Texas Woman Finds 2,000 Year Old German Bust In Goodwill Store
Remember the show "Antiques Roadshow" where they would go around the country and ask folks to showcase their antiques and have a someone appraise their value? That show had folks running into their attics, closets and basements pulling out anything that looked "old" in the hopes of gaining instant riches for something that's just collecting dust. Well this next story may cause a run on Goodwill stores after an art collector came across what some are calling the "Goodwill Find Of A Lifetime".
An art collector in Austin hit the jackpot while hunting for hidden treasures at a local Goodwill.
Back in 2018, Laura Young came across a "bust" at a Goodwill store and decided to buy it. For the very low price of $34.99 plus tax, Young would soon discover that she paid an incredibly low price for something that has a ton of amazing history behind it. Young kind of knew something was up so she held on to it and did a ton of research.
Turns out, this wasn't just any old "bust" or replica of one, this was the real deal.
Young spent years trying to determine the sculpture's authenticity and origin working alongside researchers at the University of Texas at Austin and also contacting auction houses around the country seeking information. Eventually it was discovered that the "bust" was indeed an ancient "Roman" artifact from 2,000 YEARS AGO that once belonged in the collection of King Ludwig I of Bavaria. That was later confirmed by art experts in Germany.
How Did It End Up In Texas In The First Place?
While experts have no clue how the statue ended up in a Texas Goodwill store, its believed that after World War II, the US Army opened military installations in Aschaffenburg and it's possible a soldier brought the sculpture home to Texas when he returned after the museum it was housed in was bombed by Allied Forces.
Since Its So Valuable, Can She Keep It Or Sell It?
Unfortunately, despite buying it in the store outright, Young won't be able to keep the bust nor sell it. The rightful owner is the Bavarian Administration of State-Owned Palaces. As part of the agreement to return the sculpture to its rightful home in Germany, they agreed that the bust could be publicly displayed by the San Antonio Museum Of Art until 2023.