Lost-Photo-Wallet

Missing Wallets Found

The Stories of Wallets Lost to Time

Over the years every so often I seem to stumble across cool stories of lost wallets being returned to their owners. In many cases, these wallets went missing decades before they were found and serve as a sort of time capsule of that era with its contents, cash cards, and often pictures reflecting a time gone by and moment or snapshot of someone’s life. 

Luckily thanks to most wallets containing ID Cards or driver’s licenses it’s often easy to track down the original owner and reunite them with the lost wallet. This usually ends in a heartfelt story, nostalgia, and a wonderful example of human integrity as those who find the wallet usually go through great lengths to get it back to its original owner. Today we’re going to explore some of the best examples of these lost wallet stories, how they were found and the owner’s reaction when reunited with their possession. 

Found after 71 Years, Movie Theater

The Oldest Wallet Found & Returned

The oldest wallet found on this list was lost for an incredible 71 years before being found in the talent Factory Theater, in Iowa, stuck between the floorboards during a renovation of the famous theater. The owner of the lost wallet belonged to a 15-year-old boy, at the time, and included such belongings as family photos, a boy scouts card, and even a phone number that was simply the number 8. Also included inside the wallet was an identification card which enabled the founder to find Clare who was still alive and healthy. 

The wallet itself is made in a classic bi-fold style design although the choice of material is quite interesting to look at. Although it’s leather, the leather is incredibly thin which provides a more compact look and feel once more attributed to minimalist wallets we found today. In fact, the leather’s so thin it gives the wallet an appearance that roughly resembles the likes of one made from Tyvek or paper. For more information on this wallet and the story of how it was found, check out the news article linked below. 

Wallet-found-in-lake

Found after 39 years, North Carolina Lake

The Deep Sea Wallets

You wouldn’t think a wallet would survive 39 years in the depths of a lake, but that’s exactly what happened to Sarah Floor after she reeled in, not a fish, but a wallet that had been lurked in the depths for nearly 4 decades. The wallet’s content, although weathered, was mainly still intact and was found to belong to a man from Fayetteville who lost it in the 1980s. Inside were a variety of items including the man’s driver’s license, library card, and a range of now expired credit/debit cards. Although they’ve not been able to contact the original owner they are still to get in contact to return the old relic to its rightful owner. 

The wallet itself can only be described as a traditional velcro wallet which goes to show the sheer quality and design of this nylon wallet in keeping its contents somewhat protected from the elements for 39 years. It clearly was a good choice for a wallet that was used during an outdoor adventure and fishing weekend. For more information on the North Carolina Wallet check out the news article using the link below. 

Wallet-Lost-in-antartica

Paul Grisham holds his Navy ID card. Photograph: Nelvin C Cepeda/AP

Found after 53 Years, Antarctica

Lost in the Coldest Place on Earth

Paul Grisham, a once US Navy meteorologist, was surprised when his wallet was discovered at the bottom of the world in Antarctica. After being contacted Paul told his story o0f his 13-month expedition that took place in the 1960s. 53 years later stuck behind a locker in 2014 during demolition. The wallet itself contained a variety of the usual stuff including his Navy ID Card, driver’s license, and a card that explained what to do during a nuclear attack. 

The wallet in question owned by Paul Grisham in the 1960s was a standard bi-fold wallet. Although I couldn’t find any images of its inside and layout we can conclude its size and capacity by the large number of cards stored inside the wallet. Although with this the wallet seems to be made from a very sturdy and strong leather (images show it’s very thick) so probably a full-grain leather of some kind. For more information on the story of Paul Grisham’s lost wallet check out the new article using the link below. 

Lost-Photo-Wallet

Dr. Harriet McQueen points at a family photo. (APSU)

Lost for 32 Years, Stolen at work

The PhotoBook Wallet

Another story of theft at work, this large wallet was lost for 32 years snatched from the desk of a State University professor. The sadness of this story can’t be understated as it wasn’t just replaceable cash and cards that were lost, but irreplaceable memories in the form of photos that were also lost. This affected the victim so much they swore to never carry family photos in their wallet again as to not lose more memories that couldn’t be replaced. Luckily, the wallet was found over 3 decades later found when an Electrician noticed an unusual shape when connecting some pipes during a renovation. This was obviously a delight to the original owner when they were contacted. 

What’s most impressive about this story, to me anyway, is the wallet in question. The wallet itself was an incredibly large one, that is most notable for being able to store a huge variety of photos with pages and individual slots for a variety of photos. For me, it really goes to show the evolution of wallets over time as with the innovation and popularity of smartphones these types of wallets are all but extinct as we’re more likely to keep any images of our phones showcasing the ever-decreasing size of the typical men’s wallet today. 

Tilley-Wallet-Lost

Lost for 37 Years, Lost at Work

A Wallet Lost, Stolen & Found

Lost in the 1980s this stolen wallet was eventually found 37 years later during a renovation when asbestos was being removed by an office workplace. The owner of the wallet, LeClair, remembered the story of losing this wallet when he left his office place without his coat only to find his wallet missed and assumed stolen when he returned. Although all the cash was stolen from the wallet other items including a driver’s license, photos, and credit/debit cards remained with LeClair being very thankful for the return and nostalgia from his old wallet. 

This wallet is most intriguing as we have some great images available, including the wallet’s brand, that allow me to better find information on it. The company behind this wallet is the Candian clothing brand Tilley who I’m happy to say is still in business to this day. Founded in the 1980s which correlates with the loss of this wallet in 1984 when the company was still in its infancy. That being said, Tilley no longer produces or sells men’s, or women’s, wallets which is an interesting point to note. The wallet itself is a leather long wallet that has great storage and capacity for cash and cards with these types of wallets being very popular around that time. 

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