Philenews

Italy: Forgotten Savings Book in Old Trunk Turns into Treasure for 72-Year-Old – From £1,000 to Nearly €50,000

Published March 17, 2026, 08:16
Italy: Forgotten Savings Book in Old Trunk Turns into Treasure for 72-Year-Old – From £1,000 to Nearly €50,000

A 72-year-old Italian retiree discovered a forgotten savings book in an old trunk, which his parents had opened for him when he was nine years old. The book contained 1,000 Italian lire, which, after 63 years with interest and inflation, has grown to nearly €50,000. This unexpected fortune was found by chance after the death of his wife, when he was forced to move and search through the family's old belongings. Simultaneously, another case is mentioned of two Italians who were unable to redeem £158,000 in cash, as the Italian central bank no longer allows the exchange of old lire after 2012.