🖊️ 8—Camera & Photo Legends

TREASURES

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✩ Legendary Treasures ✩

█ A-Z // Fortunes Found 🔗 - [ i ]

Cameras & Photos, 8 Finds, $14 Million+

Hidden Treasures Found in Everyday Places

Some of the most astonishing treasures aren’t buried underground—they’re 'hidden' in plain sight. News reports have revealed remarkable camera and photo discoveries in ordinary settings, from attic albums to flea markets. Explore the map, to trace how different treasure eras, styles, and locations have shaped these unexpected finds.

A few legendary examples from the list include:

$170,000 for a sports photo found in a trunk
$620,000 for a rare camera discovery
$2 Million for a historic photo found online

Overlooked for years, these discoveries prove that valuable treasures can surface anywhere—even in the most ordinary places. Explore the full list below the ad ☟

Vintage treasure-hunt advertising in retro cityscape.

8—Legendary Finds:

1. Billy the Kid Bonanza—$5 Million for $2 Photo Found in Thrift Store

📽️ 📅 2015 Report: In California, USA, a man discovered a thrift store treasure—a photograph of Billy the Kid purchased for just $2, later estimated to be worth $5 million. This remarkable find, only the second confirmed image of the notorious outlaw, was hidden in an old photo box. Full story in a one-minute video.

Video: 🔗 Inside Edition / YouTube

2. Flea Market Fortune—$5 Million for Second Billy the Kid Photo Found in U.S.

📰 📅 2017 Report: In North Carolina, USA, a defense attorney bought a 19th-century tintype at a flea market for $10, later identified as an image of Billy the Kid with lawman Pat Garrett. Experts confirmed its authenticity, and comparisons suggest its value may exceed $5 million. The photo's origins remain a mystery.

Story and image: 🔗 Smithsonian Magazine

3. Outlaw Portrait—$2 Million for Historic Find from $10 eBay Purchase

📰 📽️ 📅 2018 Report: A 19th-century tintype photo purchased for just $10 on eBay was identified as a rare portrait of outlaw Jesse James, with a potential worth exceeding $2 million. Acquired in the UK, the photo was verified by U.S. forensic experts as a genuine artifact, possibly handled by James himself. This discovery highlights the hidden treasures that can emerge from unexpected sources like online marketplaces.

Story, video, and images: 🔗 PetaPixel

4. Moon Walk Tapes—$1.8 Million for $217 Auction Lot with Historic Film Footage

📰 📽️ 📅 2019 Report: In the US, original NASA Apollo 11 moonwalk tapes were discovered in a surplus auction lot, purchased for $217. These tapes, later sold for $1.8 million, hold unmatched rarity and historical value, having been unintentionally preserved.

Story, video, and images: 🔗 UPI

5. Leica Luxe—$620,000 (£380K, €460K) for Rare 1932 Camera Found in UK

📰 📅 2013 Report: A rare gold-plated Leica Luxus II camera from 1932—one of only four ever made—was auctioned in Hong Kong for $620,000 (£380K, €460K), falling short of a record. The camera's rarity was unexpectedly uncovered during an appraisal on the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow in 2001, where it was initially valued at £5,000 ($8,100, €6,000).

Story, images, auction links: 🔗 BBC

6. Iconic Sports Image—$179,000 for Trunk Find

📰 📅 2015 Report: In the USA, a priceless "Shoeless Joe" Jackson signed photo was found in a trunk in a Cleveland home, part of the Frank W. Smith Collection. The rarity, from 1911, fetched $179,250 at auction.

Story, images, auction links: 🔗 Heritage Auctions

7. Pioneer Portrait—$131,971 for 19th-Century Baseball Photo Found in Album

📰 📅 2023 Report: Rare 1870s photo of baseball pioneer Lipman Pike, discovered in a 19th-century album, fetches $131,971 in the US. Immense historical and cultural significance.

Story and images: 🔗 Sports Collectors Daily

8. Deep-Sea Daguerreotype—$73,200 for 1857 Portrait Pulled from S.S. Central America Shipwreck

📰 📅 2023 Report: In the USA, the 'Mona Lisa of the Deep,' an early form of photograph known as a daguerreotype from the 1857 S.S. Central America shipwreck, was sold at auction for $73,200. Recovered from the sea, it is one of 421 rare treasures unearthed.

Story and images: 🔗 artnet

These inspiring discoveries reveal the untapped potential of everyday spaces as hidden treasure troves. Explore the top 40 finds below the ad ☟

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