[Ifroham4]

You hear about these sorts of things happening. Just never to you.

A person sees a painting at a garage sale, decides to buy it for $5 only to later discover it was painted by someone incredibly famous and worth more than they could have possibly imagined.

Same thing here — only with an egg. A scrap metal dealer in the Midwest stumbled upon an incredibly rare Faberge egg at a sale, the Daily Telegraph reports. The unidentified man, sensing the golden egg was worth considerably more than the $13,000 being asked, plunked down the cash.

It isn't often wise to pay $13,000 for an egg, but in this case, the man's risk was well rewarded. Turns out the piece of art is worth a whopping $33.3 million, according to the Daily Telegraph. Why? The egg was once owned by Russia's Tsar Alexander III and was seized during the Russian Revolution. It is one of only a few original Faberge eggs still known to exist.

Kieran McCarthy, the Faberge expert who verified the man's discovery, compared the find to "Indiana Jones finding the Lost Ark," according to the Daily Mail.

After the man bought the treasure, he did some online research and found a 2011 article seeking the whereabouts of the exact egg in his possession.

He sought out an expert opinion and — voila — instant retirement fund, and then some.

The last time the egg had been seen in public was in March 1902, according to Press Association's report.

[Fegasderty]

My mates grandfather was part of the occupation forces in japan at the end of WW2. In 1946 he bought 2 paintings of tigers that were on silk from a street painter, he paid $0.50 for both. No matter where in a room you stand the tiger eyes are starring at you. When his grandfather passed away his father inherited the paintings and had them framed. About 10 years ago a friend of brothers was with him visiting his parents and when he saw the paintings he said he had seen them before on the internet. After doing some research it turns out that the street painter became a famous. They went and had the paintings appraised and it turns out that they are worth over $50,000.00 each. I thought it was a cool story even though it may not apply. But there are a lot of people out there that are probably sitting on expensive treasures that has been in the family for years and not realize what they have. They just think its a knick knack that uncle Harry picked up when he was in the army, not worth anything but in reality it could be worth a fortune.

[Wered1958]

things of great value were looted during ww2 and ended in the hands of military men who had money. They have been sold at yard sales, thrown away with those in possession not knowing what they had. I'm sure this has happened since the beginning of mankind.

[tgs]

So is Russia going to lay claim to it, like Spain does whenever someone finds gold at the bottom of the ocean?

[garrettl]

going to estate sales in small towns where people have lived in their homes for years is a good place. I went to an oction in my home town. I looked on line days befor the oction and saw painting . it was a Japanese subject. my wife wanted it as she was into that stuff back then. I told her I would not psy more than 35 for it. we went I got a few other things for under 5 each. got it for 35 and found out it is worth 500. it is all hand sewn picture 17 by 35 inches. 8 by 8 ones go for 80. I knew the person who died he was in the army in japan after the war and brought it home to his wifeall rolled up he had it framed her. my eye doctor has an 18 by 18 he bought over there 35 years ago for 100 bucks it is not all hand sewn as the background is not filled in. it is Bunka art.

[Beerinkol]

Should have kept his mouth shut. The Russian government can claim that as it had been stolen during their revolution and he will be out $13,000 and receive a "Thank You" for finding it. Mark my words...

[Ifroham4]

Interesting. Seems the Russian government would say it was stolen. My guess is that the Bolsheviks never actually sold it to a third party. It was probably stolen and sold under the table and found its way to the US somehow. Russia in the current political climate won't get much cooperation from the US, of course, but if the egg were, let's say taken from the US or Canadian government 100 years ago, why wouldn't this still be US or Canadian government property?