'Medal' turns out to be very expensive eight-dollar

An elderly Rotterdam couple was convinced that they had just an average medal. Yet they did not trust the judgment of a trader and requested a second opinion from Jacco Scheper, Heritage Auctions Europe (then MPO). During a fair in Rotterdam, Jacco informed them that their piece was not a medal but a unique, expensive coin that could yield 25,000 euros.

Eight thalers

Scheper explained to the couple that their coin was minted in Braunschweig, Germany, in 1634. It was a heavy coin of no less than 230 grams, with an eight displayed on it. These coins were minted as a gift to a duke or other dignitary.

German collector

The couple could not believe what they'd just heard and returned home. They didn't get in touch with Heritage Auctions Europe for a while, but their interest was aroused and they decided to seek advice from Scheper again a year later, when they appeared at the same fair in Rotterdam. Scheper told them the same story as the year before, and the couple decided to have their coin auctioned by Heritage Auctions Europe.

This went beyond expectations. The yield exceeded the starting price by a factor of three. A German collector paid no less than 79,950 euros for it!