PASCO, WA – The Pasco Police Chief and the Mayor of Pasco gave back an old stash of Japanese money that was found in the basement wall of a home during a recent construction project.The home was being demolished on Lewis street back in December when crews found an old mural painted by the former homeowner and Japanese immigrant Harry Yamauchi.

Inside the mural was a wad of old Yen bills dating back to the late 1800’s.

Family members say they didn’t know the money was hidden the house at the time and say it is nice to get a piece of their family history back.

“As kids we played in that basement. Hide and seek and all this other stuff and we had no idea. So this secret was gone apparently when our grandfather passed away and so this was a shock to all of us,” says Roy Satoh, Grandson of Yamauchi.

Satoh says the old money is estimated to be valued at about $18 per bill or about $500 total and says he will share it with the seven other descendents of their grandfather.

SOURCE: NBC