Since its debut in 1979, Antiques Roadshow has captivated British audiences with its parade of hidden treasures. While most items fetch modest sums, the BBC programme has occasionally uncovered artefacts worth a fortune. Among the most staggering valuations is a Faberge flower worth £1 million, which left jewellery expert Geoffrey Munn speechless during a 2018 episode.
The intricate pearl bloom piece, composed of gold, jade, diamonds and silver, was brought in by Colonel Stamford Cartwright on behalf of the Queen's Own Worcestershire Hussars. Munn described it as 'the rarest, most poetic manifestation of Faberge's work', noting that the regiment had long treated it as 'part of the furniture'. The sculpture was a bequest from Georgina, Countess of Dudley, in 1904.
Music memorabilia also commanded high prices. In 2019, a guitar played by John Lennon and George Harrison was valued at £400,000 at an event in Battle Abbey, Sussex. Owner Ray recounted how Harrison gifted him the rare prototype fretless model after a recording session, saying: 'You're definitely getting more out of it than I am.' Expert Jon Baddeley confirmed its authenticity.
The longest-serving FA Cup trophy, crafted in 1911 by Fattorini and Sons of Bradford, was valued at £1 million during a 2016 episode. Presented by BBC Sport's Gabby Logan and former Leeds United manager Eddie Gray, the silver specialist Alastair Dickenson traced its history. The trophy, used until 1992, was retired and later appraised on the show.
Other notable valuations include a 6ft-high, 17ft-wide model of Antony Gormley's Angel of the North, also valued at £1 million in 2008, and a Van Dyck painting bought from a Cheshire antique shop for £400 in 1992. The painting, authenticated after Fiona Bruce spotted it during a shoot in 2013, was valued at £400,000.
