What would you do if you had a "national treasure"?

[hopein08]

I was watching "Antiques Roadshow" last night and it was one of those episodes where they show you the highest appraised items. I wish I could get a $2 yard sale buy that would be appraised at $200,000. But that's neither here nor than at the moment. So...to my question...

There was a guy (probably in his late 60s to early 70s) who brought in a blanket that his grandmother's foster father had gotten from Kit Carson. The appraiser started off by asking if the blanket owner had noticed that the appraiser stopped breathing when he saw the blanket. The appraiser went on to say that it was a Navajo/Ute chief's blanket from the 1840s and incredibly well-preserved and rare. There was even a Navajo patch done in the 1860s. The appraiser then asked the man if he was wealthy, to which the man said that he was not. The final appraisal was that the price would increase drastically if the Kit Carson part of the story could be authenticated. But since it couldn't then, the appraiser said that he would have to say that on a bad day...the blanket would get $250,000 at auction, $300,000 on a good day, and close to $500,000 if Kit Carson could be proven to have owned it. The appraiser said that it was a "national treasure."

So here's my question...what would you do if you were that guy or had something else that was worth that much and a national treasure?

I don't think that I would want to sell it just to get the money. Although I would worry about damaging it, I think I would want to keep it. Or see about giving it to a museum. I was arguing with my family about this and they all decided that they'd be too worried about something happening to the object and would sell it. My mother even said that she would sell it because she wouldn't be able to leave it to just one kid. I'm still arguing with myself!

Any thoughts?

[KitchenWitch]

1. I would lend it to a museum

[madeline_con]

2. I'd loan it to a museum while researching the Kit Carson link...

pending sale either way.

I had a toastalator once, threw it away, and found out from a TV show it was worth $350 on an average day. :mad:

[Shell Beau]

3. If I was in a bind financially, I would sell it. But only

to a worthy buyer. Hopefully a museum or something like that.

[Taverner]

4. depends - if it were madonna's pap smear

Doubt I'd keep it :P

[KG]

5. SOLD!!!

me and my mom both said this when we saw this episode. :)

[lakemonster11]

6. I would probably put it in a museum

on permanent loan if I could---that way, it would still technically belong to me (and would, hopefully, continue to increase in value), but I wouldn't have to worry about it getting damaged. And, of course, it would be where the public could see and enjoy it.

[LeftyMom]

7. I would sell it

but to a museum and not necesarily the highest bidder.

If I kept it LeftyKid would probably damage it and if I sold it I could pay for his schooling and put a little money away for a rainy day. No question at all in my mind. I would go out of my way to find the ideal home for the object, though.

[gollygee]

9. I'll park here

sell it, but to a museum and not necessarily to the high bidder. Money like that would really help my family, but I wouldn't worry about difference in price to make sure it went to a good new home.

[LSK]

8. that kind of money would drastically change my life

It would free me from being a corporate slave for 9 hours a day and allow me to spend more time doing the things I want to do (including grassroots politics).

I might see if I can put some restrictions on the sale thou.

[ForrestGump]

10. I do

But I keep it in my pants.

[supernova]

14. You're on a role today, aren't you?

:D

[ForrestGump]

15. I'm role-playing

:D

Just nobody mention hot dog rolls and this thread won't be locked... :P

[supernova]

16. Roll with the flow

[GoddessOfGuinness]

11. Depends on whether I liked it or not...

An item like the one you described, I'd probably lend to a museum.

But there are some objects that leave me cold, even if I can appreciate their value.

For example, if I had F. Scott Fitzgerald's typewriter, I'd probably sell it to someone and let them donate it to a museum.

[tjdee]

13. That is an excellent point.

If someone had my sweet baby's Baazigar cape, I'd have to think long and hard about whether I wanted to keep it forever and ever and ever. And wear it and sing the Baazigar song. And wear it and think of SRK wearing it. And look at it. And snuggle with it. Alas.

I'd probably sell something like that (well, that wouldn't fetch much here, but you get the idea) only in an emergency, and only for a ridiculously high price.

[tjdee]

12. Sell it. But where would he sell it?

To a lot of people, there's hassle involved in something like that. That guy was just lucky that the roadshow show was there, he figured he'd bring it in.

But, if somehow I could get it to an appraiser, I'd sell that thing so fast.... $200K would make things a hell of a lot easier for me, and I could always cherish the Navajo blanket in a special $500 photo frame I kept the picture of it in.

[hopein08]

18. That's one of the things I wonder about "Antiques Roadshow"...

namely, I wonder if the appraisers ever offer to sell the item for the person who brings it in. Like the furniture appraiser Keno brothers...do they offer to sell Federal Period tables worth $100,000? Or do the owners have to go home and make their own arrangements?

[supernova]

19. I'm sure they do offer

to handle the deal if the person wants to sell. As business people, it would be a good incentive to be involved with the show.

[supernova]

17. I would probably ask the Navajo

if they want it back. I would be surprised if they didnt' have a museum, which is where something like that belongs.

It's one thing to go to a flea market and find a 100,000 Tiffany lamp for $35 (my dream!) but, Native American artifacts should go back to them first.