Man's interest in antique grand piano leads him to treasure worth thousands of dollars: 'It's insane'

Taking risks requires much thought and a heap load of courage and determination. One needs the confidence and belief to take a shot at unusual opportunities in life. However, antique hunter Alex Archbold took yet another risk and purchased  Bette-Joan Rac’s estate after her death. CBC News reported that the man, with a love for the treasures of the antique, made a priceless find along with the estate. Call it fate or just the result of shrewd risk, Archbold is now enjoying a hefty gift and the credit goes to a grand piano. The previous owner,  Bette-Joan Rac, was a piano teacher who would impart music lessons to hundreds.

Her fame, talent and undoubtedly prized possession left behind piqued Archbold’s interest. The man who owns Curiosity Inc. paid $10,000 for several possessions from the property. “I thought it was going to be a break-even situation, that maybe with the piano and some of the other things, I might be able to get $10,000 worth of stuff,” Archbold said. However, he was “shocked” because there was more than $10,000 to unravel. Archbold purchased the contents, including the grand piano last December after the owner passed away in 2020. Having no children, Archbold was able to acquire several possessions holding historical and monetary value.

Archbold shared a little about Rac’s personality, which is the reason for her unique possessions. He said, "She was very colorful, with multiple layers of interesting clothing, jewelry, lots of rings and necklaces and a bow in her hair. She was just a lovely lady and definitely stood out in the crowd." Her possessions include antique items such as furniture, jewelry and designer clothing. Archbold also revealed that the woman who loved to travel and shop undoubtedly filled her house with several belongings. While Archbold mentioned that the former became a reason for “clutter” and was “out of control,” the very same clutter served as a jackpot for the hunter. Archbold shared that when he was cleaning up and looking around things, he noticed silver bells fall out.

That eventually led to more digging and curiosity. Archbold said, “This began the process of looking thoroughly through books and shoes and magazines and newspapers, and eventually, we amassed this hoard of amazing treasure." He then revealed that he found a priceless item among the dirt that was the bonanza. "It's an urban legend kind of story, and I got to be there and got to be part of it. It's just insane,” Archbold said as he revealed that he found a stunning 100-ounce bar of silver under a mattress. Archbold has undoubtedly won the lottery with RAC's findings. He estimates the total value of all her contents to be $400,000. The hunter plans to fulfill his dream of opening a cafe with the money. However, there’s more than the money and monetary value he’s interested in.

Archbold describes this story as a one-of-a-kind. He wishes to honor the piano teacher who unexpectedly changed his family's fortune through a kind gesture. "Her piano, which we've kept back here at the shop, is going to go live in that café, where students of hers or people who are musicians can come and play,” he said. The hunter, who posted the findings in a series of YouTube videos, shared that several people were eager to be a part of the story by bidding on several items.

“Those people are interested in this story and interested in having a piece from this story," he said. Adding another vital message Archbold learned he said, "It just reminds us of how temporary we are in this world and how important the things that we have around us are."