Found 'at a dump'! Winston Churchill's iconic top hat and cigar 🎩 - Antiques Roadshow

[@artistjoh]

Why is everyone focusing on the hat? The real treasure is the 200 letters detailing Churchill’s moods and activities.

[@bendavison9798]

artistjoh the hat is a physical reminder of this. Great statesman

[@bendavison9798]

He wore it

[@dericksmith2137]

But those letters! Written about him during the war by the cook with firsthand knowledge of his comments or opinions! (Almost surprising that the letters weren’t pre-screened by some gov agent. For fear of some wartime secret accidentally being mentioned) Just wow. Someone cleaned out that ladies home and just tossed the boxes? Hidden gems that could have been lost forever.

[@tooyoungtobeold8756]

If I had those letters, I would get them published, in sequence, in a book.

[@bendavison9798]

Derick Smith i agree

[@Abu-Aley]

What? 10K !!! That's insane. He deserves 100K at least. It's a nation's treasure, and that dude brought it out to u.

[@meditationbreath]

ok will sell it to you at 90K ok?????

[@bremCZ]

As a national treasure it's priceless. As a collectors item it's worth 10k. The value at auction is what it is expected to go for. If you happen to get 2 people that really want it it could go for 100k or more but that's not how things are valued.

[@justinnathaniel6506]

Remember he didn't just A hat, and this is but a piece of his wardrobe and probably many many hats

[@gumunduringigumundsson9344]

Its at least a million..

[@hslmedia2663]

The issues Churchill had a over 4000 cigars in storage and its not used by him. The ones he gifted unused normally only fetch 2k at auction the ones he used (half smoked at certain events go for alot more). The hat again isnt worth that much as it wasnt used and his famous hats that he did use in past auctions still only hit the 15-20k mark.

[@MM-Iconoclast]

A) thank goodness it was rescued - especially all those letters. B) no way 10k. If that stuff went up for auction it would fetch many, many times that amount.

[@flixbuff]

You're right about the value. The top hat alone would fetch 10K minimum

[@brianburke886]

I would say 50 - 60 k easy

[@cookingprof]

10,000 ? I'm sure there is THAT collector that will be in negotiations with the Dump Man for; SIX FIGURES or more. Is there any information INSIDE the hat? Makers name.. etc. It could be a SERIOUS value added if it was a BESPOKE. Documentation from the firm would kick the price up. Lacking any information of BESPOKE records.... Collect any data about the made the hat. Churchill things have collectors in the US. If you had flipped the genders in a pair of his ancestors; he would never spoken to a joint session of ; The United States Senate & the House of Representatives. IMO he would have been the: "Speaker of the House" in the US. {Potential customers for this lot as well.} [Additional bidder as a donation to a Museum ] . IMO the real value could be if this collection was promoted by a top tier auction house. The hammer would then tell the story.

[@SantaBarbaraDianne]

The person’s family probably dumped “worthless “ looking stuff without a second thought. This is why estate sellers need to be involved. There may be a tiny humble coin worth a fortune or even a scrap of paper with a famous autograph

[@Finderskeepers.]

My 1st thought was also that the whole lot has got to be worth a lot more. Then thinking about where it was found. Who ever dumped it thought it looked like rubbish. Ill say open verdict with out sight of everything else but hoping your right

[@2fas4me2]

"One man's trash is another man's treasure" takes on a whole new meaning.

[@earthangel8730]

Nope.... that IS the origins of the saying and its meaning precisely. Of course, what we humans consider treasure is another matter. We are such a superficial and materialistic species and it WILL be the death of us and many innocent victims on our precious Earth.

[@sharib5922]

He needs to get a second opinion that is WAY TO LOW A PRICE!!!!!!

[@kluchakiller]

Most of the Churchill hats was sold at auctions in recent years fetch between 5k-12k.

[@TheGreatCigma]

My first reaction was that he's definitely getting low-balled. Personally I wouldn't even sell it, I'd lend/rent that stuff out to museums.

[@videocapturing]

@@TheGreatCigma how much does a museum pays for renting a stuff?

[@TheGreatCigma]

@@videocapturing I really don't know, but in my opinion, if it were my find, I wouldn't want it to go to a private collector, I'd want it to be somewhere the public could appreciate it, where it would be well cared for, and still actually belong to me.

[@matthewhortop7828]

@@TheGreatCigma I realise I am about to assume this mans salary however working at a recycling centre/tip/dump etc isn't a highly paid job. However I don't know this guy or his circumstances. But if someone was to give him 10k for something he found then that could be 6 - 8 months salary!

[@ChevyBM]

Amazing that a historic piece like this was saved from the dump!

[@iAmIronMan0605]

10 grand seems low to me. Let me call my buddy who deals with stuff like this.

[@R.W.S.]

"Look, I don't know anyone who wears top hats anymore. I'm taking all the risk here. Best I can do is take a shit on your head."

[@WrongThink_]

@@876r876rf Hey buddy ! I like how you replied to me with threats and quick deleted everything... just a quick note to let you know that after you delete it from youtube the evidence still exists... as in emails and notifications on the YT App... I will answer your question with the same question you asked me " Like how stupid are you ?" you should probably think a bit more before you let comments on YT tilt you to the point where you make threats against someone... you should probably see someone about that 0 -100 rage thing you have going on.. .it's not healthy... best of luck to you... have a good one !

[@SeeYouNextTues]

I'll give you 1200, it's a pig in a poke.

[@SG-xy6hf]

Luke, what a stupid name. Like naming your son ‘listen’ or ‘smell’ 😂

[@iAmIronMan0605]

@@SG-xy6hf Listen! Git yo ass in ear!

[@charlesmattina3787]

That's gotta be the saddest story never told. The son, with all the Churchill memorabilia, sitting in a box, with no one to know and no one to take any responsibility for it.

[@markdelej]

I was expecting it to be worth like 1 million pounds. Churchills hat that he wore during the war and his cigar alone must be worth a few hundred grand

[@danielscadden]

It’s just A hat though - Churchill famously wore a homburg

[@realtalk6195]

This isn't his only hat. Rarity affects price. 10k is a little low for the whole collection, but it's nowhere near 1 million.

[@karaamundson3964]

But those LETTERS... Honestly, beyond price, historically invaluable

[@SpacePirate3000]

10000 is so low for that.

[@jcortese3300]

That stuff seriously belongs in a museum, especially the letters. Wow.

[@Wally-H]

Actually Chartwell would be the most obvious home for it

[@EK-fl8yz]

I feel the same way .I think the museum will pay him more for sure 👍🇦🇺

[@Wally-H]

@@EK-fl8yz The National Trust are minted, I am certain they would pay handsomely to buy it for their collection at Chartwell (Churchill's home). I've been there and they have a superb collection of Winston's clothes, personal effects, gifts given to him by heads of state etc. This collection is bang on for what they exhibit.

[@EK-fl8yz]

@@Wally-H Thank you for that .I would love to see that next time we visit England 👍🇦🇺

[@Wally-H]

@@EK-fl8yz Highly recommended, and not too far from London. It's a beautiful house and gardens

[@phillipedwardness9591]

This bloke has been valuing antiques for his entire life but in this case I think it has to be worth more.

[@jeremypearson6852]

It’s only worth what someone is willing to pay for it. However, the letters could be worth more if published I guess. A lot of the appraisers like to err on the conservative side with valuations.

[@phillipedwardness9591]

For sure, I’d imagine owning those letters (if it enabled you to publish them in a book) would generate far more than £10,000!

[@Wally-H]

Very difficult even for an expert to value this collection because it is so unique - at auction if you got two bidders desperate for it, I think it would certainly go for at least double that valuation. Personally I'd like to have seen it end up back at his home in Kent, Chartwell, now run by the National Trust as it would be the perfect end to this story and its safe future would be guaranteed.

[@phillipedwardness9591]

@@Wally-H yes that definitely sounds like it would be a fantastic outcome

[@redcoat192]

I'm happy a down to earth chap ended up with the items whilst grafting and will give him a financial boost 👍🏻

[@Wally-H]

Agreed, they seem like a nice couple and well done him for rescuing important history from landfill!

[@secretforreddit]

I love how excited everyone in the background is about this! They all seem so happy for them about the value, plus excited about Churchill.

[@therainbowmastergod4207]

He sounds like Rodney, “ I found it down the dump Del”

[@christinetookey5637]

The accent doesn’t ring true to me....and his Gf has the poshest voice!.....

[@exerciserelax8719]

@@christinetookey5637 Yeah I found that interesting... Story seemed almost too good to be true. But I guess I'm a bit cynical. 🤷‍♂️

[@jamsxr]

Have you lot never been exposed to the working class? 🤣

[@shoot_the_glass5654]

You know when someone starts conversation like that, it's gonna be hard work. 😁

[@dannygeebee]

@@jamsxr working class don’t sound like that? Unless you work at the dump

[@scouser2010ify]

Who the hell would throw out that iconic load of stuff ? The letters need to be in a safe place and the hat should be in a museum

[@danielwhyatt3278]

It truly is one of the most shocking things ever.

[@scouser2010ify]

DT Undercover I know it’s disgusting all in the name of money it’s so wrong if someone’s dead any debt should be absolved they’re not around to pay it so take it as a hit

[@scouser2010ify]

DT Undercover that an absolute joke the greed these days totally disgusts me I hope you figured it all out buddy :)

[@scouser2010ify]

DT Undercover yeah I have a friend who has a serious issue with diabetes he has an aggressive form some people have it very mildly but kJ has severe issues down to his

[@kennywinter426]

DT Undercover if he had debt. They can do it unless you want to pay it

[@jeremypearson6852]

That’s incredible, I’m sure there’s probably enough letters to publish in a book. Churchill never goes out of style in the news.

[@antscala1]

I sincerely hope the Imperial War Museum was in touch with him directly afterwards. Those items, particularly the letters, are objects of national significance!

[@delanodegenie6970]

Absolutely agree... The 10k valuation is a nonsense..

[@turbotension]

I’ve been there! Awesome place!

[@NibberKSmooth]

Good man! And his find is worth SO much more than 10k, at least £100,000 no doubt about it.

[@jayj5292]

3:38 the man behind him shaking his head is my reaction, that is not enough money!

[@danielwhyatt3278]

Absolutely iiiiiincredible 😲🤩👍🏼 SOOOO LUCKY TO FIND THIS AT THE DUMP OF ALL PLACES.

[@lightningbug276]

Amazing! I read every Churchill Bio I can get my hands on.

[@AB-st8to]

Liz Arnott why?

[@kingofrivia1248]

A B What do you mean why😂😂😂🤣 - he is what it means to be british - he is the man who saved the world - he is a monarchistic royalist outsider in parliament who by some miracle became prime minister at exactly the time the world needed him - he is one of the most important people in human history

[@PRLake007.1]

All those historic items saved The hat alone would be priceless.

[@catrionaaldridge654]

Seems like a nice chap .I hope he gets alot more .

[@misaeire]

Delighted for this man's windfall and all the contents should be in a museum

[@cloudsparrow7729]

the hat really suits her. She looked great

[@JamesRussell69420]

2:22 is the most british shit I've ever seen lol "lets have the hat back, there we go"

[@JMc.D]

I would have thought it would be worth ten times that at least.

[@mikeythompson7777]

Me too!

[@thetempter9023]

They'll probably sell it for 40k after he sells it for 10 xD

[@Wally-H]

I doubt it but I could see it fetching 30 - 50K on the right day at auction.

[@donaldparlettjr3295]

Such a historical cache of one of the most recognized person of the 20th century and it's only £10,000 ?! I'd beg to differ. The lot would be one of the most interesting auctions.

[@Karl-dn9el]

10 K? Sounds like a bargin. I wouldn't have been surprised if he'd been saying 100K for the box

[@merlyn2121]

Antique Roadshow is a scam. Bet the show ended up buying this.

[@mrboyban]

His hat should be shielded in a Palace. Such a remarkable object owned by the most significant figure in the British history.

[@joeschlotthauer840]

10K, sounds like the appraiser wants to buy it... 100K is more like it, call Christie's...

[@kluchakiller]

Churchill hats usually sell between 5k-12k on an average.

[@TheWolfman112]

@@kluchakiller Yes but the 10k was for ALL of it. Not just the hat.

[@johnmason1239]

They aren’t letters by Churchill they are by his cook so 10k sounds reasonable

[@him050]

Dillan Moss the letters are worthless, they’re not in his hand.

[@andrewsewell9179]

Winston truly a great man

[@sandrakisch3600]

What an amazing story and find. Love it.

[@IsThisAvailable550]

Sadly, this sort of thing happens *every day*. I used to work for a property maintenance company (mainly social housing) and our staff would have to clear out properties after people had moved on or died, and the whole contents would come back to the yard and end up in the skip or crusher. It was criminal to see what was being destroyed. Over the years, I think I've seen just about everything discarded, from urn ashes to brand new boxed electrical items. From the guys who were doing the actual 'emptying', they've had cars, motor bikes, new furniture, new white goods, money, jewelry, you name it.... I mainly saw 'what they couldn't be bothered with' and I could have probably made a living from recycling that. As well as all that, the amount of items for health aid, was a criminal catastrophe. walking frames, walking sticks, fully electrically adjustable beds (must cost thousands) looking BRAND NEW. All went into the crusher or scrap yard.

[@roncaron8939]

most people don't have an eye or the imagination to think about whats being tossed. a story around 20 years ago. a recently widowed women, died they furnished there new apartment in 1950, with expensive furnishings of the period. . They only used the huge living room at holiday times. Everything was still brand new. She left lots of cash to her nephews who could care less about the furnishing. They told the building superintendent to empty the place. He had the good seance to call a dealer in 50s items. He was smart enough to get a letter from the nephews, giving him authority to enter the apartment and clear it out, because when it was learned that the furniture was sold for over $100,000. the nephews took him to court and lost.

[@Wally-H]

Well done to this guy for rescuing history that otherwise would have ended up in landfill.

[@kathryncarter6143]

Unbelievable find!! Way remarkable. I fully vouch that many treasures can be found at the dump. Once I saw an honest to God box of money. It was mostly coins & not a lot. But seriously, would ever through away a box of money???

[@jillcampbell8019]

A marvelous find! A real precious piece of history, and a personal artifact that once belonged to one of the greatest, if not the greatest prime ministers of the United Kingdom. How could anyone simply throw articles like these into a dumpster?

[@Wally-H]

I assume you are from the US so I’ll just explain, they were not thrown into a dumpster. What we call a ‘dump’ is actually a recycling centre where people can take any old trash or stuff they don’t want to get rid of it. The site will be full of large skips for various types of what you call garbage - one for cardboard, one for metal etc. and you literally throw it all in to get rid of it and then drive home. This guy works at the site and has obviously done a good job of rescuing some great stuff.

[@TRCFL]

That appraiser has the vibe of a used car salesman. Hope the owner didn’t sell.

[@realtalk6195]

They don't buy any of the goods. They only appraise for the show, and the show doesn't buy it either.

[@patricaomas8750]

Basically they are

[@jannarkiewicz633]

My grandmother was a U.S. surgical nurse and her unit treated Churchill. We will just say, "Not a war related wound." It was one of her funniest stories up there with Patton getting yelled at by the Sgt Major (a woman) and collision during the crossing.

[@steveprice638]

Anybody else think she looks cute in that hat?!

[@SantaBarbaraDianne]

Steve Price I wish I looked that cute in hats

[@steveprice638]

@@SantaBarbaraDianne I'm sure you look just peachy....

[@steveprice638]

@NowForTheTruth she has the most glorious smile!

[@paulanger2048]

That is a quote of what I was thinking. I was checking to make sure I wasn't a repeater.

[@steveprice638]

@@paulanger2048 it bears repeating!

[@matspurs1629]

this should be in a museum

[@royfearn4345]

Why?

[@mitchfleming274]

And being on The Roadshow increases the value...

[@michelehood8837]

Best dump find in history - way to go!

[@taxiuniversum]

I‘d say this is worth WAY more. Also, the moderator should have treated these objects with more respect.

[@LinkRocks]

My local museum has a Churchill display with some of his personal effects and these items would look great in those cases.

[@JagTheRipper]

10,000 pounds? No way it has to be worth more, I have seen random antique things sold for so much more.

[@TriMarko]

Absolutely. The hat alone, at a publicised open auction, would undoubtedly fetch more than 10k by itself from collectors.

[@penguinpie5056]

my thoughts exactly. it has to be at least in the 100s.

[@unaninanine3743]

So go and buy it for 10 and sell it for 100...

[@danielwhyatt3278]

No doubt it’ll go for faaar more than that.

[@englishrose4388]

I was waiting for a valuation of the letters, too. This is my favorite.

[@blackbird5634]

"I've worked there for like, 15 years, and I like, get to take home whatever I like." -man's a silver tongued devil isn't he? genius!

[@blackbird5634]

@Breath of Fresh Air ''the underclass suffers but doesn't learn from it.'' -Chomsky.

[@blackbird5634]

@Breath of Fresh Air No one's scared of the underclass because they can't organize, can't generate wealth and can't overcome their lack of education. This would have been different 100yrs ago with unions and an education system that favored a well rounded curriculum. But today kids are sent straight to trade schools where they are trained to fit into factory jobs, Walmart, McDonald's and the military. Essentially wage slaves for the corporations. You're angry and need to vent so this seems like the place to do that. I understand your frustration.

[@blackbird5634]

@Breath of Fresh Air I have the honor of being a citizen of a democratic republic, not the subject of a king.

[@jamesjameson4566]

@Breath of Fresh Air he's actually got himself a nice middle class girl

[@bsame]

@@blackbird5634 you sound like a moron, keep making a fool out of yourself

[@paulflute]

it's not jsut eh monetary value.. it's the fact that it is now saved.. especially the letters... amazing.

[@CritaCorn]

Pawn Stars: "Ill give you $40.00 bucks for it"

[@fredsalfa]

And do you have a certificate for it?

[@Samus7000]

“Forty dollars bucks”

[@anuragbohra9803]

It should be in millions.

[@CheekyFest]

10K seems low to me, too, I was getting ready for more like 100K

[@tomsoki5738]

Who could ever throw this stuff away?!?

[@Rambit]

The hat on its own would easily go for over a million. That is easily a national treasure. Any museum in the U.K would pay that much to own it

[@Tmanaz480]

That hat is in beautiful condition. They dont make that kind of silk any more.

[@KarvidSR]

That nervous loughter was from him trying to undersell this like crazy

[@IrishAnnie]

I remember my mother watching his funeral on TV. I asked who he was and she said, “He was the greatest statesman in the world”. We lived in West Virginia.

[@justonecornetto80]

His grandson Nicholas Soames reminisced once on his interactions with him at his at home at Chartwell when he was five years old. He went into his bedroom and asked "grandpapa, are you really the greatest man in the world?" Churchill replied "Yes I am, now bugger off!" 😂😂

[@NickRandles9]

winston churchill's top hat on the big british castle ! one million pounds !

[@briancornish1296]

It Should NOT have been Sold but given over to National Trust. Priceless History..

[@mjl9693]

Best I can do is $200, it’s going to sit in the shop and it’ll cost me a lot to get it framed.

[@lunzyboy]

Deal. Meet me level 40 wilderness world 46.

[@wanik4]

100% undervalued

[@WheelieBinMonster]

He saved the world and stood up against evil when the rest of the world wouldn't. That is worth way more than 10k.

[@zsong9600]

It is amazing what people will throw away.

[@PB-tr5ze]

I think it's a shame either someone didn't seem to know what they had or the family ended and someone just tossed it out because they didn't care.

[@joezingher4770]

I think the hat and the cigar are worth more than the letters. There are many people who had first hand knowledge of Winston Churchill and their thoughts are available.

[@birdman7135]

I would have expected more value for Churchill's frickin' HAT!!! ....That's like finding Michael Jackson's glove!

[@jayj5292]

MJs glove sold for £85,000 at auction, no offence to MJ but this is bloody Winston Churchill!! And along with the hat they are getting the letters, cigar and other pieces. They are taking the piss!

[@lordcharfield]

Or his nose 👃

[@birdman7135]

@@lordcharfield Yah, there's a very "narrow" market for his nose.

[@MaggotDiggo1]

He had more than one hat from what I understand. It would be worth more if it was the only top hat he ever owned.

[@quicksilver2510]

This guy would fit right into an episode of Only Fool's and Horses.

[@dalehorne9815]

Disappointed with that value. One and only Churchill hat about.

[@MrOuija-rr8kq]

Dude. I had a friend that worked in the dump and he got so much cool shit.

[@roncaron8939]

You don't have to know what your doing. Some people are born with an eye for quality! "one mans trash is another mans treasure"

[@CourtyardPigeon]

He's got Churchill's hat, cigar, 200 letters, and an autographed photo and that's worth $12k USD? If you're readying this Mr. Garbageman I will give you $15k USD right now.....send me a private note.

[@rogier151]

I'll give him 16k

[@dericksmith2137]

Exactly. This sounds more like a $100 k lot. A verified Winston Churchill cigar case? How many rich snots smoking $1000+ cigars would want that case? I’m not rich but I’ve had many $100 cigars. Fancy cutters go for $500 without being antique or owned by a celebrity. But cigar guys? Winston and WC are my top 2. So most iconic celebrity cigar smokers case? Just wow. Then the letters? Holy crap. Even if none are BY him but rather about him, some are from wartime!

[@leebuco8877]

Hey , its me out the video. I have had a revaluation on it for a private collector and he has offered me 100k cash . So you need to better that offer in 7 days

[@leebuco8877]

Reading, not rea dying

[@AnimeVideoEditor]

@@leebuco8877 Put it on auction... you´ll get more

[@88997799]

She’s thinking baby you aren’t ever quitting that job at the dump.

[@simonmorris4226]

And I was thinking how adorable the young lady looked in the top hat!😉

[@robertabray4890]

Great rescue maybe the letters could be turned into a wonderful book and I am sure it would be a great success. Or an upstairs downstairs TV program.

[@johnsradios484]

What is wrong with people, no England as we know if not for Winston Churchill leadership during WW2.

[@TequilaToothpick]

Just like Stalin.

[@NoJusticeNoPeace]

Churchill was a war criminal who knowingly and deliberately murdered 1,000,000 German POWs in concentration camps.

[@bailey2913]

NoJusticeNoPeace sometimes you have to fight fire with fire!

[@NoJusticeNoPeace]

+Bailey The way to stop a madman killing people in death camps is to open up and operate your own death camps?

[@bailey2913]

NoJusticeNoPeace The difference being the “your said” death camps were to kill the Germans indoctrinated by Hilters evil. The best form of defence is attack, and sometimes you have to give back what you get!

[@kyblack123]

The photo at the beginning makes her look like Jack Wild in a scene from HR Puffnsnuff. LOL

[@leighwest5564]

I want to see the letters - could be a PhD on that.

[@fabclark123]

could be a phd on... YOUR ASS!!!

[@sandrap.6530]

Hope they publish the letters in a book. Would be a good read for any Churchill fan.

[@godbluffvdgg]

Sounds like a scammer trying to Buy cheaply and Sell dearly... I've been around the collector/ auction game for decades...I've done a lot of work for one of the featured appraisers group in Antiques Road Show; Freeman Fine Arts, here in philly...That collection, properly marketed, is worth every bit of a couple million...

[@him050]

ROB-IN-PHILLY oh come off it. Churchill hats go for about £15k in a good auction and that’s the centre piece. The letters are worthless, they’re not in his hand or anything. The only clothing that’s going to fetch that sort of money (millions) are Napoleon’s uniforms or something worn by George Washington.

[@godbluffvdgg]

@@him050 It's all about marketing...

[@UnitSe7en]

@@him050 The letters aren't worth anything directly, but combined with the other artifacts, they help to validate the rest of collection as genuine. They then become valuable in that way, as well as gaining monetary value when included alongside.

[@him050]

@@UnitSe7en why would anyone want letters written by a servant?

[@UnitSe7en]

@@him050 I just explained why, but l'll do it again: Alone, they wouldn't. Fairly worthless. As part of this collection they are valuable because they provide a lot of supporting evidence for the other items being genuine. The other items also change in value. Without these letters, they are just a hat and cigar. With the letters, they gain their value because of evidence of them being genuine. I don't know why you don't understand.

[@fahidsourav]

Thank You Friend's ♥️

[@realdiggerz6914]

When the young lady put the hat on, I thought she was going to sing “ Consider yourself at home, Consider yourself one of the family”.

[@cent1989]

Great find, thats some history that would have sadly been lost. Auction it off we say!

[@sutats]

He gets to pull out whenever he likes.

[@truthseeker444]

There could be a problem with "found it at the dump" when reselling, heirs of the lady who wrote the letters could claim ownership, there was a case years ago where a woman found valuable paintings at the dump, when she went to sell them on, the descendants of the original owners claimed they had been stolen (they never produced evidence of this from what I remember), and the legal wrangling went on for years. Also my friend works at a council owned dump, once dumped the council retains ownership of the "rubbish", and council employees are not allowed to help themselves, and if they retrieve something that has been dumped, the council sees it as theft of council property.

[@phily8020]

Councils are pathetic. So what would get crushed and destroyed and instead rescued by staff is theft?? Ridiculous philosophy they have.

[@JustMe-gh7ib]

Whoever threw that stuff out must be so mad at themselves.

[@catrionaaldridge654]

I dumpped a box full of old coins by mistake before ,some were worth a pretty penny .even the box was worth money .

[@cdub531]

The hat is worth more than that alone.

[@coffeebotography]

I ran down to the dump to find FDR’s tophat and cigarette holder... nothing.

[@TheJestercraft]

I had an uncle that worked in the antiques appraisal. 90% of the time all the valuable antiques would be in the trash and the trash was to be appraised pile. Most people think shiny trash is great treasure but that old dull looking stuff is trash. Clean the old dull trash and you have treasure.

[@finbah5706]

how the hell did he find that at the dump? who threw it out??? crazy shit man.

[@alexanderpowell1528]

In Australia someone threw all of Breaker Morant's things away and someone else picked them up before the rubbish men collected them. Yes, Churchill is a thousand times more famous but it's a similar story of cash from trash.

[@bartonseagrave9605]

We knew a guy called Winston Churchill who live at the bottom of our street and he went round wearing a Top Hat and he smoked cigars. I think he was one of those guys that sold newspapers outside Tube Stations. Must have had lots of hats.

[@itislulunobody]

It's all worth far far more than that. Not sure why he'd said that.

[@RoseSharon7777]

Probably because it has no historical significance. The hat was probably never worn and theres no proof it was his. Same with the cigar. The letters were by another person not Winston himself. So, its difficult to put a high price on something like that. Imho.

[@itislulunobody]

@@RoseSharon7777 I guess that's true of you put it that way. Still, surely some people would be willing to pay far more.

[@jonjomadden4202]

Some things our priceless and that sure is

[@garethlewis3743]

A cigar collector would pay lots for that cigar, the sky’s the limit. I wouldn’t be surprised if they tried lowballing that guy after the show. A half smoked cigar sold for £9000.

[@jeannickqualao9733]

10,000 pounds for insights into Winston Churchill's life during war time.... I would figure it would be priceless

[@shynistemosby1816]

Btw love you guys

[@chris77777777ify]

I’ve heard stories of people working down dump who find money, gold all sorts of stuff. Think it’s cute such a nice guy gets treats too, so don’t look down up on people working at dumps. They are hard working people, who just couldn’t be bothered to do homework. Sometimes due to parents who drank a lot etc

[@LamiMartin]

Who else thought that was his daughter?

[@TheCubecrafer]

wait wait wait waait that his wife...?

[@corpgov]

good for him 😁

[@LamiMartin]

@@TheCubecrafer or girlfriend?

[@Mattyboy88979]

Yes yes yes yes that was the first thing i thought wtf

[@jadehadfield7626]

@@TheCubecrafer no she is a paid escort for the day as they wanted to film it.

[@Idontreadreplies23]

Amazing find. Whatever it’s value it would be going straight to the British Museum if I’d found it. Safe and sound.

[@Wally-H]

Best place for it would be Winston’s home Chartwell, which is a fabulous museum looked after by the National Trust, or the Imperial War Museum

[@John_F_Kennedy79]

*at the dump?*

[@gavinreid5387]

Council controller rubbish tip. Members of the public drive in and leave whatever they want to get rid of.

[@cmomofilm]

That's a serious underestimate, the letters alone, with providence and unbiased regarding his day to day activities and moods, historically important.

[@kitrichardson5573]

The British estimators seem to be routinely low maybe it’s just out of a natural cultural reticence

[@Teeveepicksures]

keep the owners expectations low so that after the show the appraisers get a cut on the back end from who ever brokers a deal. if the hat owner thinks it's worth 50k then he'll try to sell it for that. If he goes in thinking it's worth 10k (because the professional tv man said so) then the appraisers contact can get it for a steal. Then flip it by offering to high end clientele. ive no evidence of course, but i too have noticed routinely important items for WAY lower than anyone would ever guess. I mean ffs, it Churchill's HAT AND CIGAR. It's iconic not just for british but world history. A wealthy trustee would prolly pay 100k JUST to be able to donate that to a museum.

[@rmilrta]

@@Teeveepicksures Possibly libellous? Anyway absolutely no evidence.

[@kluchakiller]

Churchill hats usually sell between 5k-12k on auctions

[@Teeveepicksures]

@@rmilrta sue me

[@rmilrta]

@@Teeveepicksures Why would I?

[@massabielle2821]

This is invaluable historic treasure, infinite value. Please consider donating this, but don’t listen to this man.....10k? No way. If you wish to sell, find a reputable auction house, and allow them to do it for you. You do not want to scammed.