Farmer’s pickling stone revealed as rare jade worth over 24 million baht
A farmer’s luck takes a surprising turn when a ‘stone’ used for pickling vegetables is valued at a staggering 5 million yuan (over 24 million baht) on a Chinese television show. The farmer, known as Li, brought the peculiar black stone to the show, where experts were astounded by its true worth.
China has a history spanning more than 5,000 years, during which countless valuable artefacts and treasures have been lost or damaged due to dynastic changes. Many items have been discovered but disregarded due to a lack of understanding of their true value. This was almost the case for Li’s black stone, which he had used for years to pickle vegetables.
Li made an appearance on China’s Central Television’s “Treasure Appraisal” holding his black stone, introducing himself as a farmer. The audience laughed when they heard his stone was used for pickling vegetables. However, the experts did not underestimate Li’s stone and asked the audience to refrain from laughing. After a careful examination, they expressed their astonishment to Li, telling him, “You are very lucky!” The pickling stone was valued at 5 million yuan.
Upon hearing the experts’ evaluation, Li was stunned. He explained that he found the distinctive stone while fetching water years ago. He decided to take it home and use it for pickling. Unlike other pickling stones, which typically last only a few years, this one had been used for many years without any issues. After a simple wash, it would look like new again. This led him to believe it might be a gemstone and decided to have it evaluated by experts.
The experts then explained why the pickling stone was so valuable. It turned out to be a type of jade known as “Tian Huang Xi.” This jade is rare and valuable, with its worth increasing with its size and depth of colour. Hence, Li’s large, dark stone was valued at 5 million yuan reported Sanook.
Given this unexpected stroke of fortune, Li was moved to tears. The tremendous value of the pickling stone could significantly alter the life of his family, who had been living in poverty. Indeed, it was as if good luck had fallen from the sky for this humble farmer.
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