I've been working to clear out some lumber that's been occupying floor space for far too long. I've made a number of things and reduced the pile on the floor to a single stack. Most of this stack is curly maple that's wide and 10-ft. long.
The stack on the floor is there because all three levels of my main storage is and has been full. I have a project to make for our utility room and decided to use two of the four pieces of red birch that's been stashed on the top level of my storage for over 20 years. This stuff is 4/4, 9-ft. long and 11-inches wide. When I first started out this wood was plentiful and inexpensive at my local supplier. Then it became hard to come by in any size.
To dig those two pieces out I had to remove a far amount of stock from in front of and on top of the birch. I know I haven't pulled anything from the top level in probably 20 years. Boy was I surprised by several boards I moved in the process.
The real treasures were two 8/4 pieces of lacewood and one piece of 4/4 Honduras Mahogany that measured 8-ft. by 14-inches. I know somewhere in the rear of the stack up top are some wide pieces of purpleheart that haven't seen the light of day in over twenty years.
I need to get to building more stuff so I can clear out some of this inventory. It wasn't as big a problem years ago before I retired. Who knows what other treasures are lurking in all that stuff I have stashed away!!
I understand the feeling! Around Christmas, I decided to clean out my little home office. Opened up my son's old toy chest and started packing up some things to send to him. While doing so, I found my Buck 110 folding knife that I bought in 1972 (around my son's second birthday) and thought I lost. Have no idea how long it had been in the chest, but I recall that I thought it lost not long after buying it.
I've had the same experience on the rare occasions when I dig through my wood stock. I always find long forgotten treasures. But when I restack my trove, they are promptly out of sight and out of mind until the next time.
Every now and then I find a treasure in my woodpile but clearly mine aren't nearly as good as yours. I'd go and re-stack things but I suspect that it wouldn't improve my odds...
I emptied 4 racks of cherry to search for some rift cut for the corner cabinet stiles and doors. I found several pieces of nice walnut mixed in and some barely acceptable cherry. Some remains of basswood inventory got uncovered and promptly sold, as well as some persimmon, locust, sassafras, paulownia and Kentucky coffee wood all of which is headed to a listing on Craigs List.
It doesn't matter how much lumber you got it is never perfect and sometimes not close.
Some of the treasures I know I have stashed away are in that "too good to use" category you describe. There are two main reasons I have those and the rest of the lumber I've been storing. The first is because I always bought more stock than a job required, knowing it would get used along the way. The second is because there were those times when I was at the lumber yard and came across something I wasn't there to get but could leave without. I always figured I'd use it for something special one day.