10 of the Weirdest Things Found in Abandoned Storage Units

You never know what you might find in abandoned storage units. Many businesses actually have auctions where they sell off abandoned spaces to the highest bidder. All it takes is for the unit’s owner to stop paying the rent on it.

In most cases, they’re mostly empty or contain nothing interesting. But sometimes, this space might contain something weird or wonderful. Let’s take a look at some of the weirdest and creepiest storage unit finds.

1. A Live Hand Grenade

A man in Michigan purchased the contents of an abandoned storage unit, and to his shock, the unit contained a live hand grenade.

The man found the grenade inside a handgun case. He decided to take the grenade to the local fire department, telling the firefighters that he had “something they would want to see.”

A bomb squad was then called to safely dispose of the grenade. Thankfully, there were no injuries.

2. Unreleased Michael Jackson Tracks

One lucky buyer of an abandoned storage unit found that it was full of unreleased Michael Jackson tunes. Around 250 unreleased songs were discovered in a storage unit that once belonged to Joe Jackson, Michael Jackson’s father.

Many of the songs were apparently recorded with Tina Turner. The tracks were made when Michael Jackson didn’t have an active recording contract. Since no record company could legally put the tracks out, these records remained unreleased.

3. Thousands of Dollars Worth of Rare Coins

After purchasing the contents of a storage unit for just over $1,000, a San Jose man found rare coins worth thousands. On top of that, he also found a stash of gold and silver ingots.

The total value of this lucky find? More than half a million dollars. Not a bad profit!

4. A Dead Body

It’s not unheard of to find someone’s ashes in an abandoned storage facility, but it’s not often you find an actual dead body. But that’s exactly what happened in Florida.

A family kept the grandmother’s body and casket inside a storage facility for 17 years. The family was informed that the unit was going to be sold due to unpaid rent. Then they’ve said that this wouldn’t be possible as the unit contained a dead body.

5. The First Superman Comic

In 2011, a man purchased the contents of a storage unit and was shocked to discover a copy of Action Comics #1. This comic book is an extremely valuable collectible as it’s the very first appearance of Superman.

Unfortunately for the man behind this lucky find, he wasn’t able to sell the comic book. The comic has been reported stolen by none other than Nicolas Cage in 2000.

Action Comics #1 is so rare that it’s valued at over $1 million.

6. A Burglar

With storage units containing such valuable items, it’s no surprise that they’re attractive to burglars. In 2011, a burglar attempted to rob a storage unit in Missouri. Unfortunately for him, a security guard noticed him.

While the burglar was filling his bags with loot from inside the unit, the security guard noticed the open door and closed, trapping the burglar inside. He then called the police when the burglar tried to escape.

7. A Human Leg

Shannon Whisnant purchased an abandoned storage unit in a 2007 auction. Inside the unit was a meat smoker. To her shock, inside the meat smoker was a human leg.

The leg belonged to John Wood, the original owner of the unit. After losing his leg in a plane crash, John held onto the leg, hoping to be buried with it when he passed away. Eventually, he lost possession of his storage unit after falling behind on payments.

8. Aretha Franklin’s Clothes

After a fire in her home, the Queen of Soul rented out a storage unit to keep her clothes and hats in for a while. For one reason or another, she stopped making payments on the unit and the contents were sold off to the highest bidder.

The lucky winner earned a slice of history, receiving part of the singer’s legendary wardrobe.

9. Burt Reynolds’ Things

An abandoned storage unit once owned by Burt Reynolds was sold. Inside the unit, there were many strange items from his past.

For instance, there was a horse carriage created by Dolly Parton, a framed letter from Burt Reynolds’ doctor regarding the removal of his spleen, and a canoe from the movie Deliverance. There was so much weird stuff locked away in this storage unit that it was the basis for a museum that opened in Florida.

10. A NASA Rocket

While filming for the TV show Auction Hunters, hosts Allen Haff and Clinton Jones discovered a NASA countdown clock and rocket. They found these incredible items in a storage unit they had paid $1,500 for.

The equipment has been moved into storage since the NASA project it was part of had been discontinued. A space memorabilia expert confirmed that the items were indeed legitimate, and they were subsequently sold on. NASA never asked for the items back.

Discovering weird things may not be your thing. So if you’re looking for a self-storage facility in New York for your possessions, view here for a good storage company. No weird stuff, we promise.

Feel Like Trying Your Luck on Abandoned Storage Units?

As you can see, you can find almost anything inside an abandoned storage unit. Not only can you make a nice profit from a good find, but you also have the chance to discover a great story.

If you’re interested in bidding on the contents of abandoned storage units, just check out your local facilities. Auctions on abandoned properties are fairly common. 

Just don’t expect to get something exciting every time. Usually, you might just end up with a totally empty unit.

Feel like reading other weird things? Then check out the rest of our blog!

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