NEWS
Goodwill Shopper Snags Ancient Roman Relic for $34.99
Source: Goodwill
Ah, Goodwill – it’s a treasure trove of thrift-store clothing, unused exercise DVDs, and even ancient Roman relics!
According to CNN, one Goodwill shopper in Texas found an attractive marble bust that turned out to be 2,000 years old.
Shopper, Laura Young, came across the 52-pound marble bust at an Austin-area Goodwill back in 2018. Priced at just $34.99, Young knew she had to have it, although she had no idea the relic dated back to Roman times.
According to CNN, Young was eager to find out if the bust had any history, so she began contacting auction houses and experts.
Eventually, Sotheby’s confirmed the bust was from Roman times.
Lynley McAlpine, a postdoctoral curatorial fellow at SAMA, told CNN it is believed to be the bust of Sextus Pompey, a Roman military leader.
Although it is unknown how the bust ended up in America, CNN reports an expert found photos from the 1930s in Bavaria, Germany.
“I would really love it if whoever donated it came forward,” Young told CNN. “It’s most likely not the original person who took him, but would still like to know the story.”
The bust is currently on display at the San Antonio Museum of Art (SAMA) until 2023, when it will be returned to Germany.
