'Antiques Roadshow' seller gets emotional after expert reveals the value of her 17th-century map

At a time when people are picking up designer clothes and collectibles from thrift stores and garage sales, there are few who randomly pick up seemingly insignificant items at cheap rates, that turn out to be a lot more valuable. Shows such as "Antiques Roadshow" provide a platform for such buyers to make the most of their small investments. One such person was a guest who bought an old 'world map' for less than $20 just because it was "pretty," and in the end, she was "pretty shocked" to learn about its true value.

In the episode, the guest shared that she bought the world map from a thrift store, about 15 years ago. "I got it at a Goodwill store. I think it was under $20," the guest told the show's expert Christopher W. Lane. When he asked her about the purchase, the guest simply said, "I thought it was very pretty." The guest then shared that she was an avid viewer of the Antiques Roadshow and she knew that for her map to be authentic, it needed to have a crease. "And I thought this one did, maybe. In the middle," she said.

The appraiser then took over to explain the origin and significance of the map. Lane told her that at first, he didn't think the map was an original. "The image of the map is by Willem Blaeu. And it is one of the most famous world maps there is. Now, that means there are lots and lots and lots of reproductions of it. I look at the center fold. Unfortunately, I looked at this, and I looked at it. And if you look up here, I couldn't see anything. I just, it looked as flat as a pancake. And I'm thinking, 'All right, I guess it's a reproduction,'" he said.

He added that he was going to let the guest down easy but he decided to take the map out of the frame for a closer look. He then pointed out that the map had a ridge with a plate mark. "It's a good-looking plate mark for being original because it's very close to the image," the expert noted. However, the expert still wasn't convinced as the map looked incredibly flat. It was when he turned the map over that he found out that it was glued to a board which made it look flat. "So what I did was, I took my finger, and I very gently rubbed it along the middle, and you can actually feel a bump," he said. "Looking at that, looking at the plate mark it's an original," he added.

Lane then went on to explain that it was one of the greatest maps ever, produced by Willem Blaeu. The map was dated all the way back to 1630, which was the first year it was published. "It was made in Amsterdam. The color is absolutely appropriate. I mean, it looks right. I'm quite sure it's right," Lane noted. He added that it was hand colored and it was an engraving. "Blaeu was known for his hand-coloring. It's got everything map collectors want," he said. After explaining the prominence of the map, Lane went straight to the appraisal. He told the guest that despite the condition of the map, with the board behind it, the map was still valuable. "It's worth $10,000 in a shop," he said. "Holy cow! Really? I'm shocked," the guest said in response while wiping off her tears.

She then asked the expert if there was any way of taking the map off the board. The expert told her that there was a way that would cost her about $1,500 to $2,000 but once it is free, the map could be worth anywhere between $12,000 to $14,000. Following this, the guest exclaimed, "Wow! I'm shocked."