Losing an important object can be heart-wrenching, especially if you have no clue as to its whereabouts. Because we’ve all likely been in this situation before, it’s fair to say that most find solace in the fact that, that beloved item may turn up in the future. Today’s story takes that universal sentiment to the extreme, and proves that we should never give up hope!

Nevada, Iowa’s historic Talent Factory Theater has been a fixture of this small community since way back in the 1920s, when seeing a movie actually required getting dressed and leaving the house!

As the current owner of the theater, Larry Sloan, muses, “So many generations of people saw their first movie here, had their first kiss up in the balcony—I like thinking about what kind of history that made.”

Nonetheless, it has been quite a long time since the theater has played films. These days, Sloan focuses on providing a venue for live acts to perform their material.

And, though we think it’s remarkable to see community members repurpose old haunts like this one, it’s even more amazing to think that folks have been tap dancing and telling jokes in a place that has been holding a long-lost object.

You see, lodged snugly beneath the floorboards, just below the third floor of the theater, lay a curious find—a plastic wallet.

When workers first delivered this artifact to Sloan, he surmised that, based on the material, it was probably a child’s wallet, but when he looked inside, he discovered something much more mind-blowing than play money.

The contents of this mysterious billfold included: a pocket calendar from 1944, ration stamps from WWII, a vintage Boy Scout card, several black and white photos, and even an I.D. card with a name and address. It was at this point that the theater owner realized that he may just be able to actually return this relic!

So, Sloan noted the name on the I.D.—Clare McIntosh—and came up with a plan to find this person. Obviously, he didn’t exactly have high hopes about scoring a meeting with this elusive wallet owner, especially considering that the contents would place the man well into his eighties!

Nonetheless, as these magical scenarios sometimes unfold, Mr. McIntosh was actually able to be tracked down, and even came in to the theater to retrieve his property. It was then that local news station KCCI was able to get the full backstory, straight from the spry 85-year-old himself.

He described the find as being “unreal,” and was all too happy to identify some of the wallet’s contents. From a picture of his sister to that iconic Boy Scout card, it’s amazing to think that, even after 71 long years, this man has finally been able to reclaim a keepsake that he lost so long ago.

To meet the stars of this remarkable story, be sure to watch KCCI’s video below. You never know what may be hiding beneath those floorboards!

What do you think of this unlikely tale? Has something similar happened to you before? Have you recently lost something important to you? Tell us all about your thoughts and experiences in the comments section below!