What were the oldest time capsules, and what did their makers hope we'd learn?

"Inside, conservators found four packages tied with twine, containing around 300 old coins from the 18th and 19th centuries, as well as medals, newspapers, and documents relating to the town’s history."

"Later, in 1768, Thomas Drowne (the son of the master craftsman who built the weather vane) placed a note inside the body of the grasshopper entitled “Food for the Grasshopper.” ... After that first note was placed, people began adding coins and notes every time the weather vane was brought down for repairs, creating an inadvertent time capsule."

"In 1876, Anna Deihm, a publisher from New York, came up with the idea for a time capsule for the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia to commemorate the nation’s 100th anniversary. ... A velvet-lined safe was chosen as the capsule, which was then stuffed with all manner of 19th-century relics, including a gold pen belonging to poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, a book on temperance, a scroll signed"

"The oldest known time capsule in the United States was stashed away in 1795 by two of the most famous figures from the American Revolution : Samuel Adams and Paul Revere ."

"When the cornerstone was laid on July 4, 1795, the ceremony included burying a copper box containing coins, a medal depicting George Washington and a commemorative silver plaque engraved by Revere."

"The oldest coin was a 1665 Pine Tree Shilling, the first coin minted in colonial Massachusetts in defiance of the English government."

"The priceless cache was first unearthed in 1855 and again in 2014. Both times, new items were added before reburying the capsule."

"The 220-year-old time capsule was reburied in 2015 under the State House cornerstone along with two new additions: an engraved silver plate and a full set of 2015 coins from the U.S. Mint."

"6939 ; 4913 years' time ( 6939 ) Flushing Meadow Park , New York ( Westinghouse time capsule I ) 1939 [ 176 ]"

"6939 ; 4913 years' time ( 6939 ) Flushing Meadow Park, New York ( Westinghouse time capsule II ) 1965 [ 176 ]"

"28 May 8113 ; 6086 years' time ( 8113-05-28 ) Oglethorpe University , Brookhaven, Georgia ( Crypt of Civilization ) May 25, 1940"

"The Expo '70 time capsule is located near Osaka Castle , donated by Panasonic and the Mainichi Newspapers . It was opened for the first time in 2000, [ 15 ] and then the second time expected to be opened in 2100. [ 16 ] The time capsule remains sealed until 6970."

"It is widely believed to have been buried in 1795 by then-Governor Samuel Adams and Paul Revere."

"It is the oldest known time capsule in the United States."

"The time capsule is a metal container measuring 5.5 by 7.5 by 1.5 inches (140 mm × 191 mm × 38 mm) , and weighing about 10 pounds (4.5 kg) ."

"Its contents include newspaper pages of the period and coins including a 1652 pine tree shilling . There was also a silver plate, probably engraved by Revere, and a copper medal depicting George Washington ."

"The capsule was resealed into the cornerstone in a traditional ceremony on June 17, 2015 by Boston officials. A mint set of 2015 United States coins was added, including dollar coins of presidents Lyndon B. Johnson , John F. Kennedy , Dwight D. Eisenhower and Harry S. Truman ."

"The oldest known time capsule is the Samuel Adams and Paul Revere Time Capsule. The time capsule was supposedly buried in 1795, which makes it the oldest known time capsule in the US and even the world."

"It was buried by former Governor Samuel Adams who was one of the founding fathers of the United States, and Paul Revere, a patriot, industrialist, and silversmith."

"The 1876 Century Safe was the United States’ first planned time capsule, assembled by New York magazine publisher Anna Deihm at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia."

"A book on Temperance, a collection of signatures, and Mathew Brady photographs of politicians were among the items found upon its opening in 1976 during the bicentennial celebrations in Washington."

"The box contained newspapers, coins, a medal with Washington’s image, and a silver plaque reading “This cornerstone of a building intended for the use of the legislative and executive branches of the government of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts was laid by his Excellency Samuel Adams, Esquire, governor of the said Commonwealth.”"

"While these early ‘capsules’ were never meant to be opened on a specific date, they gave rise to the modern idea of time capsules as a way to commemorate a period in time."

"The United States’ oldest known time capsule was the work of none other than Samuel Adams and Paul Re"

"The world’s first planned time capsule debuted in 1876 when New York magazine publisher Anna Deihm assembled a “Century Safe” at the U.S. Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia."

"After being sealed in 1879, the purple velvet-lined safe was taken to the U.S. Capitol and eventually left to languish under the East Portico. Though nearly forgotten, it was later rediscovered, restored and unlocked on schedule in July 1976 during the nation’s bicentennial festivities."

"At a ceremony attended by President Gerald Ford , Senator Mike Mansfield said the opening had honored “the wish of a lady who sought to speak to us from the other side of a 100-year gulf.”"

"Another capsule was placed nearby in 1965, and both are now scheduled for opening in the year 6939 A.D.— 5,000 years after the first one was buried."

"Bereits 1862 wurde im Johannisturm in Aschersleben eine Zeitkapsel in Form einer Blechbüchse mit sechs verschiedenen Urkunden gefunden, wovon die älteste auf 1599 datiert wurde und diverse Informationen zur Geschichte der Stadt enthalten waren."

"Ein Schriftstück vom 12. Juli 1652 beschrieb beispielsweise die Leiden durch den Dreißigjährigen Krieg in Aschersleben, in anderen Schriften wird vom Auftreten der Pest berichtet."

"die im Jahr 1940 in einem aufgelassenen Schwimmbad an der Oglethorpe University verschlossen wurde und erst im Jahr 8113 geöffnet werden soll."