Nooks and Crannies
British Antique Dealer Finds a 650-Year-Old Gold Coin Stashed in a Worthless Dresser
We have written in the past about the importance of thoroughly inspecting old pieces of furniture before you sell them or toss them away.
A recent news story from England serves as an important reminder of how valid that advice is.
You can read the story in a recent edition of The Daily Mail. It seems that when a woman named Anne Clapp in Derbyshire inherited an old dresser from a relative, she correctly assumed that it was not worth much. And she was right. When she sent the dresser to an antique dealer named Edward Rycroft, he told her that the dresser was only worth about $80.00. But because Rycroft was conscientious about doing his job of getting top dollar for Ms. Clapp, he decided to investigate further.
Rycroft knew from experience that old dressers sometimes contain small “coin drawers,” which are small semi-hidden cubbies that were designed for holding coins and other valuables. He found one such drawer in Ms. Clapp’s dresser, opened it, and discovered an extremely rare gold coin that dated back to 1365. The coin is worth about $1,400, far more than the dresser itself. Fortunately Mr. Rycroft, who works for Hansons Auctioneers, is as honest as he his intelligent. He gave the coin back to Ms. Clapp, who is absolutely delighted to be the owner of something so valuable and rare.
Look Before You Toss
Because old items of furniture can sometimes contain similar coins and other valuables, be sure to investigate carefully. Treasures can be hidden in small storage drawers, behind false bottoms and false backs in drawers. Sometimes valuable items have been taped in hard-to-spot places, or even stowed away in legs that have been hollowed out to create hiding places.
If you find something interesting, be sure to call Specialty Metals Smelters and Refiners. Remember that if the coin or other item you find has been hidden for years, it might be so dirty or tarnished that it appears worthless.
Let us be the judge of that. We will test your item promptly and professionally and tell you exactly what it is worth. Call us at 800-426-2344 to learn more.
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