Monday, 9th June 2008 (888 views)

An ancient gold cup which has been stored under a collector's bed for 60 years sold for £50,000 at a recent auction.

The piece, which is made from Persian gold and is decorated with two opposite-facing heads and knotted snakes, went under the hammer last week in Dorchester.

Its owner John Webber was left the item by his grandfather and only chose to get it valued when he moved house last year as he thought it was made from brass.

Guy Schwinge, of Duke's Auctioneers which orchestrated the sale, told the Dorchester Echo: "The cup could well be a one-off and it has captured the imagination of so many people because of the rag and bone element of the find."

He added that it is a very "special" item.

An expert has deemed the 5.5-inch cup to be an example of Achaemenid gold and gold-smithing, which dates back to the third or fourth century BC, reports AFP.

Mr Webber also sold a gold spoon worth £5,000 at the same auction.

In related news, four Hellenistic gold wreaths have been unearthed during construction work in the Greek town of Sintrivani.

 

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