MOST Expensive Antiques in the World

There are several antiques that, due to a combination of age, workmanship, and prestige, have been evaluated at insanely high prices. Today, I'll be taking a look at the top 15 most expensive antiques in the world. 15. Patek Philippe Henry Graves Supercomplication When it comes to high-value watches, the Henry Graves Supercomplication is one of a kind. It was handcrafted in 1933. This 18-carat gold pocket watch has a grand total of 24 complications and was made specifically for banker Henry Graves, Jr. He paid top dollar for the watch at the time, spending a hefty sum of $15,000 when he commissioned it in 1925. For reference, when adjusted for inflation, that amounts to a cool $220,000. Yet, the watch has become even more well-appreciated with time, as when it was put up for auction in 2014, it sold for an inflation-adjusted price of over $26 million. 14. The 18th-Century Bo-Tang Saber Of all the legendary swords to have been put up for auction, it's an 18th-Century Bo-Tang Saber that takes the cake for being the most expensive of them all. That's because while it may not sound all that impressive, it turns out that it may have been the personal sword of the Chinese Emperor Qianlong. Now, while the specifics are not 100% clear, it's believed to have been forged sometime between 1736 and 1795. It's not only outfitted with a jade handle, but also has an ornate blade that's decorated with inlaid gold, copper, and silver. So, due to its high quality and age, it sold for an impressive sum of $7.7 million back in 2008. 13. The Sickle Leaf Carpet A high-quality Persian carpet can easily set you back a few thousand dollars, but antique rugs made using expert craftsmanship techniques can easily make far more than their modern counterparts. Such was the case with a rug from William Andrews Clark's estate, which while estimated to go for somewhere between $5 to $7 million ended up coming in at a ridiculously high sum of $33.7 million. Known as the Sickle Leaf, Vine Scroll, and Palmette Vase Technique Carpet, it's the only known vase technique rug with a red background on the entire planet. It likely came from the city of Kirman in southeast Iran and was probably created sometime during the 17th century, so it should come as little surprise that this carpet was so highly sought after. 12. Chippendale-Style Kentucky Desk When it comes to antique furniture, the United States is known for its top-of-the-line specimens, and while record-breaking pieces tend to come from the northeastern states such as Rhode Island, New York, or Pennsylvania, in late 2017 it was an antique desk made in Kentucky that took the spotlight at auction when it sold for an astoundingly high price tag of nearly $500,000. The elaborately carved Chippendale-style desk made out of walnut wood was built for Captain John Cowan by an unknown maker, but due to its craftsmanship, it netted a price that made it the highest price ever paid at auction for a piece of Kentucky furniture, and the second highest for a piece of southern furniture. As such, if you have any well-crafted antique furniture at home, you may just want to get it appraised at one point or another. 11. Pinner Qing Dynasty Vase When it comes to expensive Chinese pottery, few pieces come anywhere close to the Pinner Qing Dynasty Vase. Coming in at 41 cm in height, it was made sometime between 1735 and 1796, and in all likelihood it was specially designed for one of the imperial palaces. Ovoid in shape and predominantly pastel yellow and sky blue in color, it stands apart for its narrow neck, four enameled circular motifs that show colorful fish and flowers, and elaborate perforations in the outer vase that help form a smaller vase inside. Likely brought to England during the plundering of the Second Opium War, it was initially listed at a 2010 auction for a relatively modest $800,000, but after a half-hour of intense bidding, the final price was an astounding $69.5 million, with the total coming out to $85.9 million once all taxes and fees were paid. While the bidder remained anonymous, he is known to have hailed from mainland China, and as such this antique is now back in its country of origin. 10. The Codex Lester Let's face it, while most antiques are interesting, it's only in exceptional cases that they have any real impact on the planet at large, as they are generally just cool collectibles rather than world-changing pieces. However, the Codex Lester goes against this general rule. That's because it's a collection of scientific writings by Leonardo da Vinci that gives insights on his findings and beliefs on topics such as astronomy, the properties of water, rocks, fossils, air, and celestial light. Some of these insights were quite interesting, as in the Codex, da Vinci speaks his mind on why he believed fossils of sea creatures can be found on mountains, and why the moon is so bright. So it shouldn't come as a surprise that this makes the Codex Lester of immense scientific value, and in recognition of this, Bill Gates bought it at an auction in 1994 for a staggering $30.8 million, or the equivalent of about $54 million today. And while this price tag is certainly high, in a way we can understand why he paid so much. 9. A Fabergé Egg While bedazzled Easter eggs may not seem like something that would be highly sought after, Fabergé eggs prove that that's not the case. You see, Fabergé eggs are essentially a collection of egg-shaped jewels that were created for the Russian royal family by Peter Carl Fabergé between 1885 and 1917. And while 69 were created in total, his most famous were his 52 imperial eggs, of which about 46 survive today. These eggs were made directly for the Russian royal family, and it's mostly because of this that they are of great value. While most of the most valuable ones have carefully been tracked down over the past 125 odd years, one of the oldest was actually discovered thanks to a random Google search in 2012. Considered to be the third imperial Fabergé egg, it was created between 1886 and 1887, and features plenty of jewels and yellow gold ridges along with its original tripod pedestal. It also has a Vacheron Constantin ladies' watch inside, which gives the egg an extra bit of flair. So, given the quality and rarity of this one, it was able to sell for $33 million back in 2014. 8. Elizabeth Taylor's La Peregrina Pearl Necklace Cartier is known for being one of the world's elite jewelry makers, and so it should come as no surprise that they have created a pearl necklace that's made it into the record books. Now, the story of the necklace began in the 16th century, when the La Peregrina Pearl was found off the coast of Panama. It was then turned over to Panamanian colonial administrator Don Pedro de Temes, who then gifted it to the future king, Philip II of Spain. From there, it made its way to England as a bridal gift to Queen Mary I of England, was later returned to the Kingdom of Spain, then taken by Napoleon's brother and brought to France, then brought back to England as a gift for a duchess. It was then kept by this duchess until 1969, when her heirs decided to auction off the pearl at a Sotheby's auction. It was here that it was bought by the Hollywood royalty and wealthy romantic Richard Burton for a relatively low price of $37,000. Converted into a necklace and then enjoyed until 2011 when it was re-auctioned for a staggering $11 million. La Peregrina Pearl is easily one of the most expensive pearls in world history. 7. The 1794 Flowing Hair Silver Dollar American coins typically are some of the most expensive collectibles out there, yet none quite match the rarity of the 1794 Flowing Hair Silver Dollar, often referred to as the Holy Grail of all dollars. It was among the first coins ever minted by the United States government, and while a total of 1,758 silver dollars were created as a part of an inaugural batch of October 1794, less than 130 are believed to be still around today. It's been considered to be a highly valued coin ever since the early days of coin collecting, with a September 1880 issue of the Coin Journal even noting that a good quality specimen of the 1794 dollar was valued at $50, which would be the modern equivalent of about $1,300 today. With that in mind, the coin is worth even more today. Now while some have sold for prices under a million dollars, a perfect specimen is one of the most sought-after coins in that industry. When a near-perfect specimen was put up for auction in 2013, it was able to fetch a price tag just north of $10 million, making it the most expensive coin ever sold. So yeah, I think it's fair to say that that coin is truly outstanding. Number 6. The 1963 Ferrari 250 GTO While there are plenty of expensive collector cars out there, none are quite as sought-after as the 1963 Ferrari 250 GTO. Created in order to outperform contemporaries such as the Shelby Cobra, the Jaguar E-Type, and the Aston Martin DP214, it performed very well on the racetrack, but in recent years has become extremely collectible due to its unique design and low supply. After all, only 36 of them were ever created, and so to find one on the market today is next to impossible. When a German collector made it clear that he was intending to sell his in 2017, David McNeil, who was the founder of the car floor mat manufacturer WeatherTech, snatched it up for a record fee of $70 million. And while that may sound crazy, his 250 GTO was worth a bit of a premium since it won the 1964 Tour de France and came in fourth at Le Mans, making it an athlete of sorts in the world of sports cars. In any case, owning the GTO now puts McNeil in an exclusive GTA owning club, manned by the likes of Ralph Lauren, fashion mogul Lawrence Stroll, and Walmart heir Rob Walton. So while the $70 million price tag was pretty crazy, I wouldn't be surprised if it gets topped the next time one gets put up for sale. 5. The Ru Guangyao Brush Washer Bowl At first glance, the Ru Guangyao Brush Washer Bowl isn't anything to write home about. After all, it's a simple ceramic bowl that comes in at just 13 centimeters in diameter. And while its turquoise coloring is certainly pretty, it doesn't seem worthy of commanding a massive price tag. However, Ru Guangyao ceramics are a little bit different than your average China shop bowl. You see, the bowl was commissioned by China's late Northern Song Dynasty from the most notable of the Five Great Kilns. Since this kiln was only in operation for about 20 years, its wares are considered to be extremely valuable. And to date, only four Ru ceramics are known to be in private hands. In terms of characteristics, the brush washer is of prominent provenance as it came from the Beyond its origins, it also has some top-notch characteristics, including a turquoise glaze with a pattern resembling ice crackles, classic proportions, and three sesame seed depressions that the brush washer rests upon. When it became the first Ru-style ceramic to be put up for auction since 1940 at Sotheby's in Hong Kong, collectors jumped at the opportunity. Considered to be highly important and extremely rare in the auction catalogue, the attendees at the auction seemed to agree, as after a 20-minute bidding battle, the small vessel brought in the equivalent of $37.6 million. And while Sotheby's didn't reveal the identity of the bidder for privacy's sake, I'm sure that it was someone who was obscenely wealthy. 4. AN ANTIQUE ROCHARD DOLL To many people, antique dolls are more creepy than they are valuable. After all, their super pale skin, strange outfits, and cold, soulless eyes are enough to send shivers down the spines of children and adults alike, although this doesn't stop them from going for high prices at auction. When it comes to pure cost, one antique doll that will cost you a pretty penny to acquire is what's become known as the Rochard doll. Symbolizing the golden age of French dolls, this Rochard piece has a lot of unique features that would be near impossible to find anywhere else. For example, the doll has parted rather than closed lips, which was a rarity at the time. And if you look inside the doll's parted mouth, you actually see a kaleidoscope effect. The Rochard doll's necklace also has a collection of 28 Stanhope gems, with 24 of them having micro-photographs inside of them with super tiny images of both the city of Paris and Europe at large. The incredible thing about these photographs is despite being just 1mm wide, when held closely to the eye, each is magnified 160 times, making them truly incredible. Additionally, there are believed to be only 6 or 7 of these types of dolls in existence. And so when this piece went up for auction in January of 2018, it sold for an incredible $333,000. However, what's nice about this purchase is that rather than stay locked up in a private collection, this doll is now on display for the public. That's because after it was purchased, it was brought to the Barry Art Museum at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, which is where it now resides alongside many other dolls. This Rochard doll is truly an incredibly valuable antique. 3. 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle Card The card that stands alone as the most expensive card ever is a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle card. Now for those of you who are not a baseball fan, Mickey Mantle is perhaps one of the most famous baseball players of all time. A switch hitter for the Yankees from 1951 until 1968, he had a total of 16 All-Star appearances, 7 World Series titles, and 3 MVP awards. And so when the baseball card company Topps first entered the business in 1952, rookie Mickey Mantle was one of their most popular cards. And while there are several Mickey Mantle cards out there, a PSA 9 edition that sold for $5.2 million in November of 2020 stands apart for being the most expensive of all time. One of only 6 PSA 9 renditions of this card in existence, it was bought by Rob Goff, who is an entrepreneur and the owner of Dope, which is a streetwear and lifestyle brand that also sells CBD products. When asked by the media about his purchase, he responded that quote, I've dreamed of owning a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle since I was a kid collecting cards. It's the Mona Lisa of sports cards and I've been searching for this high-graded example. I'm ecstatic that I'm now the proud owner of this iconic card. End quote. Yet while this may be the most expensive Mickey Mantle card ever sold, there are reportedly some private collectors who are in possession of PSA 10 editions. Due to there being just 3 in existence, they've reportedly been offered as much as $20 million for just one card. Yet even at that price point, they refuse to sell. However, the card market continues to heat up. I wouldn't be surprised if they eventually get an offer that they can't refuse. 2. The Hope Diamond While there are plenty of valuable jewels out there, none are estimated to be worth quite as much as the Hope Diamond. First mined in India, it supposedly began its life as the eye of a statue in a Hindu temple. However, it was stolen from this temple by a French merchant, Jean-Baptiste Tavernier in 1666, and upon discovering this, the temple priests reportedly put a curse on the owner of the diamond. Tavernier was the first to succumb to it, as he apparently died of a raging fever and had his body eaten by a pack of wolves soon after returning to France with the diamond. From there, the curse passed on to its next owner, who was none other than King Louis XVI of France. As you probably know, his head was chopped off during the French Revolution, and after, the gem was transferred to Princess Marie-Louise. She was also brutally murdered. At this point, the gem left France and came into the hands of a Dutch jeweler by the name of Wilhelm Vals, who committed suicide soon after. Then, Simon Montorides of Greece, but soon died after accidentally driving off a cliff. Then finally, Evelyn Walsh McLean inherited it, but then had her 9-year-old son and 25-year-old daughter die soon after in a tragic circumstance. After all of this misery, it should come as no surprise that no one wanted to own it, and the Hope Diamond was passed into the non-private hands of the Smithsonian Museum. Yet even there, it's continued to torment its caretakers, with the man who simply delivered it to the museum going on to receive a major leg injury and an accident, sustain a head injury in another, and have his house burned down in a fire. So while it's been valued at a whopping $350 million, I wouldn't take it even if it was free. Number 1. The British Guiana One-Cent Magenta Stamps aren't exactly the most exciting collectibles out there, yet the truth of the matter is that there are some that are insanely expensive. Yet the one that reigns supreme in terms of cost is the British Guiana One-Cent Magenta, and despite being relatively plain, it sold for a ridiculously high $9.4 million in 2014. How did it command such an astounding price? Well, the story of the stamp begins all the way back in 1856, when a postmaster in British Guiana ran out of stamps. Since he needed new stamps, he asked a local newspaper to print an emergency set in order to hold them over. Among them was the British Guiana One-Cent Magenta, and while there was originally a small set of them printed, it's the only one that's still known to exist today. Now, this stamp was first rediscovered by a 12-year-old boy in 1873, who after not being able to find a reference to the stamp in his catalog, sold it for six shillings, which would be worth about $50 today. From that point on, it bounced from owner to owner until it landed into a collection of American stamp collector John E. DuPont, who snapped it up for $935,000 back in 1980. However, when he died in 2010, the stamp was prepared to be put up for auction, where it was sold for its incredible $9.4 million price tag. Given that it weighs just .04 grams, this makes it one of the most valuable collectibles in the world by weight. Now, what's interesting about stamp collections is that unlike some other collectibles, they are widely considered to be a very safe investment. After all, two researchers have found that the annualized return on stamps comes in at about 7% in nominal terms and 2.9 in real terms, making them comparable to the returns on art investments and only a little bit shy of the average returns of the S&P 500. Yet despite this, the quantity of stamp collectors has declined in recent years, and thus the market for these tiny pieces of paper may dry up sooner rather than later. Watch our binge-watching playlist if you'd like to watch all of our most popular top 15 videos. Grab a drink, grab a snack, and get ready to binge.