A man spent \$2,000 to buy an old storage unit that had been left behind, and what he found inside completely stunned him.
If you’ve ever seen the show Storage Wars, where people buy abandoned storage units hoping to find valuables, this story is right up your alley. A regular buyer who goes by “Wades Ventures” online made a video about his discovery that went viral, racking up over 11 million views on TikTok.
When he opened the red door to the unit, he saw piles and piles of boxes stacked inside. He only looked through a small portion—about 5% of everything there—but it was already clear he might be sitting on a goldmine.
Inside the first few boxes, he found a huge collection of old gaming items, especially rare trading cards. Some were Pokémon cards from the late 1990s to early 2000s, and others were Magic: The Gathering cards from the same era. While some of these common cards might only be worth a few dollars each, rarer ones that are graded in good condition can sell for thousands—even up to \$20,000.
But that was just the beginning. He also found a bunch of gaming consoles, including a Wii U (which resells for around \$100), a standard Wii (\$20–35), a Sega Dreamcast (around \$60 if working), and an original Nintendo DS (about \$30). He even came across a special Xbox One Jedi Edition that could sell for about \$250 thanks to its limited availability.
The unit was filled with gaming items, from old-school gear to modern collectibles. There was a retro arcade-style joystick worth up to \$100, and even a replica of a “Pip-Boy” from the Fallout video game series that could go for about \$150—although Wade didn’t recognize what it was, which some viewers found frustrating.
Other finds included PS3 and GameCube games, LEGO sets, Sonic games, and various PC titles. Based on what’s been opened so far, the haul could already be worth close to \$1,000—possibly even more.
But here’s the kicker: those rare Pokémon cards, if graded and in good shape, could skyrocket the total value into the tens of thousands. One person online estimated the collection might bring in \$20,000. Another guessed it could go as high as \$60,000, based on what’s still unseen in the unopened boxes.
Some viewers couldn’t believe the luck, with one saying Wade had already made his money back just from the Pokémon cards. Others called it a dream come true, especially for millennials who grew up with this kind of stuff.
But not everyone was thrilled. A few people felt sad seeing what was likely someone’s entire collection—built up over 30 years—sold off like this. One commenter said it was heartbreaking to think of the story behind it all, even though they didn’t blame the buyer.
As for how this happens, the storage company explained that when someone stops paying for their storage and doesn’t respond to attempts to settle the debt, the company is forced to auction off the unit’s contents just to recover some of the lost money.
In the end, Wade may have stumbled on a once-in-a-lifetime find—but behind the excitement is a reminder that someone else might’ve lost something deeply personal.
