Thrifted Dali, Kentucky Coin Hoard & Pokémon Crime Wave

Thrift Store Treasure: Dusty $10 Painting Fetches $1,200 at Auction After Expert Identifies Remarkable Detail

Wendy Hawkins, a volunteer at Hotline Pink Thrift Shop in North Carolina, discovered a valuable piece of artwork while sorting through donations. She recognized the piece's significance and asked for permission to have it checked by an expert, revealing it was a wood engraving from Salvador Dali's series, The Divine Comedy. Initially it would have been priced between $10 and $50 at the shop, the artwork was eventually sold at an auction for $1,200. Thanks to Hawkins' sharp eye, the rare find was brought to light, giving art enthusiasts the chance to enjoy it. The donor of the artwork remains unknown.

The Great Kentucky Hoard Unearthed: Over 800 Gold Coins Discovered

A valuable hoard of over 800 U.S. Civil War-era coins, including gold dollars and silver issues, was recently discovered in a cornfield in Kentucky. The collection, known as the "Great Kentucky Hoard," has been authenticated, graded, and encapsulated by Numismatic Guaranty Co. The coins will be marketed by GovMint.com in the coming months. The anonymous finder sought numismatic advice from Kentucky numismatist Jeff Garrett, who described the hoard as a remarkable time capsule of Civil War-era coinage. The exact location and finder's identity have been kept confidential, and the examination of the coins revealed several errors and varieties.

Epic Wave of Pokémon Card Crimes Sweeps Japan as Thieves Resort to Elaborate Measures to Plunder Stores

A surge in Pokémon card thefts is causing significant financial losses for shop owners in Japan. Thieves are going to extreme lengths to steal these highly valuable cards, some of which can fetch six-figure sums. Incidents include a robbery in Tokyo last August where around $200,000 worth of cards were stolen, and a theft in Kyushu last month resulting in the loss of approximately $47,000 worth of cards. In one unbelievable case, a suspect used rock-climbing skills learned in high school to rappel down a building and steal a collection of cards, but was ultimately caught by the police. Shop owners have been forced to invest in additional security measures such as safes or displaying replica cards, impacting their sales.