6. The Original Portrait of Anthony van Dyck
Place: London
Year Found: 1970s
Estimated Value: Unknown
Before Chris Wright happened into a nearby London antique shop and discovered a seemingly good copy of the original Anthony van Dyck painting of Infanta Isabella C. Eugenia, the powerful 17th-century ruler of Brussels, the world thought that just 20 copies of the painting existed. Understanding the art history of the 17th century, he chose to purchase it for $88, without giving it any further thought.
Original Portrait by Anthony van Dyck ©Maidun Collection/Almy
About fifty years later, specialists from the London-based Courtauld Institute of Art “tentatively proposed” that the purported “copy” might, in fact, be an original, possibly from van Dyck’s own studio.
7. A Roman Relic at a Department Store in England
Place: Colchester, United Kingdom
Year Found: 2014
Estimated Value: Not Known
A little box found beneath the floors of an apparently normal Fenwick department store in Colchester, England, in September 2014 stunned the world. The box, which had lain unopened for several centuries, had precious jewelry made of gold and silver that had been minted in 60 AD.
Lovemoney.com/Roman Treasure in England’s Department Store
This priceless Roman relic was placed on public display at Colchester Castle because it provides an insight into Roman imperial life. One of the most valuable antiquities ever discovered in the nation is still the jewelry pieces.
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