Contents of second time capsule discovered in Richmond unveiled

WASHINGTON (FOX 5 DC) - The contents of a long-sought-after time capsule that was found during the removal of a giant pedestal that once held a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee in Richmond were unveiled Tuesday. 

The contents discovered include: 

Coins, books, a piece of wood with a bullet in it, a button with the Virginia seal, letters, a newspaper dated 1865 with a centerfold print of "a figure leaning over the casket of deceased President Abraham Lincoln," and a bible. 

The time capsule was found in a pool of water, officials said. Crews were concerned there was water inside the capsule, which was tested and found to be made of copper and weighed 36 pounds. 

The development marked the latest turn in a months-long search for the capsule, which contemporaneous news accounts indicate was placed during a cornerstone-laying ceremony in 1887 attended by thousands of people. News accounts described its dozens of donated artifacts, including Confederate memorabilia. Based on historical records, some have also speculated the capsule might contain a rare photo of deceased President Abraham Lincoln.

READ MORE: 134-year-old time capsule possibly found in base of removed Robert E. Lee statue

Earlier this month, crews dismantling the pedestal found a time capsule embedded in a granite block that some initially thought might have been the one placed in 1887. But after state conservators spent hours last week gingerly prying the box open, they didn’t find the expected trove of objects related to the Confederacy. Instead, conservators pulled out a few waterlogged books, a silver coin and an envelope with some papers.