Original copy of the Declaration of Independence: $2.42 million
Back in 1989, a financial analyst bought an old painting at a flea market for $4. He had no idea there was an old copy of the Declaration of Independence tucked inside the canvas, which turned out to be one of the original 500 copies from the first printing in 1776.
A barn full of classic cars: $18 million
Two motorcar specialists in France stumbled upon a 100-year-old barn full of 60 collector’s cars that had been stored there for at least 50 years. They had once belonged to a transportation mogul in the 1970s who stored them away, where they were forgotten about.
Winston Churchill items: $13,000
A garbage worker of 15 years stumbled upon items that belonged to Prime Minister Churchill in a dump.
Long-lost famous painting: $171 million
Home owners in France found a famous lost painting collecting dust in their attic. ‘Judith Beheading Holofernes’ is a Renaissance piece by artist Caravaggio.
Diamond ring thought to be fake: $800,000
A woman purchased a ring she thought had a fake diamond for $13 back in the ’80s in London. She wore it for 30 years before deciding to get it appraised. It turned out to be a real 26-carat diamond.
Signed Michael Jordan shoes: $20,000
When a maintenance worker in a Milwaukee mall discovered a pair of size 13 sneakers buried in the trash, he knew they didn’t belong there. One shoe had Jordan’s signature with a note that read ‘my very best’ scrawled across it.
Doorstep meteorite: $100,000
A Michigan man discovered that the 22-pound rock he’d been using as his front doorstep for 30 years was a valuable meteorite.
Ceramic plate designed by Picasso: $10,000
A woman in Rhode Island bought a decorative plate in 1970 for less than $100 and hung it on the wall above her stove. In 2014, she had it appraised on ‘Antiques Roadshow’ and discovered it was a 1955 Picasso-designed Madoura plate.
Picasso replica turned out to be a real print: $7,000
While at a thrift store, a man bought what he thought to be a realistic replica of a Picasso piece for $14. It turned out to be a real signed Picasso print, which he sold to a private buyer for $7,000.
75 pound pearl: $100 million
In the Philippines, a fisherman was out on his boat when his anchor caught on an enormous clam with a huge pearl inside. The superstitious man decided to keep the 2.2 foot pearl under his bed for 10 years, not knowing how much it was worth.
Discontinued Szechuan sauce from McDonald’s : $15,000
The fast-food joint released Szechuan sauce back in 1998 to promote Disney’s ‘Mulan’. A handful of McDonald’s fans held onto the stuff, and one jug sold for over $15,000.
NASA auctions important Apollo 11 artifact: $1.8 million
NASA accidentally auctioned off a collection of moon samples collected by Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin. They were sold to a Chicago woman for $995. She then sold the bag of moon dust at a Sotheby’s auction for $1.8 million.
Famous Renoir painting: $100,000
At a flea market, a Virginia woman picked out a framed painting for $6.90. She just wanted the frame and put the painting in her attic. Years later, she was sorting through her attic and decided to have the piece appraised. It turned out to be an original work by Pierre-Auguste Renoir titled ‘Paysage bords de Seine’.
Andy Warhol sketch: $2 million
An English businessman bought five sketches for $5 at a garage sale in Las Vegas. The seller mentioned that the pieces belonged to his aunt, who used to babysit Andy Warhol back in the day. When the buyer went to reframe the picture, he saw Andy Warhol’s signature on the back and discovered it was worth millions.
Painting used to cover hole in the wall: $1.25 million
A man used the painting he bought for ‘next to nothing’ to cover up a hole his wall. He didn’t realize he owned ‘Magnolias on Gold Velvet Cloth’ by 19th-century American painter Martin Johnson Heade until he saw a similar print of the painting while playing an art board game called ‘Masterpiece’.
Ebay photo turns out to be Jesse James portrait: $2 million
While browsing eBay, a man found a 19th-century photo that he thought looked a lot like American outlaw Jesse James. He bought the old picture for $10, then took it to an expert who confirmed it was an actual photo of James at around 14 years old.
Old blanket that’s actually an heirloom: $1.5 million
While watching ‘Antiques Roadshow, a man down on his luck realized he had a blanket similar to a piece on the show. It turns out the blanket he’d been holding onto was a one-of-a-kind Navajo blanket from the 1800s.
Billy the Kid photo found in a box: $5 million
While sifting through a cardboard box at a junk shop in California, a man purchased a vintage 4×5 photo for $2. It turned out to be a real photo of Billy the Kid playing a leisurely game of croquet.
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