Load WordPress Sites in as fast as 37ms!

285-year-old lemon from 1739 sells at auction for nearly $1,800

[ad_1]

When life gives you lemons, tucking them away for a few centuries may make you a small fortune.

Brettells Auctioneers & Valuers in Newport, England, put a 285-year-old lemon for auction on Jan. 16 — and earned nearly $1,800 for it.

The auction house originally found the 18th-century fruit from 1739 hidden away in a 19th-century cabinet. The cabinet went up for auction, too, but only sold for around $40.

‘STAR WARS’ TOY COLLECTION SELLS FOR NEARLY $350K IN SHOCKING AUCTION MOMENT

Readers can see pictures of the timeworn lemon on Brettells Auctioneers & Valuers’ Instagram page.

Bowl of lemons

The 285-year-old lemon (not pictured) miraculously survived after being tucked away in a cabinet. The ancient lemon can be seen on Brettells Auctioneers & Valuers’ Instagram page. (iStock / iStock)

“We thought we’d have a bit of fun and put [the lemon] in the auction with an estimate of £40-£60,” auctioneer David Brettell said, according to the Sun. Sixty British pounds sterling is equal to roughly 76 U.S. dollars.

The fruit is a deep-brown color, but remarkably intact. It was carved with the words: “Given by Mr P Lu Franchini Nov 4 1739 to Miss E Baxter.”

The lemon may have been brought to England as a romantic gift from India, the Sun reported.

RARE 1920S BONZO DOG UP FOR AUCTION, EXPECTED TO SELL FOR OVER $25K — ONE OF ONLY 115 EVER MADE

Brettells Auctioneers & Valuers exteriors

Brettells Auctioneers & Valuers in Newport, England, sold the fruit at auction last month. (Google Maps / Google Maps)

British media described that there was a “bidding war” that drove the final price of the ancient fruit to £1,400, which is just shy of $1,800.

The lemon is four years older than Thomas Jefferson, who was born in 1743.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER

The French and Indian War, which predated the American Revolution, did not start for another 15 years after the lemon was harvested.

20 pound notes laid out on a table

The final price of the ancient fruit was £1,400, which is just shy of $1,800. (Matt Cardy/Getty Images/File / Getty Images)

The Sun reported that the fruit sold for £1,100, but the extra costs brought the total to £1,400.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ON FOX BUSINESS

It is highly unusual for food to survive three centuries. Brettell was quoted as saying, “You’ll never see an object like this at auction again.”

For more Lifestyle articles, visit www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle.

[ad_2]

Check Also

American workers want record wages to change jobs, NY Fed finds

[ad_1] DISTILL CEO Neely Tamminga discusses whether the Fed has been restrictive enough to rein …

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

The Ultimate Managed Hosting Platform