The Most Valuable items found in Self Storage

Our self-storage units in Midrand, Rooderport, Sandton and Randburg usually contain fairly standardised personal belongings such as office furniture, electronic equipment, electrical devices, personal items and household goods. This is the norm right across South Africa when it comes to self-storage units. 

 America’s self-storage units, on the other hand, are auctioned off if the contents are either abandoned or if the units are repossessed. The contents of the containers are at times surprisingly unusual items that have been discovered. At times they are even priceless; at other times they can prove to be a little frightening and then there are times that items found in self-storage units can be downright strange. 

Uncovering buried treasure in storage units 

Some of the unbelievable findings include Disney scripts, music from Michael Jackson, a James Bond Car, money and rare coins. 

Here are some rare items uncovered in storage units 

• In San Jose, a storage locker that was foreclosed contained a veritable treasure chest filled with treasure that dates back 200 years. The new owners of the storage unit did not know that the unit contained gold coins and gold bars to the value of two and a half million US dollars 
• An abandoned storage unit in New York was bought for a little under 100 dollars and inside found a white sports vehicle with dented roof and no wheels. This find was none other than the James Bond submarine car from the 1977 movie “The Spy Who Loved Me”. The car was one of 8 versions that were unclaimed and sold for a cool $1 million at an auction 
• A bidder hunter who bought two storage units uncovered Civil War memorabilia, priceless art and Harry Truman’s cane  

• Rare and famous flying photos of Amelia Earhart were found when a woman was browsing through her mother’s storage locker in California. The photos so happened to be the last of the famed Amelia Earhart that was taken right before the aviatrix disappeared. The photos were worth more than a thousand dollars for each one 
• 2010 seems to be the year of uncovering valuable treasure troves in storage units in the US – a Toronto man bought an unclaimed storage unit that belonged to the father of Michael Jackson. The new owner discovered 250 unreleased recordings by Michael Jackson that had never been heard before. They also included recorded duets between Tina Turner and Michael Jackson. The new owner of the storage unit was adamant that he was the new owner of the recordings because Michael Jackson was between record labels when the tracks were recorded. 
• In 2010 a large collection of newspapers on the day that Elvis Presley died which was August the 16th 1977 was also found in a storage unit and fetched a healthy $90 000  
• A storage unit with works by artists Frank Gutierez included decorated objects, paintings and drawings were valued in the region of 300 000 dollars 
• A racing car worth more than $25 000 was discovered in a unit that was bought for $400 in Florida 

Storage units in South Africa are a practical solution for storage dilemmas whether you need storage in Randburg, Midrand, Sandton or Roodepoort. Perhaps your items are not as valuable as some of those listed above, but for many of us, we find value in the things we own and need to find a safe, dry home for them until we land on our feet, move back to town, complete a building, move home or office – the list is endless. One man’s trash will always be another’s treasure.