A few years ago...
My great aunt died at the ripe old age of 98 - she'd lived through two world wars and a lot of change, but throughout had lived a fairly basic existence; poor, but happy with her lot.

When she died, she didn't leave much behind. The house was falling down, in a demoralised, boarded-up village, miles from anywhere and most of the land was contaminated from the local chemical factory. In short, the house was worth fuck all.

She had a penchant for collecting little knick-knacks - Charles and Diana thimbles, Maggie Thatcher commemoration plates, moth-eaten fur shawls, fungus-encrusted brooches... you get the idea.

I hauled the lot home, and unable to face the amount of dirt and the smell of all these items, left them in the back of the garage for about 5 years.

One day, I decided I should at least sort through it - I knew there was nothing of finanical value, but there might be some old family history in there worth keeping for sentimental reasons. As I rummaged through it, I found a plastic bag full of mouldy old purses. Absolutely fucking disgusting, it was. I was just about to lob the lot into the bin when a little voice in my head just said "I know it's foul, but just check 'em will you Johab? You never know."

I opened the first purse - stuffed with fivers.
I opened the next purse - stuffed with twenties.
The next - stuffed with tenners.

I'd hit the fucking jackpot.

Some fevered note-flattening and straightening later, I counted just short of 3 grand.

Made my day, I can tell you.

The funny thing was, I went round for a week spending some loose notes from this wodge before I got to the bank to pay it in, only to be told it wasn't legal tender any more - luckily the banks will exchange it, but I really shouldn't have gone round spending it. Oops.

PS The Maggie Thatcher plate is also still around. What a bizarre piece that is.
(JohabMorelli is spenging merrily away, Wed 6 Aug 2008, 13:10, 6 replies)

Coronation stuff/Novelty plates
Can fetch quite a decent amount of money. My father collects coronation/royal wedding mugs (they're hideous, I don't know why he likes them), collectors will pay quite a wodge if they're in decent condition.
(The Empress it seems you CAN polish a turd!, Wed 6 Aug 2008, 13:43, closed)

I think they're awful as well.
I wish I knew somewhere to take them to - I had a brief foray on Ebay and the Thatcher plate wasn't particularly popular there :(
(JohabMorelli is spenging merrily away, Wed 6 Aug 2008, 14:02, closed)

Thatcher plate
Hmmm. I wonder if there's a local conservative nut you could flog it to?

Failing that, it'd make a lovely secret santa present. Hehe.
(The Empress it seems you CAN polish a turd!, Wed 6 Aug 2008, 14:25, closed)

I suggest waiting til she pops her clogs and then have another go.

( Gregor Lenko There's a tree..., Wed 6 Aug 2008, 14:36, closed)

Hang onto the Thatcher plate.
Over here there's actually a market for the cheap campaign buttons from the Nixon/Agnew campaign.

I imagine that in another thirty years George Bush memorabilia will even be worth something.
( The Resident Loon Not a demographic. Do not measure., Wed 6 Aug 2008, 21:09, closed)

Bleh
I'm amused that the postscript about the Thatcher plate has generated all the replies, yet the fact I found £3k in festering mouldy purses that I was all set to chuck out after 5 years passes unnoticed!
(JohabMorelli is spenging merrily away, Wed 6 Aug 2008, 22:38, closed)