Finder's keepers? Wow!

fastrudy

Did I miss something? What was the exact year ethics died?


link

AskRaq

Yeah, I watched the video on CNN.com ~ unbelievable!!!!!!!!!!! (Cool $500 bills though ~)

eyoung429

I'd be telling that contractor where he can shove his lawyer up.

Box was found on owners property,
property owner offered 10% finders (generous)
now contractor is suing for the box???

I'd be telling him where to go and even show him how to get there. friggin' extortionist.

Cgb

Am I missing something? Why does it not belong to the owner? It was in his house after all... I think the contractor is crazy to think he is entitled to the money.

jhusman

I'd be ok with paying even a 20% finder's fee, but I think that 40 percent is too high.

As a big collector nerd, though, I'd just tell the contractor that I'll keep it, and pay out when and if I sell any of it.

It is the homeowner's house, and he is a contract laborer. He has no right to any of it. In my opinion, any payment above and beyond the amount due for services rendered is a nice bonus, and he isn't entitled to anything.

What a day - that is a contractor dream.

SilverEagles92

If the contractor found the money on the sidewalk, I'd say it's his. But since it was in the woman's house, in the wall no less, he is entitled to nothing. The 10% she offered was very kind of her, but not necessary.

JeffinMich

It will become more of a mess when the former home owners relatives step forward wanting a piece of the action.

TwoSides2aCoin

That contractor is a greedy fella. Ten percent of potentially half a million isn't enough ? What a dork.
I guess he should have been thankful for the job instead of thinking his finding something on someone else's property should somehow be his. This goes to show you that your contractor isn't always your friend and your friends aren't always friends when it comes to money.

TwoSides2aCoin

So if I was the mortgage holder , i.e. bank/finance company and I held the deed...

nah, forget it

ziggy29

I believe the contractor is legally entitled to ZERO. Having said that, a 10-20% reward would seem reasonable...but not legally required in this case. Now that he's acting like this, I would give him nothing and rescind my offer to give 10%.

If anyone had a legal case, it would be the descendants and heirs of Mr. Dunne -- not the contractor.

Cladiator

<< <i>Did I miss something? What was the exact year ethics died? >>

It got sick in the 60's and passed away in the late 80's, early 90's. It has yet to be proven if it can be revived or not.

ttown

I don't think decendents would have a claim either but anyone can sue. When you sell a house all contents are transfered too.

solid

The owner had a lot more equity in that home than previously thought!

mrpotatoheadd

I think the homeowner should get a dozen or so of her friends and a bunch of sledgehammers and go over to the contractor's house. When he asks what she's up to, she can say "We're just looking for lost money."

BXBOY143

i dont think it is the fact of him being a contractor finding it, did it not state they are also friends from as far back as high school? if my budy was fixing my house and he found $$ and told me ya i'd give him 50% due to he could have never said anything and kept it all!!


best wishes

-Paul

ziggy29

We just had a carpenter/handyman friend demolish a couple of walls in the bedroom to turn two small closets into one large one. When he smashed out the dividing wall, he found a 1961 Lincoln wedged between the sheetrock and the baseboard.

Guess we should have given that "booty" to the contractor, at least according to this guy's logic.

ziggy29

<< <i>i dont think it is the fact of him being a contractor finding it, did it not state they are also friends from as far back as high school? if my budy was fixing my house and he found $$ and told me ya i'd give him 50% due to he could have never said anything and kept it all! >>

I would completely agree that I'd feel ethically and morally compelled to give the finder a fair cut of the booty.

But I'd also say that he has zero legal grounds, as far as I can tell, for filing suit over it or claiming any ownership. At this point, I'd tell him that I spent his share on legal fees and to have a nice day.

fc

ah yes, greed. books have been written about it.

Type2

I would file a lawsuit on the contractor for not completing his job.

curly

Don't worry brothers, before it's all over, the lawyers will be dividing up that money.

RichieURich

<< <i>Did I miss something? What was the exact year ethics died?


link >>



It died when O. J.'s lawyers got him acquitted despite their knowing he was guilty.

ttown

<< <i>Don't worry brothers, before it's all over, the lawyers will be dividing up that money. >>



Isn't that the truth! In a divorce they try to get you to fight one another and then cut you lose when the money runs out.

PerryHall

A smart contractor would have kept his mouth shut.

UtahCoin

Note to self, don't hire Bob Kitts.....

MORGANHUNTER2

<< <i>A smart contractor would have kept his mouth shut. >>



EXACTOMUNDO!!

Friends or not- the 'contractor' should not have said a word- if the contract reads that during the demolishing process he turns over everything to owner for disposal- then he has NO control of what he finds, BUT if he is told what comes from the demo- is his to dispose of- well guess what- it is his- this is contract 101 folks.

He will win his case.- sadly he did get greedy.

ricko

I cannot believe it is actually going to court. I am amazed at what people will do today to get unearned cash. Cheers, RickO

BECOKA

He should have kept his mouth shut and he would still have a friend. Although I hope the pressure of keeping a big secret would make him deathly ill.

droopyd

<< <i>It will become more of a mess when the former home owners relatives step forward wanting a piece of the action. >>



I was thinking the same thing....

Clearly, title to the currency stash was never contemplated by either party when the property changed hands from the former owner.

Just goes to show that it's a bad idea to stash valuables away like that without anyone else knowing about them.

ttown

Boy we seem to have different standards of ethics here. The thread yesterday with the dealer offering a 1/2 ounce gold coin at 1/4 ounce price by mistake and the guy gets bashed. I didn't hear anyone say he should have kept his mouth shut. People amaze me with their ethics standards.

TwoSides2aCoin

<< <i>Boy we seem to have different standards of ethics here. The thread yesterday with the dealer offering a 1/2 ounce gold coin at 1/4 ounce price by mistake and the guy gets bashed. I didn't hear anyone say he should have kept his mouth shut. People amaze me with their ethics standards. >>



See my name for an explanation of people There are two sides until you get between the walls... then the whole truth comes out.

Musky1011

If he was my friend, I would give him 40% minus remodeling costs

No arguing

not worth a friendship arguing over someone else's money

Barbercoin

What nerve he has.

I just saw the story on the news. Finders Keeprs? She owns the damn house AND everything in it.

options26

If he kept it I would consider it theft, it is her property if she knows it was there or not. Contract 101 my Ar$e. So if the guy finds a box in my attic, it's his even if I knew it was there? He found it? Tresure finder laws were created because of finds with no known owners, this one has a clear owner to me, the owner of the house. If I find you taking something out of my house of value, it won't be the lawyers fighting it out, it will be someone else carrying you out. Nuff said !!!!

Morganmanic

I just received a christmas card from the plumbing company we use and in the card they put a virginia lottery ticket. I scratched it off and one 2 dollars. What a nice idea for a buisness. Unlike the jerk in this story

seatedcoins

I really do not think the contractor should expect to get something. He was doing work that he was contracted to do in this person's house. Just because he opened the wall that the homeowner wanted means he's entitled to it or some of it?

I think it would be nice for the homeowner to volunteer to share a portion. Whatever that person decides upon.

If we are talking about ethics, regardless of "when a house is sold everything in it is the new owners."(Which by law is true)

I think the ethical thing to do is to find the descendants of the man who tried to stash away money during a difficult time. (A time when banks weren't solvent).

I would feel they should share some some portion of it. Maybe not 50, 40 , or 30, but something.

GrumpyEd

Before it's over the descendants of the man who put it there with his name on it will probably try to claim it too.

I think the lady that owns the house should get it all anyway.

ProofArtworkonCircs

There was a similiar case a few years ago. It is believed that person A hid the money. Person B subsequently owned the house, died in peaceful ignorance of the hoard and left everything to the Red Cross. Person C was the present owner when kids found buried gold coins. The fight was on and guess who showed up with fancy lawyers and made a big fuss? The Red Cross did. I think C and the kids finally split it.

Incidently 1929 Federal Reserve Bank Notes were not printed until 1933.
I don't know how some of the money was dated to 1927 unless that was a plate date on a National Bank Note.

oxy8890

<< <i>

<< <i>Did I miss something? What was the exact year ethics died? >>

It got sick in the 60's and passed away in the late 80's, early 90's. It has yet to be proven if it can be revived or not. >>



Well said and humorous

holeinone1972

You all are missing the most amazing part of this whole thread. Longacre has not replied yet!!!!!!!!!!!!

YaHa

I would bring charges against the contractor for attempting to steal property from her house.

He was hired to do a job. Contractors love to find savage and make extra $$$ and never let the home owner know this.

In this case I would have the contractor arrested. He is entitled to NOTTA!!

Mark my word, if the contractor found a demon in the attic, I bet you he would of had something else in his pants! Yaha

sneaky

I guess I'm the type of guy to stir this type of thing up, in say, 100 years or so....

I recently remodeled 2 baths, fully down to the studs. Before I actually put the backerboard and tile up on the walls, I put little envelopes attatched to the studs, with about $2.00 in loose change in it, with a hand written letter that stated "If you are reading this, I must not have done a good enough job on the walls, here's some change to help you remodel". I did this in both bathrooms, thinking one day it would be funny. I wish I was a coin guy at the time, I would have put some silver eagles or something valuable, not just loose change(might one day be valuable though I guess). Hope some contractor doesn't find it in 150 years and make a big stink out of it


On the OP, I think the contractor is out of his mind, and needs to go on some where. Friends or not, I wouldn't feel "entitled" to the money if I found it. I'd just feel good about finding it for the friend.

Mike C

mojoman

<< <i>Friends or not- the 'contractor' should not have said a word- if the contract reads that during the demolishing process he turns over everything to owner for disposal- then he has NO control of what he finds, BUT if he is told what comes from the demo- is his to dispose of- well guess what- it is his- this is contract 101 folks. >>



If it was a "JUNK" empty box he would throw it away in a minute, The home owner, got lucky that the contractor did not keep it I belive in ethics, the home owner should just split it with him. they are both coming out ahead and the contractor even did some looking in to it for her on the value or the notes. fair is fair he was honest and told her about it so she should at least give him 1/2 and like somone said the lawyers will get the biggest cut. JMO. MoJo

coinsarefun

<< <i>I'd be telling that contractor where he can shove his lawyer up.

Box was found on owners property,
property owner offered 10% finders (generous)
now contractor is suing for the box???

I'd be telling him where to go and even show him how to get there. friggin' extortionist. >>







I agree, I agree and Oh I forgot I agree.
And I am a contractor. Since when do you work in a customers home and say finders keepers

So let me get this straight. If he opened up her walls and found dryrot or bad plumbing he would have done it for free or is only good stuff is his?.
him

sumnom

I once was part of a crew remodelling a house that was built in the 1930s. We tore down one wall and found something rather special under the eaves: A little pile of dessicated shit and soiled toilet paper. I kid you not.

Naturally, there was no arguing over the issue of ownership...

sumnom

<< <i>

<< <i>I'd be telling that contractor where he can shove his lawyer up.

Box was found on owners property,
property owner offered 10% finders (generous)
now contractor is suing for the box???

I'd be telling him where to go and even show him how to get there. friggin' extortionist. >>







I agree, I agree and Oh I forgot I agree.
And I am a contractor. Since when do you work in a customers home and say finders keepers

So let me get this straight. If he opened up her walls and found dryrot or bad plumbing he would have done it for free or is only good stuff is his?.
him >>



An excellent point!

coinsarefun

<< <i>I once was part of a crew remodelling a house that was built in the 1930s. We tore down one wall and found something rather special under the eaves: A little pile of dessicated shit and soiled toilet paper. I kid you not.

Naturally, there was no arguing over the issue of ownership... >>





Now that's funny!!!
I can't tell you how many times we demo a house or kitchen for remodeling how many dead animals we find. There is usually a lot of rats in the attic where the skeletons lie perfect as if he was freeze dried in that position.
But have not been blessed yet with human feces only animal

sumnom

It was certainly odd. I assumed it had been there since the place was built. Something that was odd about that house is that is was built with cut nails even thought wire nails were the norm after WWI. Someone must have had a bunch of cut nails sitting around that they needed to get rid of.

ddink

Within a few years, legal fees will have consumed the entire value of the hoard. At that point, two former friends will be enemies, and have not a dollar to show for their strife.

It really would have been better had the stash never been found.

cupronik

Without having read every response to this thread I can read the sentiment from most persons' replies.

bxboy143 & ziggy29 have reasonable threads that foster a spirit of cooperation between the two parties.

What's moral ("what feels right") and what's legal ("because I can") are often not the same.

mr1931S

The contractor is wrong. A generous 10% (If I were the contractor, I would attempt to negotiate it in the form of a "direct" take of the booty) should have been sufficient for him. Now he risks getting practically nothing.

I hope that happens.

BigRed

<< <i>Don't worry brothers, before it's all over, the lawyers will be dividing up that money. >>


How true, I once had a contractor not finish a job and refused to pay him the $1800 balance I owed him, we both got attorney's and I quickly spent $2200. We both decided to settle out of court rather quickly.