PHOTOS: Man Finds 2,300-Year-Old Ancient Treasure Under His Bed Worth Thousands

A 2,300-year-old ancient Greek artifact was discovered in a worn cardboard box beneath the bed of a retired man in the United Kingdom. The gold crown, that features a wreath of golden leaves, is believed to date back to 300 B.C., according to reports and could be worth more than $150,000 when it goes to auction.

Apparently the man found the item in a box of things he’d inherited from his grandfather. Photos show that the crown had been kept wrapped in tattered newspapers.

According to Guy Schwinge, one of the auctioneers who estimated the piece, the crown is eight inches across and weighs about 100 grams, handmade from pure gold.

“It is notoriously difficult to date gold wreathes of this type,” said Schwinge. “Stylistically it belongs to a rarefied group of wreaths dateable to the Hellenistic period and the form may indicate that it was made in Northern Greece.”

Decorative leaves made of gold in this way were meant to imitate the wreaths of real leaves significant to religious ceremonies of the time.

They could be given as prizes to winning athletes and artists, and usually depict laurel, myrtle, oak or olive leaves. Apparently these leaves were symbolic of wisdom, triumph, peace and virtue, among other things.

Because the gold is so delicate, these crowns would have only been worn on special occasions.

It’s not clear how the unidentified man’s grandfather came to be in possession of such a rare artifact, but he did travel throughout the 1940’s and 50’s, so his grandson believes he may have purchased it during those years.

He said that finding the piece and hearing of its estimated value left him in disbelief.

See the beautiful gold piece in the slideshow above.