An abandoned self storage unit has become the modern-day’s treasure chest. Not every unit is full of riches, but it can be extraordinary when you find that rare unit. As self storage units became more popular, the items kept in their units have only gotten more interesting. Here are some of the unique treasures found in storage units.
James Bond’s Submarine Car
One man in 1987 bid less than $100 at a Long Island facility to find a white sports car hidden under blankets with a dented roof and no wheels. After hitching it to the back of his ride, others on the road recognized it as the infamous Lotus Esprit submarine car. This vehicle served as James Bond’s unique vehicle in the 1977 film The Spy Who Loved Me. Currently, the vehicle belongs to Tesla founder Elon Musk, who bought the car in 2013 with dreams of making the car-to-submarine come to life.
Space Equipment
Auction Hunters hosts Allen Haff and Clinton Jones bid $1,500 on a Miami storage unit in 2011. When the unit was opened, they found a NASA countdown clock and rocket. A space memorabilia expert came to the scene and recognized the equipment from a space program that had been discontinued. NASA did not reclaim their tools, and the bidders resold the items.
Aretha Franklin’s Wardrobe
A house fire once forced Franklin to use a storage unit as her closet space. Eventually, after some missed payments, the Detroit facility was forced to put her unit up for auction, and the lucky winner was able to walk away with many of her clothes and hats.
All of Burt Reynold’s Memories
Burt Reynolds, the renowned actor and American icon, was known to collect artifacts and memorabilia from his life and store them in storage units. After defaulting on some payments in 1999, a unit of his was put up for auction. Luckily, Burt Reynolds has some very caring fans, and his items have been preserved in the Burt Reynolds and Friends Museum. Now, people worldwide can admire his honorary sheriff badges and personal letters from other celebrities.
The First Superman Comic
One 2011 storage auction winner in the San Fernando Valley found himself with what he believed to be the first Superman comic in existence. After collectibles expert Mark Balelo confirmed, he was excited to sell the comics but unfortunately could not. It turns out that these comics had been stolen 11 years ago from the well-known Nicolas Cage. Cage reported the stolen comic, valued at around $1 million, to his insurance company after a home invasion. He has since called the resurfacing of the comic an act of “divine providence.”
