A shopper who paid £15 for an old ring at a charity shop in Leicester has made thousands of pounds after auction experts linked the item to the British royal family.
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experts → pay → family
The rare ring turned out to be a 19th-century gold and enamel mourning ring made to mark the death of Princess Amelia, the youngest daughter of King George III and Queen Charlotte.
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ring → turn → III
It was sold at Hansons Auctioneers in Etwall, Derbyshire, where intense bidding from buyers around the world pushed the final price to £5,500.
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bidding → sell → 5,500
According to Hansons Auctioneers, the buyer spotted the ring among everyday items in a local charity shop without knowing its historical importance.
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buyer → accord → importance
After taking it to experts for an appraisal, specialists identified the detailed gold ring as a rare item from the Regency era.
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specialists → take → era
Hidden high street treasure
Charles Hanson, owner and director of Hansons Auctioneers, described the item as "the most important charity shop find I've heard about in a decade."
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I → describe → decade
Details shared by Hansons Auctioneers show that when the owner brought the ring in for a valuation, specialists recognised features linked to royal jewellery made during the reign of King George III.
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specialists → share → III
"I was stunned and dazzled," Mr Hanson said in an official announcement published by the auction house.
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Hanson → stun → house
"From a simple box emerged a piece of deeply personal Royal history, commissioned by the Royal family itself to honour a lost loved one.
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piece → emerge → one
This mourning ring was created to commemorate the life and death of Princess Amelia, and it speaks volumes in its craftsmanship and symbolism.
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it → create → craftsmanship
Princess Amelia was born on 7 August 1783 and was the youngest of the 15 children of King George III and Queen Charlotte.
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Amelia → bear → III
She was widely reported to be her father's favourite daughter.
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She → report → ?
She died on 2 November 1810, aged 27, after a long battle with tuberculosis.
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She → die → tuberculosis
Historical records cited by Hansons Auctioneers state that her death deeply affected the King and played a major role in his final and lasting decline in mental health.
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death → cite → health
According to accounts of her final hours, Princess Amelia pressed a ring containing a lock of her hair into her father's hand as she lay dying.
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she → accord → hand
She is said to have whispered the words "remember me".
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She → say → me
After her funeral at Windsor, her elder brother, the Prince Regent, who later became King George IV, asked court goldsmiths Rundell, Bridge & Rundell to make 52 mourning rings.
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who → become → rings
These were made in her memory and given only to close family members and trusted friends of the royal household.
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These → make → household
The ring has a crown design above the initial 'A'.
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ring → have → A
It also carries the words "Remember me" in white enamel.
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It → carry → enamel
"The white enamel used in the ring denotes that Amelia was unmarried at the time of her death," Mr Hanson explained.
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Hanson → use → death
"White enamel symbolised purity and innocence in mourning jewellery, particularly for those who died young or unmarried.
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who → symbolise → those
It contrasts with the more commonly used black enamel, which signified general mourning."
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which → contrast → mourning
When the royal goldsmiths Rundell, Bridge & Rundell made the 52 mourning rings in 1810, each one cost 58 shillings, according to the original invoice.
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one → make → invoice
Interest in these royal memorial items has continued over the centuries.
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Interest → continue → centuries
Records held by Hansons Auctioneers show that Queen Mary bought an identical mourning ring for the Royal Collection in 1935.
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Mary → hold → 1935
Before the June Fine Art, Silver, Jewellery & Watches Auction at Hansons' Derbyshire auction house, experts estimated that the ring would sell for between £3,000 and £4,000.
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ring → estimate → 3,000
"This find proves treasures still lie hidden on our high streets," Mr Hanson said before the sale.
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Hanson → prove → sale
"It's not just the monetary value, it's the emotion, history and humanity behind this ring that truly moves you."
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that → move → you
Surpassing estimate under the hammer
On auction day, buyers bidding by telephone, online and in the auction room competed for the ring, listed as Lot 63 in the catalogue.
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buyers → surpass → catalogue
Daniel Armstrong, fine art auction lead at Hansons Auctioneers, oversaw the sale as bids rose above the original estimate.
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bids → oversee → estimate
The ring eventually sold for £5,500.
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ring → sell → 5,500
This gave the buyer a return of more than 360 times the £15 paid at the charity shop.
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This → give → shop
"This sale was a perfect marriage of beauty, history and market energy," Mr Armstrong said in a post-auction report published by Hansons Auctioneers.
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Armstrong → say → Auctioneers
"From ancient craftsmanship to royal remembrance, we were privileged to handle pieces that resonate deeply with collectors.
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that → handle → collectors
Bidders were competing with purpose and passion, it was a joy to watch."
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it → compete → purpose
Other items included an Ancient Greek chalcedony ring, which sold for £5,600, and a Regency partner's desk, which raised £38,000 for charity.
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which → include → charity
The Aporia
