0:00:03 > 0:00:05Welcome to Flog It! Trade Secrets.
0:00:05 > 0:00:09In this series, we share with you information honed over 11 years
0:00:09 > 0:00:12of valuing your antiques and collectables.
0:00:12 > 0:00:15- I reckon three to 500.- Brilliant. - I reckon it'll do really well.
0:00:17 > 0:00:19With nearly 1,000 shows under our belt,
0:00:19 > 0:00:22that's a great deal of knowledge to share.
0:00:50 > 0:00:54I'm always saying that collecting antiques is the ultimate recycling.
0:00:54 > 0:00:57They are, by definition, second-hand, third-hand and fourth-hand
0:00:57 > 0:00:59and many are past their best.
0:00:59 > 0:01:01Then they end up getting thrown away.
0:01:01 > 0:01:05So today's show is all about those items and the lucky people who have found them
0:01:05 > 0:01:11and brought them to one of our valuation days to discover their true worth.
0:01:12 > 0:01:15On today's show, we've got some amazing stories
0:01:15 > 0:01:19of the crazy money to be made out of the things you've found.
0:01:19 > 0:01:21Yes!
0:01:21 > 0:01:24Bond Street, here you go!
0:01:24 > 0:01:26Our experts tell us when to let go
0:01:26 > 0:01:28and when to hang on to things we find.
0:01:28 > 0:01:31Throwing away a George III chair on a tip?!
0:01:31 > 0:01:33What are people like?
0:01:33 > 0:01:36And Anita shows us feminine charm can go a long way.
0:01:36 > 0:01:41Occasionally, I have a wee flirt with the guys!
0:01:41 > 0:01:45So keep watching to learn whether you have a valuable find.
0:01:47 > 0:01:52So what are our experts' tips on buying things that other people may have overlooked?
0:01:52 > 0:01:56Occasionally, you just have a feeling.
0:01:56 > 0:01:57You open a box
0:01:57 > 0:02:00or sometimes you go into a room,
0:02:00 > 0:02:03and you just have a feeling that there's something somewhere.
0:02:03 > 0:02:04You may see something about it,
0:02:04 > 0:02:07the quality, the style, the shape.
0:02:07 > 0:02:09I think if you get that tingle
0:02:09 > 0:02:12and you pick an object up,
0:02:12 > 0:02:16and the hairs on the back of your neck go up.
0:02:16 > 0:02:18And you get excited.
0:02:18 > 0:02:21I think that's when you know you've got something good.
0:02:24 > 0:02:26You come along to our valuation days
0:02:26 > 0:02:29with items that have made their way into your possession
0:02:29 > 0:02:30by all manner of means.
0:02:30 > 0:02:34You may have picked things up in an auction room, antiques shop, charity shop.
0:02:34 > 0:02:37You've been given things or you've inherited things.
0:02:37 > 0:02:39But it never ceases to amaze me
0:02:39 > 0:02:42how many of you bring in things that you've found!
0:02:42 > 0:02:47Here are some of the surprise pieces our experts have come across over the years,
0:02:47 > 0:02:50including an item found in the most unlikely of places,
0:02:50 > 0:02:53to Adam Partridge's astonishment.
0:02:54 > 0:02:58"One man's rubbish is another man's treasure", still very much the case.
0:02:58 > 0:03:03People are more informed nowadays because of programmes like Flog It,
0:03:03 > 0:03:08but it's still possible to find things that have been discarded by some
0:03:08 > 0:03:12and are hugely sought-after by others.
0:03:12 > 0:03:17This is a wonderful oil painting you've brought in today, Ian.
0:03:17 > 0:03:20Really very nice. Can you tell me where you found it?
0:03:20 > 0:03:22I found it out dog-walking,
0:03:22 > 0:03:26in the midst of a dump in an old wooden chest.
0:03:26 > 0:03:29He found a trunk in a rubbish dump in Cornwall, I seem to remember.
0:03:29 > 0:03:33I remember it being Cornwall, because Paul got excited, being a Cornishman.
0:03:33 > 0:03:35And the chest, what's happened to that?
0:03:35 > 0:03:37I renovated it and sold it.
0:03:37 > 0:03:40- What did you get for it?- About 90 quid, I think it was.- Not bad.
0:03:40 > 0:03:43Who would discard a trunk full of stuff at a rubbish dump?
0:03:43 > 0:03:46I just don't understand that.
0:03:46 > 0:03:49- This is as you found it? No frame or anything?- Exactly. No frame.
0:03:49 > 0:03:52- It's not been cleaned or anything. - That's a good thing.
0:03:52 > 0:03:56- We don't like things being overly cleaned.- I see.- It can ruin them.
0:03:56 > 0:03:58Really.
0:03:58 > 0:04:02The potential buyer of this would prefer the fact it's in relatively original condition
0:04:02 > 0:04:05than the fact someone's had a go at stripping it off and cleaning it.
0:04:05 > 0:04:07It's lovely. There's plenty going on here.
0:04:07 > 0:04:10A good use of light. A boat here
0:04:10 > 0:04:11and some figures on the beach.
0:04:11 > 0:04:14- What looks like a shipwreck there, isn't there.- Yeah.
0:04:14 > 0:04:17Perhaps some fishermen here. There's plenty going on.
0:04:17 > 0:04:19- It's very nicely executed.- Good.
0:04:19 > 0:04:23It looks to me like a Hulk, H-U-L-K.
0:04:23 > 0:04:27- He's quite a well-known artist of this type of thing.- Right.
0:04:27 > 0:04:29Abraham Hulk. A Dutch artist.
0:04:29 > 0:04:32There was a Hulk Senior and a Hulk Junior.
0:04:32 > 0:04:35I think this is the Senior one
0:04:35 > 0:04:39because this looks like a mid-19th-century oil on panel,
0:04:39 > 0:04:41on a board.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44- 1813 to 1897 was the dates of Abraham Hulk.- Really.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47- They can sell quite well.- Really?
0:04:47 > 0:04:50- I would suggest an estimate of three to 500.- Really?
0:04:50 > 0:04:52Which is a conservative guide.
0:04:52 > 0:04:55If it is by Hulk, it should make 500-plus.
0:04:55 > 0:04:58- Maybe five to 800.- Not bad for something off the dump, then?
0:04:58 > 0:05:02I take my dogs out quite often, but I've never found anything!
0:05:02 > 0:05:05So, did the buyers believe this was an "incredible Hulk"?
0:05:06 > 0:05:09Lot 180. A 19th-century oil on panel
0:05:09 > 0:05:11depicting a sailing vessel.
0:05:11 > 0:05:14Start me at 500. 550. 600.
0:05:14 > 0:05:17650. 700.
0:05:17 > 0:05:18750.
0:05:20 > 0:05:23- 800. 850.- This is brilliant.
0:05:23 > 0:05:26900? 850. Selling at 850, now.
0:05:28 > 0:05:29Yes!
0:05:29 > 0:05:32- How about that? Are you happy? - Very much so!
0:05:33 > 0:05:35It was a good price at 850.
0:05:35 > 0:05:39Part of the reason it sold so well, I'm convinced,
0:05:39 > 0:05:42is because it was completely unseen before.
0:05:42 > 0:05:45It was without a frame, it needed a clean.
0:05:45 > 0:05:50All these things. Don't get your stuff cleaned and tarted up for sale.
0:05:50 > 0:05:53Leave them in their original condition.
0:05:53 > 0:05:58So the buyers say, "It's never been in a gallery, or at an antique fair.
0:05:58 > 0:06:02"It's never been seen by anyone and it's fresh goods to the market."
0:06:02 > 0:06:04Great advice, Adam.
0:06:04 > 0:06:06If you come across an unwanted painting that's signed,
0:06:06 > 0:06:09you've got a great clue that's worth exploring.
0:06:09 > 0:06:15Do some research, and you might find you've found something for nothing.
0:06:15 > 0:06:17Now, would you walk down the street
0:06:17 > 0:06:20and expect to find more than a lost coin?
0:06:20 > 0:06:25Well, as Mark Stacey discovered a few years ago, some people ARE that lucky.
0:06:25 > 0:06:28My father was walking down Bond Street in London
0:06:28 > 0:06:30about 30 years ago,
0:06:30 > 0:06:33and found it on the floor, on the pavement.
0:06:33 > 0:06:37He took it to the police station, and after a period of time,
0:06:37 > 0:06:40they let him have it.
0:06:40 > 0:06:41- So nobody came forward to claim it? - No.
0:06:41 > 0:06:45- And therefore it rightly went back to him as the person who found it. - Correct.
0:06:45 > 0:06:49- Have you ever done any research on it?- None at all.- Done anything with it?
0:06:49 > 0:06:52No, just put it in the safe and it's just stayed there.
0:06:52 > 0:06:54It's quite a nice little item.
0:06:54 > 0:06:56It's a regimental brooch.
0:06:56 > 0:07:01We haven't, with our limited time here, been able to find out which regiment it is at the moment.
0:07:01 > 0:07:03But it has got a Latin inscription on it.
0:07:03 > 0:07:05It's obviously got the harp for Ireland.
0:07:05 > 0:07:08And what looks like the English crown above.
0:07:08 > 0:07:12So maybe we've got a link there with a Northern Irish regiment,
0:07:12 > 0:07:14rather than a southern Irish regiment.
0:07:14 > 0:07:17The military have played a great part in British history
0:07:17 > 0:07:21and I suspect that's where the collective habit formed.
0:07:21 > 0:07:24There's such a wide variety. You can collect medals,
0:07:24 > 0:07:28uniforms, ceremonial flag tips,
0:07:28 > 0:07:33whatever you want to collect, there's something there in the militaria field.
0:07:33 > 0:07:34If we have a look at the piece,
0:07:34 > 0:07:37we can see it's enamelled there with the blue enamel.
0:07:37 > 0:07:41It's 15-carat gold and platinum where the diamonds are set in.
0:07:41 > 0:07:45Platinum or white gold is often used with diamonds
0:07:45 > 0:07:47to show the light better.
0:07:47 > 0:07:52It reflects better off a silver surface than it does from a yellow gold surface.
0:07:52 > 0:07:58Often these types of brooches were made for wives of senior ranking officers.
0:07:58 > 0:08:00All regiments have their crests and their mottos.
0:08:00 > 0:08:05A good thing to do if you've just suddenly been made a major general
0:08:05 > 0:08:08is to buy your wife a nice piece of jewellery with the crest
0:08:08 > 0:08:13so that she can wear something blingy too.
0:08:13 > 0:08:15Have you ever thought about the value before?
0:08:15 > 0:08:16Never given it a thought at all.
0:08:16 > 0:08:19We've had a little conflab, some of the other experts and myself today,
0:08:19 > 0:08:23and we think it should go to auction with an estimate of £200 to £300.
0:08:23 > 0:08:26With a 200 reserve.
0:08:26 > 0:08:29I think it is worth reserving it at £200.
0:08:29 > 0:08:32Obviously if we find it's an interesting regiment,
0:08:32 > 0:08:35then that might encourage further bidding.
0:08:35 > 0:08:38But at least it'll add to the interest of it.
0:08:39 > 0:08:43Were the bidders also taken by the sparkling pin dropped in the street?
0:08:43 > 0:08:45Now, ladies and gentlemen, lot three.
0:08:45 > 0:08:47The Irish Guards brooch.
0:08:47 > 0:08:50There are four commissioning bids on the book.
0:08:50 > 0:08:53I'll save an awful lot of trouble - I'm bid £800...
0:08:54 > 0:08:56At 825, now.
0:08:56 > 0:08:58- At 825.- I'm shaking!
0:08:58 > 0:09:01At 825. At £825.
0:09:01 > 0:09:03At 825.
0:09:03 > 0:09:06Hammer's gone down at £825.
0:09:06 > 0:09:09I know I put a cheeky estimate on it,
0:09:09 > 0:09:11and I thought it might make £400 or 500,
0:09:11 > 0:09:15but 850, I think, really blew us all away.
0:09:15 > 0:09:19Yes, it did, for something that might have had no more than a passing glance in the street.
0:09:19 > 0:09:23So what do you do if something seems to drop into your lap?
0:09:23 > 0:09:26The law says you need to take reasonable steps
0:09:26 > 0:09:29to find the owner if something is lost.
0:09:29 > 0:09:30But this varies from case to case.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33So check with the police, as David did,
0:09:33 > 0:09:35that no-one had lost an item.
0:09:35 > 0:09:38If the rightful owner hasn't claimed it within 28 days,
0:09:38 > 0:09:42it's yours, and you might have your hands on something valuable.
0:09:43 > 0:09:47You've brought us unusual items from all around the country
0:09:47 > 0:09:50and some that caught our expert Anita Manning's eye
0:09:50 > 0:09:52were really a little bit different.
0:09:52 > 0:09:58In Alnwick, I had two marvellous guys, a wonderful double act, Eric and Jimmy.
0:09:58 > 0:10:02- I'm Eric from Berwick.- And I'm Jimmy, also from Berwick.
0:10:02 > 0:10:04It's a pleasure to meet you, Anita.
0:10:04 > 0:10:07It's a pleasure to meet you, too. You guys are Borderers.
0:10:07 > 0:10:11I believe the men from the Borders are wild men!
0:10:11 > 0:10:14- Do you think so? Get away! - He's a wild man!
0:10:14 > 0:10:16Where did you get them?
0:10:16 > 0:10:19In amongst the rubbish in a house we were working in.
0:10:19 > 0:10:21Were these being thrown out?
0:10:21 > 0:10:22Yes.
0:10:22 > 0:10:24It's amazing what people discard.
0:10:24 > 0:10:26These were in beautiful condition,
0:10:26 > 0:10:31so it wasn't as if they, you know, they were like rubbish.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34They're what are called Stevengraphs,
0:10:34 > 0:10:36and they're little woven pictures.
0:10:36 > 0:10:40They're not hand done, they're made by a machine.
0:10:40 > 0:10:44And they were made by Thomas Stevens.
0:10:44 > 0:10:48He was an inventor who invented this process
0:10:48 > 0:10:50of woven pictures.
0:10:50 > 0:10:56He lived in Coventry, and this was a centre of this type of thing.
0:10:56 > 0:11:00These things were made late 19th, early 20th century.
0:11:00 > 0:11:04People were putting visual images on their wall in Victorian times.
0:11:04 > 0:11:07This was something that was a wee bit different.
0:11:07 > 0:11:11So they were very... It was trendy to have a Stevengraph on your wall.
0:11:11 > 0:11:13Eric from Berwick,
0:11:13 > 0:11:14do you have a favourite?
0:11:14 > 0:11:18Well, I quite like the one with the rescue.
0:11:18 > 0:11:21The lifeboat. That's a lovely one.
0:11:21 > 0:11:25- Jimmy, what about you? Is Lady Godiva your favourite?- Yes, indeed!
0:11:25 > 0:11:27Lady Godiva.
0:11:27 > 0:11:30- You look like a bit of a ladies' man!- Thank you so much!
0:11:30 > 0:11:34I just love the people that bring their stuff in to Flog It.
0:11:34 > 0:11:36And occasionally,
0:11:36 > 0:11:39I have a wee flirt with the guys!
0:11:39 > 0:11:41I hope that's allowed!
0:11:41 > 0:11:43If we put a conservative estimate
0:11:43 > 0:11:45of ten to 15,
0:11:45 > 0:11:50so that will be... Say we put 120 to £180.
0:11:50 > 0:11:52Yep.
0:11:52 > 0:11:53What do you think, Jimmy?
0:11:53 > 0:11:56Well, I just suggested before we sat here
0:11:56 > 0:11:58that we should be looking for £10-plus.
0:11:58 > 0:12:02- Yep. He's not bad.- No, he's... - Are you looking for a job!
0:12:05 > 0:12:09'We'll have to see if we have room on our experts panel!
0:12:09 > 0:12:11'So, did Anita, assisted by Jimmy,
0:12:11 > 0:12:16'get their valuation of these unique Victorian curiosities right?'
0:12:16 > 0:12:18Good luck, guys!
0:12:18 > 0:12:21The pure silk woven by Thomas Stevens.
0:12:21 > 0:12:24A variety of them. There's sporting ones.
0:12:24 > 0:12:27I've got two commission bids.
0:12:27 > 0:12:29And 400 starts me.
0:12:29 > 0:12:31- At 400.- That's good.- 450.
0:12:31 > 0:12:34500. 550.
0:12:34 > 0:12:36600. 650.
0:12:36 > 0:12:40I loved the expression on Eric's face
0:12:40 > 0:12:42when the price went up
0:12:42 > 0:12:46and up and up!
0:12:46 > 0:12:47And I could see his pal
0:12:47 > 0:12:52trying to divide the sum in two!
0:12:52 > 0:12:55I think they were going to divide it.
0:12:55 > 0:12:571,150. 1,200.
0:12:57 > 0:12:581,250.
0:12:58 > 0:13:02In the room at 1,250. 1,300 now.
0:13:02 > 0:13:05At 1,250. 1,300, anybody?
0:13:05 > 0:13:071,250.
0:13:09 > 0:13:11- I didn't suspect that. - Absolutely delighted.
0:13:11 > 0:13:13Those rare ones made the difference.
0:13:13 > 0:13:15- Quality...- The rare ones made the difference.
0:13:15 > 0:13:17Quality always sells. That's the main thing.
0:13:17 > 0:13:19That had it in abundance.
0:13:19 > 0:13:23Not bad for something discovered in a rubbish pile!
0:13:23 > 0:13:25It shows how fashion has come full circle
0:13:25 > 0:13:28since Victorian times.
0:13:28 > 0:13:31After a certain amount of time, they would go out of fashion.
0:13:31 > 0:13:37They would be taken off the wall, and perhaps, not thrown out, as these were,
0:13:37 > 0:13:40but stuck up in the attic and forgotten about, really.
0:13:40 > 0:13:45So there will be... There will be these items about.
0:13:45 > 0:13:48And they might be up in your attic!
0:13:48 > 0:13:51So here's what we've learned so far.
0:13:51 > 0:13:55Don't throw away anything until you know it's worthless.
0:13:55 > 0:13:59Look for tell-tale signs, like hallmarks or signatures
0:13:59 > 0:14:02which show you something could need more research
0:14:02 > 0:14:04and you ought to hang on to it.
0:14:04 > 0:14:07Fashions change, so what went out of fashion a few years ago,
0:14:07 > 0:14:11could be smack bang on trend today.
0:14:11 > 0:14:14Look for craftsmanship that stands the test of time.
0:14:14 > 0:14:18Chances are, your instinct for quality could be spot-on!
0:14:20 > 0:14:23And, like Eric from Berwick, keep your eyes peeled.
0:14:23 > 0:14:27You never know what you'll find in the most unusual of places!
0:14:35 > 0:14:39It's not just you who can stumble across amazingly interesting items.
0:14:39 > 0:14:42Our experts have also found things
0:14:42 > 0:14:44that have got their hearts racing!
0:14:46 > 0:14:49We came across a penny farthing.
0:14:49 > 0:14:51Bicycle.
0:14:51 > 0:14:55In an outhouse at my grandfather's house after he died.
0:14:55 > 0:14:56It was made by a blacksmith.
0:14:56 > 0:14:59I remember in 1971, I think it made £750.
0:15:01 > 0:15:03I've done a bit of homework on that,
0:15:03 > 0:15:05and I think £750 in 1971,
0:15:05 > 0:15:08would be worth about 19 or £20,000 today.
0:15:08 > 0:15:11So that was quite exciting, really.
0:15:11 > 0:15:14And we didn't know it was there.
0:15:14 > 0:15:20I found the most wonderful quirky metal base on a beach once,
0:15:20 > 0:15:22which I dragged up to our holiday cottage.
0:15:22 > 0:15:25It's now sitting on our patio as a patio table!
0:15:25 > 0:15:30I did go to my tidy tip after Christmas, a couple of years ago,
0:15:30 > 0:15:33and whilst I was chucking out my old Christmas tree
0:15:33 > 0:15:37and decorations that I didn't want any more,
0:15:37 > 0:15:38what did I find?
0:15:38 > 0:15:42A George III mahogany dining chair.
0:15:42 > 0:15:45It's not worth more than 30 or £40,
0:15:45 > 0:15:48but throwing away a George III chair on a tip?!
0:15:48 > 0:15:50What are people like?
0:15:55 > 0:15:59On Flog It, you love to bring us items you've found in strange places.
0:15:59 > 0:16:02But what about discoveries you've dug out of the ground?
0:16:02 > 0:16:04Could they be treasure?
0:16:04 > 0:16:08There is a whole legal definition of what constitutes treasure.
0:16:08 > 0:16:12So we'll show you how you can tell if you have a real treasure trove.
0:16:12 > 0:16:16Take this very old coin Ernie brought in to show Michael Baggott.
0:16:16 > 0:16:23This is a fantastic condition gold coin. Where on earth did you get this from?
0:16:23 > 0:16:26Me and two mates were working in Chesterfield,
0:16:26 > 0:16:28putting a new water main in.
0:16:28 > 0:16:32We took some muck out of the ground and it dropped in the trench we were in.
0:16:32 > 0:16:34- Good grief.- I thought it was a bottle top
0:16:34 > 0:16:36until I rubbed it and saw the head on it.
0:16:36 > 0:16:38What a fantastic find.
0:16:38 > 0:16:41As a single coin, it isn't treasure trove,
0:16:41 > 0:16:44but you did take it to the museum?
0:16:44 > 0:16:47- Chesterfield Museum.- What did they tell you about it?
0:16:47 > 0:16:511603 to 1619 and it's 22-carat gold.
0:16:51 > 0:16:53It's 400 years old.
0:16:53 > 0:16:56We've got the head there of King James I.
0:16:56 > 0:16:59He was the son of Mary, Queen of Scots.
0:16:59 > 0:17:04He reigned from 1603 to 1625.
0:17:04 > 0:17:07The denomination of this is actually a laurel.
0:17:07 > 0:17:10It's a wonderful name for a coin.
0:17:10 > 0:17:12We're used to guineas and sovereigns,
0:17:12 > 0:17:15but go back a bit and you get angels, half angels
0:17:15 > 0:17:16and laurels.
0:17:16 > 0:17:20We've got the denomination struck here, which is XX.
0:17:20 > 0:17:23That's the number of shillings that it represents.
0:17:23 > 0:17:25So it's a 20-shilling piece.
0:17:25 > 0:17:27We've got the figure of James in profile,
0:17:27 > 0:17:30looking terribly imperial and powerful
0:17:30 > 0:17:33with that Roman style wreath through his head.
0:17:33 > 0:17:35If we read the inscription,
0:17:35 > 0:17:38we've got "Jacobus" - James -
0:17:38 > 0:17:40"DG" - by the grace of God.
0:17:40 > 0:17:44"Majesty of Britain, France and Ireland."
0:17:44 > 0:17:47And if we flip it over, we've got the royal coat of arms
0:17:47 > 0:17:50surmounted by a crown.
0:17:50 > 0:17:53It's in absolutely wonderful condition.
0:17:53 > 0:17:57This represented an awful lot of money at the time to someone who lost it.
0:17:57 > 0:17:59If you lost a coin like this,
0:17:59 > 0:18:03you spent some time looking for it, if you'd known you'd lost it.
0:18:03 > 0:18:07I think this was lost probably within a few years of it being struck.
0:18:07 > 0:18:11It's just lain there undiscovered until, 400 years later,
0:18:11 > 0:18:15down comes the bucket of the digger,
0:18:15 > 0:18:17up and we see it.
0:18:17 > 0:18:19It's a fantastic thing.
0:18:19 > 0:18:22Value. Now, most of these coins
0:18:22 > 0:18:25are about £400 to £600.
0:18:25 > 0:18:28When you get something that's in lovely condition,
0:18:28 > 0:18:31that's the one everybody wants to buy.
0:18:31 > 0:18:33So I think we would be safe
0:18:33 > 0:18:36in putting £800 to £1,200 on it.
0:18:36 > 0:18:39- Yeah.- And a fixed reserve of £800.
0:18:39 > 0:18:42It's just as well that you found it now.
0:18:42 > 0:18:44In the 18th century, if they found anything like this,
0:18:44 > 0:18:46and it was between a group of workmen,
0:18:46 > 0:18:50they would cut it up to however many people there were!
0:18:50 > 0:18:52- Wouldn't be worth anything cut up. - No. Not any more.
0:18:54 > 0:18:56So, did the coin fetch top dollar?
0:18:57 > 0:18:59At 700. And 50.
0:18:59 > 0:19:02At 750. At £800.
0:19:02 > 0:19:04£800 bid.
0:19:04 > 0:19:07At £800. And behind you at 850.
0:19:07 > 0:19:09That's good.
0:19:09 > 0:19:11£900.
0:19:11 > 0:19:13950, the gentleman behind you.
0:19:13 > 0:19:16- 950.- Ernie's "Come on!"
0:19:17 > 0:19:191,050.
0:19:19 > 0:19:211,100.
0:19:21 > 0:19:22And 50.
0:19:22 > 0:19:26No. Shake of the head. It's 1,150 for the gentleman behind you.
0:19:26 > 0:19:29At 1,150. Any further bidders?
0:19:29 > 0:19:30Condition, condition.
0:19:30 > 0:19:321,150, then.
0:19:32 > 0:19:34Good price. £1,150.
0:19:34 > 0:19:37- Spot on, Michael.- When are you next putting a water main down?
0:19:37 > 0:19:40Yeah, we'd like to come along. We'll be your spotters!
0:19:43 > 0:19:45I wish I'd found that coin.
0:19:45 > 0:19:47Yet this wasn't officially treasure.
0:19:47 > 0:19:50So what does make a bona fide treasure trove?
0:19:54 > 0:19:58In 2009, Terry Herbert was scouring the fields near Lichfield
0:19:58 > 0:20:00with his metal detector
0:20:00 > 0:20:02when he literally struck gold.
0:20:03 > 0:20:06One expert who came on the scene couldn't believe his eyes.
0:20:06 > 0:20:11We'd seen the odd piece like this in some of the books,
0:20:11 > 0:20:16but to have row upon row of these things was incredible.
0:20:16 > 0:20:21The final tally was over 3,500 gold and silver items
0:20:21 > 0:20:26dating to the time of the kingdom of Mercia in the seventh or eighth centuries.
0:20:27 > 0:20:30Mainly the paraphernalia of warfare,
0:20:30 > 0:20:32it became known as The Staffordshire Hoard.
0:20:35 > 0:20:36It's an amazing collection
0:20:36 > 0:20:39you can now see at the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery.
0:20:43 > 0:20:45So Terry was a happy man.
0:20:45 > 0:20:47But would he be a rich one, too?
0:20:47 > 0:20:49And was it real treasure?
0:20:49 > 0:20:55That all came down to the law on treasure established in the Treasure Act of 1996.
0:20:55 > 0:20:59So here are some of the things to keep in mind
0:20:59 > 0:21:03in an area where finders doesn't necessarily mean keepers.
0:21:06 > 0:21:08First, always get permission from the landowner
0:21:08 > 0:21:10before you start searching on any land
0:21:10 > 0:21:12because, along with you,
0:21:12 > 0:21:15they could have the rights over any treasure found.
0:21:17 > 0:21:20What defines treasure is quite complicated.
0:21:20 > 0:21:24But simply put, treasure means an object or group of objects
0:21:24 > 0:21:26more than 300 years old
0:21:26 > 0:21:29with more than 10% gold or silver in it.
0:21:29 > 0:21:34The law says that if you find treasure and are in possession of it,
0:21:34 > 0:21:38you must report it to the coroner in the area where the finds were made.
0:21:38 > 0:21:42He or she will then decide if it constitutes treasure.
0:21:42 > 0:21:45If it is the real thing, it's offered to museums
0:21:45 > 0:21:49and you and the landowner get the reward, the value of the treasure.
0:21:49 > 0:21:52So what was the Staffordshire Hoard?
0:21:52 > 0:21:55Of course, it was deemed to be treasure.
0:21:55 > 0:21:58But if one coin was worth over £1,000
0:21:58 > 0:22:02what did Terry Herbert make from his astonishing hoard?
0:22:02 > 0:22:07- How much did you get altogether? - £1,642,500.
0:22:08 > 0:22:11So if you go treasure hunting and find gold or silver,
0:22:11 > 0:22:13err on the side of caution.
0:22:13 > 0:22:17Report it and you may just hit the jackpot!
0:22:25 > 0:22:29At most auctions, there's often one sale which takes everybody's breath away.
0:22:29 > 0:22:35Like you, I want to find out more about how one object can change life for its owner.
0:22:37 > 0:22:38Meet Katherine Hurcombe,
0:22:38 > 0:22:41a woman who knows all about buried treasure.
0:22:41 > 0:22:45Nice to see you coming along with this great big plate in several pieces!
0:22:45 > 0:22:47- I know.- You're spoiling us here!
0:22:47 > 0:22:48I am!
0:22:48 > 0:22:52It turned out to be a 19th-century Italian charger.
0:22:52 > 0:22:54I didn't know that before I went there.
0:22:54 > 0:22:55But Adam informed me of that.
0:22:55 > 0:22:58A type of Majolica, tin-glazed earthenware
0:22:58 > 0:23:00or Delftware to some.
0:23:00 > 0:23:03We've got a signature. M. Rodriguez.
0:23:03 > 0:23:08And we've got this baroque style of an earlier period.
0:23:08 > 0:23:11It would have been amazing, I should think, when it was new.
0:23:11 > 0:23:17But it was broken into eight pieces and all stuck up with animal glue.
0:23:17 > 0:23:20- Where did you get it from? - It was given to my husband.
0:23:20 > 0:23:23There was a pub opposite us that was being demolished.
0:23:23 > 0:23:25- Where's that?- This was in Gloucester.- Yep.
0:23:25 > 0:23:27This was actually going to go in the skip.
0:23:27 > 0:23:30So my husband said, "I'll take that."
0:23:30 > 0:23:34He just liked the look of it. So it's been on top of our wardrobe ever since.
0:23:34 > 0:23:36- It is in a bit of a state! - I know. Yes.
0:23:36 > 0:23:38Was it like that when your husband got it?
0:23:38 > 0:23:42- It was.- Which is why I guess he was heading for the skip with it.
0:23:42 > 0:23:45- I think so.- So your husband decided to keep it?
0:23:45 > 0:23:48- He did.- What attracted him to it?
0:23:48 > 0:23:50I don't know. He just thought it was old, that's why.
0:23:50 > 0:23:55- Would anyone be able to do anything with it?- Yes.- They would? OK.
0:23:55 > 0:23:58There are a few restorers, wonderful restorers,
0:23:58 > 0:24:00who could turn that into something and you'd never know.
0:24:00 > 0:24:02That could be made good again.
0:24:02 > 0:24:04- Right. Down to the value.- Right.
0:24:04 > 0:24:08It's a tricky thing to value. Most people would say if it's damaged, it's worth nothing.
0:24:08 > 0:24:10I would say.
0:24:12 > 0:24:15- Estimate wise, I would put 100 to 200 on it.- Oh, that's surprising.
0:24:15 > 0:24:19- Well, it's a wide guide, isn't it? - Yeah, it is really.
0:24:19 > 0:24:20Do you want to put a reserve on it?
0:24:20 > 0:24:23- Would you rather have it back if it didn't make...- I don't want it back.
0:24:23 > 0:24:27I was going to say let's have a gamble here and put it in, no reserve.
0:24:27 > 0:24:30- That's right.- What would you put that money towards?
0:24:30 > 0:24:33I'm a metal detectorist and I really need a new probe,
0:24:33 > 0:24:35which is like a mini detector
0:24:35 > 0:24:38which you can get in the hole with if you can't find the article.
0:24:38 > 0:24:40They're about £80.
0:24:40 > 0:24:45- Well, this might just get you your new probe.- It might do.
0:24:46 > 0:24:50So, did the charger fetch her the sum she was looking for
0:24:50 > 0:24:52to put towards a new metal detector?
0:24:55 > 0:24:57This north Italian charger.
0:24:57 > 0:24:5919th century.
0:25:00 > 0:25:02There we go. Bid me for that lot.
0:25:02 > 0:25:04Start me off. £100 to start me.
0:25:05 > 0:25:06Bid me 100.
0:25:06 > 0:25:08Bid me 50.
0:25:08 > 0:25:10My instructions are to sell.
0:25:10 > 0:25:12I've got £50 bid. At 50.
0:25:12 > 0:25:15Who's got five? At £50 only.
0:25:15 > 0:25:17- At 50. Bids, I want.- Come on.
0:25:17 > 0:25:20At £50 and it's done and sold, then.
0:25:20 > 0:25:22At £50 and away.
0:25:22 > 0:25:26- No reserve.- No reserve. That's fine.
0:25:26 > 0:25:28- 50 quid from nowhere, though. - £50 from nowhere.
0:25:28 > 0:25:29That's classic recycling.
0:25:29 > 0:25:31- Someone's going to enjoy that. - They are.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34And you've done well, as well. Let's not take the credit away.
0:25:34 > 0:25:36Something for nothing.
0:25:36 > 0:25:38- And, as everybody says, the fun of the day.- Yes.
0:25:39 > 0:25:42Not a huge sum, but this didn't perturb Katherine
0:25:42 > 0:25:47because she had a plan of how to transform her £50 into much, much more.
0:25:47 > 0:25:51I've been detecting now for about ten years.
0:25:51 > 0:25:53I really love it.
0:25:53 > 0:25:56I can't wait to get out. This weather is not very good,
0:25:56 > 0:25:59but I went out last Saturday and found six Roman coins.
0:25:59 > 0:26:04This is just a selection of things you might find if you went metal detecting.
0:26:04 > 0:26:06Just ordinary things.
0:26:06 > 0:26:09We've got Roman brooches,
0:26:09 > 0:26:10thimbles,
0:26:10 > 0:26:12buckles,
0:26:12 > 0:26:14Roman coins.
0:26:14 > 0:26:17This here is a Japanese coin.
0:26:17 > 0:26:20Would you think you would find that in an English field?
0:26:20 > 0:26:21Just a selection of things.
0:26:24 > 0:26:27So what does this special piece of metal detecting equipment
0:26:27 > 0:26:29she so wanted, actually do?
0:26:29 > 0:26:31PROBE BLEEPS
0:26:31 > 0:26:34It's called a probe and it's for finding things
0:26:34 > 0:26:37that you wouldn't normally find with the ordinary detector
0:26:37 > 0:26:40if the ground's a bit muddy and it gets stuck in a clod of earth,
0:26:40 > 0:26:42this will detect it.
0:26:45 > 0:26:49The metal detecting probe is really, really handy.
0:26:49 > 0:26:52It's really ideal to have one of those.
0:26:52 > 0:26:54It pinpoints it straightaway.
0:26:56 > 0:26:58It's a coin!
0:26:59 > 0:27:03It will help her with her ever expanding collection of finds,
0:27:03 > 0:27:06some of which have been very special.
0:27:07 > 0:27:09I think the most special thing I've found
0:27:09 > 0:27:12is a Georgian seal
0:27:12 > 0:27:15which had a pelican on the bottom
0:27:15 > 0:27:17and was called "The pelican in her piety".
0:27:17 > 0:27:19She was pecking her breast to feed her young.
0:27:19 > 0:27:22That was deemed treasure
0:27:22 > 0:27:24and that is now in Gloucester Museum.
0:27:24 > 0:27:26And that made her £150.
0:27:26 > 0:27:28Quite a coup.
0:27:28 > 0:27:31But is it all about hitting gold for Katherine?
0:27:31 > 0:27:34This one here is Hadrian,
0:27:34 > 0:27:36who, you all know, built the wall.
0:27:36 > 0:27:38That's a very fine coin, that.
0:27:38 > 0:27:39That's the best one I've got.
0:27:39 > 0:27:41Very clear and sharp.
0:27:41 > 0:27:43All these coins are really special to me.
0:27:43 > 0:27:45I wouldn't sell any of them on Flog It.
0:27:45 > 0:27:48I don't know how much they're worth, but I'm not really interested.
0:27:48 > 0:27:50The monetary value doesn't count.
0:27:50 > 0:27:52They're special to me.
0:27:52 > 0:27:56If you went out detecting a found a coin on your first visit,
0:27:56 > 0:28:00you'd be hooked for life. It's absolutely amazing.
0:28:00 > 0:28:03We go for miles, and go to rallies
0:28:03 > 0:28:06and we don't find anything and yet we still go
0:28:06 > 0:28:10because there's always that chance that you'll find something special.
0:28:10 > 0:28:12Which just goes to show,
0:28:12 > 0:28:14where there's muck, there's brass.
0:28:14 > 0:28:18With a bit of nous and an adventurous spirit like Katherine,
0:28:18 > 0:28:21you could discover a Staffordshire hoard of your own!
0:28:25 > 0:28:27Sadly, we're running out of time.
0:28:27 > 0:28:29But the real secret on today's show is stay alert
0:28:29 > 0:28:32and don't be afraid to get your hands dirty.
0:28:32 > 0:28:35And don't assume if something's been thrown away that it's rubbish.
0:28:35 > 0:28:37See you next time!