Car boot sale necklace beats estimate by 125,000%

A Pacific Islands necklace that its consignor intended to sell at a car boot sale has auctioned for £125,000 ($158,084), reports the Daily Mail.

It was the surprise highlight of a December 1 sale at Ewbank's in Surrey, UK.

The buyer was on his way to the car boot when he decided to take the piece in to be valued. He was informed it was worth about £60-100 ($75-126).


The necklace is thought to originate from the Cook Islands  

However, that estimate turned out to be a little on the low side - 124,900% as a matter of fact. Luckily for the seller, three bidders were well aware of its true worth.

Together they pushed the price skywards.

The necklace is now thought to be a fertility amulet made in the Cook Islands sometime in the 1800s. The charms (which are intended to resemble testicles) are made from the bones of a sperm whale.

Auctioneer Chris Ewbank told the newspaper: "We received it under fortuitous circumstances as the vendor was about to take it to a car boot sale. They thought there was something special about it and thought, 'Why not get it looked at?'

"As with so many things that are passed down generations, the history gets lost along the way so we had no idea of its worth.

"It could have been acquired by a mariner who traveled to the South Pacific and brought it back.

"The vendor wasn't in the room and it was several hours before we could get in touch.

"When we told them they were absolutely over the moon, they had no idea."

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