove the existence of this mystery man. He wasn’t that far from home but still every second felt like a decade to him, all because of his excitement. He reached home and Linda could see that his husband smiling like anything. Then, he showed the photographs to her. She was really shocked after seeing the photographs. Even she knew who he was.

What Are We Into?

Yes, Linda was surprised by the photographs but she was really angry at Randy. Linda knew what an important piece of evidence it was that could prove the existence of this guy and she thought Randy might have paid a very big amount for these photographs just to surprise gift her. Randy was laughing when he heard this and then explained it to her that this box cost him $2. Linda was shocked after hearing it and but was it really him? And they wanted to be sure about the authenticity of the photographs and the person in it. Where to start?

Meet The Experts

Randy met a local historian who he thought might help him with the photographs. He showed him three old photographs and according to Randy, these photographs were from the 19th-century. Why 19th-century? Because the person who was in the photographs belonged to that century. Back then everybody knew his name and he was very popular. He wasn’t some extremely talented musician or artist but still, he was famous.
The expert and Randy both examined the photographs through a microscope to get a clear look and one of the photographs in which they saw a group of people playing croquet caught their attention. It was expert’s nod that made their doubt clear. It was really him.

Pay A Closer Attention

To both Randy’s and expert’s surprise, one of the men in the group looked like “Billy the Kid’, recognized as an icon of America’s wild west. But how did they come to this conclusion? It was the way he was standing with his croquet stick. He had this very interesting way in which he carried himself and the expert was aware of that. Who was Billy the Kid?

The Entire Gang

Randy called his wife to tell him this awesome news about Billy the Kid. As expected, Linda was screaming with excitement and couldn’t believe what they have found. And to their surprise, Billy wasn’t alone in the picture. With him, there were two other people who looked like Charlie Bowdre and Tom O’ Folliard, who were both parts of Billy the Kid’s gang, the Regulators.

The History Of Billy

According to the historians, Billy the Kid was the name he was given and his real name was Henry McCarty and his gang was famous for every wrong reason. Being a teenager didn’t stop Billy from entering the jail and as expected from him, he left no chance of escaping and running from the jail. In the year, 1877, it is said that Billy killed a Blacksmith in Arizona before he joined the gang Regulators. He also participated in a famous gang rivalry, popularly known as the Lincoln County War.

Gang Battle Royale

More gang wars made Billy the Kid even more popular and his reputation grew day after day. For every crime happened back then the Regulators and especially Billy was blamed. And it was their fault because their hands were dirty after they slew Lincoln County Sheriff, Willam J. Brady.
The photographs proved that he was really alive and he isn’t any myth. Randy was in for another surprise when he heard worth of these photographs.

A Daring Escape

People used to talk about Billy’s skills of escaping the jails and he did it everytime he was captured. In the year, 1880 Billy was charged with murder and he was on the run because the court sentenced him to death by hanging. But it took Sheriff Pat Garrett more than a year to track his exact location and in July 1881, he was captured but not in the way Garrett expected.

The Fatal Shot

The shootout between Billy the Kid and Garrett made headlines and it was in this shootout Billy was finally taken down, but many people believe that Billy faked his own death. The mystery revolving around his death still scratches several historians’ brains. The photographs did no such thing like solving the mystery but still, they were a worth lot of money.

Worth A Million

Randy found out that the last original photograph of Billy the Kid was sold for over $2.3 million and this made him really excited about his discovery. Even he was expecting such amount for these photographs but there was one problem which he faced between all this. There were many weren’t ready to accept that the person they are talking about is really Billy the Kid. The couple researched about the photographs for over a year to find some more evidence about the photographs but nothing came out of that too.

Lack Of Evidence Troubles

Randy and Linda went to the Witherell’s Old West Show for help and it was during this show the couple tried to convince the same person who previously sold the other Billy the Kid photograph. Even this person turned down their offer and because of that Randy and Linda started their new adventure which involved meeting with historians and using the facial recognition technology. One good thing about bad times is that they too pass with time.

National Geographic To The Rescue

It was National Geographic who caught wind of this discovery and decided to make a documentary revolving around Billy the Kid and the new evidence which Randy discovered. The documentary helped Randy and Linda with the resources that can make sure that these photographs are authentic but even today there are several historians who did not believe in this new evidence. But the struggle of Randy and Linda wasn’t for nothing and they got what they deserved.

$5 Million In The Bank

It was a California auction house who finally agreed to auction the photographs and insured the photos for $5 million. Randy hopes to inspire other by saying, “I hope this prompts others out there to look into trunks and attics,” he said, “because there are so many lost treasures out there.”
Randy’s little adventure proves that there is still so much to seek in this world and just like him we can also go for our little adventure because you just never know when life puts you in the right place.
There are other few stories where bought something for as cheap as they could but later were shocked to know their true value. Check them out!

It Is A Treasure

In 2011, a man bought a storage unit for $1,000 and after he opened the locker he found Spanish gold coins which were from the 16th Century. It took three men to lift that treasure up and load it into his truck. The person who discovered the treasure chose to remain unknown but the discovery made headlines. Good gold!

Elvis Aaron Presley

We all know who Elvin Presley was? Nobody has been able to influence a generation the way Elvis did back in the 20th century. He was known as the “King of Rock and Roll” and Elvis rocked this guy world in 2010 when he found a stack of newspaper dating back from the day Elvis Presley died, August 16, 1977. The condition of the newspaper is worth mentioning because whoever collected them must have really loved Elvis Presley. This stash of the newspaper was sold for $90,000.

Buckets O’bucks

John Cardoza who is an auctioneer by profession owns a Storage Auction experts in Turlock, CA. He told that there was a man who bought one of the storage lockers for just $200 and found something unbelievable inside it. “The buyers bought it for $200 and when they opened it up, inside were two five-gallon buckets full of silver dollars,” Cardoza said.  “They reached in and gave a silver dollar to each of the 40 or so other people in attendance,” Cardoza added further.

Flea Market Luck!

This man from Pennsylvania bought a painting for only $4 at the local flea market and later found out 24 copies of the Declaration of Independence. These historic copies were changed his life when they were sold for $2.42 million.

Comics

This guy found a near-mint condition Action Comics #1 inside a California storage locker and when he auctioned it on CommicConnect.com he sold it for $2,000,000. This comic was the first copy of Action Comics and it was with somebody who knew it can be worth this much in future.

James Bond’s Submarine Car

This guy wouldn’t have thought that buying a storage locker for $100 will change his life forever. After opening the locker he found a white sports car sans wheel which was used in the movie The Spy Who Loved Me. And it was Elon Musk, Tesla founder who purchased this car in an auction for whopping $1 million.

The $5 Andy Warhol Sketch

In a garage sale at Las Vegas in 2012, this man bought some drawings for $5, and to his surprise, one of the sketches was worth more than he has ever imagined. The sketch he found had Andy Warhol’s signature. This sketch was sold for $2 million.

Original LeCoultre Deep Sea Alarm

This guy from Phoenix, Arizona Goodwill was looking for a second-hand golf cart when he found a $5.99 watch that was found to be a watch made by Jaeger-LeCoultre which was the first watch ever made that had an inbuilt alarm for deep-sea divers. This man sold this watch for $35,000.

£50,000 Renoir Found In £5 Box Of Junk

A woman from West Virginia was looking for some paintings and she found one which she bought for £5. Little she knew the painting was made by the famous painter Renoir and later she found its true value which was £50,000.