Yes! When the wife and I browse through flea markets and antique malls outside of the "rust belt", I find very little of the kind of thing I look for. Michigan, Ohio, Indiana are all goldmines. My younger son is a machinist and lucked into an entire tool box belonging to a guy who had been a machinist for 20 years, and was moving into management. Got the entire box for $900, but it was easily worth at least twice that if broken up and sold as individual pieces. Who knows how much it would have been worth new? I made him a nice case out of some elm for the height gauge he got in that haul.
What's funny is my son is only 27, but he may also be moving off the shop floor. He's being considered for an opening for a mold engineer at the company he works for. He has extensive experience in repairing and maintaining injection molds. I'd hit him up for his tools, but I know he wants to set up his own home shop!
I have a 48" straightedge I got many years ago from Lee Valley/Veritas. I too keep it safe, but in a piece of PVC pipe with threaded caps. I have loaned it a couple of times, but caution the recipient that if they
ever lean it against a wall or workbench (where it can fall to the floor!

) I will kill them and feed them to my dog!!

it's made of aluminum so won't tolerate any abuse!
I very seldom use it, but am always so glad I have it when I do!! I have no idea what I'd use I'd have for an 8' layout rule, but I would treasure it or pass it along to someone who could use it as you may yet do.