'Antiques Roadshow' guest gets huge appraisal for a wooden toy he bought for $6 at charity store

The weirdest or the most insignificant things have the potential to fetch a big price on "Antiques Roadshow," even though the people who walk in with them might not expect that. One such guest was gobsmacked after finding out that his tiny charity store find was a 3,000-year-old artifact. Watch the video of the appraisal here.

The owner of a "baby rattle" brought the item to the BBC show's expert, who was astounded to see the condition of the item. Not only did he shed light on the incredible story of the item that the owner bought for £5 (~$6.8), but he also appraised its value to over a hundred times to £500 (~$680). The guest and his partner were left in shock after they heard the incredible story and value of the item.

In the episode from the Black Country Museum in the West Midlands, U.K., the guest brought a small toy shaped in the form of a pig, without knowing much about it. The show's appraiser took the small toy into his hands, and after taking a closer look, he was sure of the item's great provenance. "So, this is a rattle, with little pebbles inside," he told the guest, shaking the toy. He then explained that it was probably buried with a child who died 3,000 years ago, given the markings and the make of the wooden toy. “That’s a long time ago,” the owner said in response.

The expert added that it was probably dug out of the earth during the Victorian period by some adventurers who were looking for artifacts. “Dug up by a Victorian adventurer and here it is. I guess it would have been 150 years ago when it was found. That’s when people were going in and digging things up like this," the appraiser explained. He then remarked how unreal the events would have been that led to the toy ending up in a charity shop. "And how much did you pay for it?" the appraiser asked the guest. The owner said that he probably paid a fiver (£5 or $6.8) for the item. The expert then shared that given the toy's condition, it would now be worth about £500 (~$680). “I mean 3,000 years old, I suppose it’s probably worth £500," he said.

The expert was visibly fascinated to learn that such an old item was discovered in a charity shop at the end of the day. “It’s got to be the oldest toy I think we’ve ever had on the Roadshow," the expert remarked. “Jeez, right,” the owner said in response with an unsure chuckle as his partner turned to the audience with a surprised look on her face.

Thus, the appraisal marked yet another astounding discovery made on the BBC Antiques Roadshow, demonstrating how artifacts can be found even in the most unusual places and settings across the globe.