It's worth how much?!? Part IV

It's worth how much?!? Part IV

1.) Rare coin found in a kid's toy box

Have you heard the story of the incredible discovery of a coin in a kid’s toy box? A rare Queen Anne Vigo five guinea gold coin was found in a toy box. It was given alongside another few coins, to a young child, by his father for him to play with. The man originally received the coins from his grandfather who collected then from his travels around the world. One day the owner realised that the gold coin might be worth something and showed it to an expert. The coin was then sold for £225,000 in Essex auction.

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2.) 2,300 year ancient Greek crown found under the bed of an old man in Somerset

Could you ever imagine having a £100,000 worth treasure under your bed?

A Greek gold crown dating back to 300 BC, was found under the bed of an old man in Somerset. The owner had an auctioneer visit his home to value some items he had inherited from his grandfather. That’s when the auctioneer made the discovery. These crowns were used in Greek religious ceremonies and were also given as prizes in artistic and sport competitions.

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3.) A Caravaggio masterpiece, found in a dusty attic in Toulouse, France

The painting 'Judith Beheading Holofernes' was found by a family as they went to their attic because of a leaking pipe. The painting is thought to have been hidden in the attic for 150 years. It was allegedly acquired by an ancestor of the family when he was a soldier of Napoleon. Another version of the painting is the property of the National Gallery of Ancient Art in Rome. The painting has been valued by art expert Eric Turquin at £100 M. Its authenticity is however being investigated by Caravaggio experts.

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4.) Tribal Necklace worth £125,000 almost sold in a car boot sale for £15

The owner of a house clearance firm, found the tribal necklace in an empty property. He was about to sell it for £15 in a car boot sale, when he changed his mind and went to an auctioneer to have the necklace valued. The necklace from the Cook Islands, was worn by tribeswomen to increase their fertility. At the very beginning the necklace was thought to be worth £100. The expert Chris Ewbank, then started to feel that the value could be worth more, as within the days before the sale a good number of people registered to bid on the necklace. The necklace in the end sold to a buyer from Paris, who remained anonymous.

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5.) Ancient map previously used to clean chimneys found in Aberdeen

An ancient map was found and restored after it was previously used as a rag to clean chimneys in Aberdeen.

The map was about to be placed in the skip. The map is thought to have been created by Gerald Valck. It is believed that there are only two other examples of this map in existence. The map is partly destroyed unfortunately, but the conservation work done by experts saved an important part of it, and this map can now be object of studies.

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6.) Rare banknote found inside a Chinese sculpture

Australian auctioneers discovered a rare banknote from the Ming Dinasty inside a Chinese sculpture. The banknote dates the sculpture back to 13th - 14th century. The banknote and the sculpture will be on auction in December with an estimate of £22,700-34,000.

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7.) Has the Amber Room worth £500 million been found in a Nazi Bunker?

Polish director of Mamerki Museum suspects that the Amber Room might be hidden in a nazi bunker, used during the WW II by Nazis to store looted art. The Amber Room was built during the early 1700s and was donated to Peter the Great. Some new radar technology were recently used to investigate the presence of the Amber Room in the Nazi bunker. Even if discovered in a deteriorated state, the Amber Room would be one of the greatest discoveries of the century.

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8.) A Chinese vase bought for just £10 sold for £61,000 at auction

POriginally bought at a car boot sale for £10 the chinese vase has now sold at auction in Salisbury for £61,000. It is believed that the vase is 200 years old and was made at Beijing Imperial Palace between 1736-1795. The vase bears the Qianlong mark.

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9.) A painting worth £380,000 found by Antique's Roadshow

Art expert, Rupert Maas, is thrilled about the discovery of the painting by Victorian artist Sir Lawrence Alma Tadema. The painting represents Leopold Löwenstam, a friend of Tadema. It was donated to Lowesham and his wife in 1883. One of Tadema’s paintings broke the record and sold for £28 million in New York.

Tadema is well known for his paintings of Ancient Rome and Classical Greece.

This painting was on display at the Royal Academy in 1884, and in Liverpool in 1913.

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10.) £1.7 million sculpture discovered in a Scottish shed

The marble sculpture of Sir John Gordon, is worth £1,7 million, and it will be on a tour exhibition in major museums of the world, including the Louvre. The sculpture dates back to 1720. The owner was unaware of its value and used it as a door stop for a shed in Balintore, Scotland.

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We hope you have enjoyed our new top ten list and dont forget to keep checking back as Part V of this series is already underway!!!!