In 2011, an English woman named Thea Jourdan was strolling through a flea market when a glimmering brooch caught her eye. Intrigued by its vintage charm, she purchased it for a mere $25.
Initially dismissing the brooch as "flashy old tat," Thea decided to gift it to her young daughter, Imogen, who wore it with her Disney Princess dress or adorning her hair with a ribbon. It was during an appointment with a jeweler to insure her wedding ring that Thea's life took an exhilarating turn. The jeweler noticed the brooch and examined it, discovering that it was, in fact, an almost flawless 19 carat pink topaz, which is the most valuable of its kind, and used to be reserved for royalty.
The revelation prompted Thea to seek further appraisal from experts at Bonhams auction house, leading to a breathtaking turn of events. The brooch, thought to be a stunning example of early 19th-century jewelry linked to Russian royalty, was put up for auction. The final sale price left Thea and her family astounded, as the toybox trinket, once worth 25$, soared to an astonishing $55,000.
Although Imogen was sad to lose her brooch, the money was put towards a fund for her future studies, according to Thea.
(The amounts were converted from £ to $, and adjusted for inflation)
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