An old storage container discovered at a Tauranga op shop recently has been cleaned out, with volunteers finding some very rare and unusual books indeed.

Adolf Hitler's ‘My New Order' is among the books found dating from the 1800s-1900s that Greerton's Centrepoint Opportunity Shop volunteers have exposed.

Centrepoint volunteer-come history-and-literary-enthusiast Fay Mayo reckons Hitler's writing skills aren't half bad.

'He's an amazing writer in a way. He was mad as a meat axe and one of the most evil people we've had on the planet, but he actually writes quite well.”

Fay says ‘My New Order' is a very interesting historical read.

'It's written in 1942, halfway through the war, so Hitler's writing from a successful perspective from his ideas.

'He's trying to move forward and go: ‘Where do I go from now...?' but he's still really into eugenics, the master race and all that sort of thing. It's interesting. I've done a lot of research on it and good copies are actually $639.”

Classics

The book was among countless other fascinating reads found in an old storage container at the Centrepoint Opportunity Shop.

'There was a box full of other books there and some of them are the most classic books you can ever think of and classic authors,” says Faye.

'We've got heaps of books by Oscar Wilde, we've got ‘The Admirable Crichton' which is a famous book. It was like looking at the history of English literature.”

The collection of books from the 1800s and 1900s at Greerton's Centrepoint Opportunity Shop. Photo: John Borren.

For fans of the British royal family, the shop has a book dedicated to Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip's wedding gifts.

'There was the 1947 list of their wedding gifts, so it's got everything they were given and the person that gave them the gift…it's a whole book just on that,” says Faye.

'It's not worth a helluva lot but it's real interesting and…I think even now the interest would probably increase because of the Queen's passing.”

Children's collection

Centrepoint has also come into possession of children's books that date back to the late-1800s and the early 20^th Century.

'In one of the books the dedication was to nurses, maid servants and governesses, which is so of that time you know? You wouldn't see a dedication in a children's book like that anymore.”

Among the children's book is the ‘New Zealand Boy's Annual', a ‘Beacon Reader' and more.

Fays says she'd love to see the books go to people who will appreciate them.

'The history point of view is just amazing because it's like looking at some of the most well-known books.”

Head along to the store and find your own read at Centrepoint Opportunity Shop, 185 Chadwick Rd, Greerton.