Treasure discovered on Mont Blanc sold at auction
Emeralds and sapphires discovered on the Mont Blanc massif half a century after the crash of an Indian plane have been sold at auction.
The Bossons treasure was discovered ten years ago on the glacier of the same name by a young hiker from Savoie, Swiss public radio, RTS, reported on WednesdayExternal link. The authorities made the connection with the Kangchenjunga, an Air India Boeing 707 that crashed in the area in 1966.
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No heir having come forward, the stones were divided, as required by law, between the discoverer and the town of Chamonix (Haute-Savoie) where the glacier is located. At the time, each lot was valued at €150,000 (CHF144,000).
It was the discoverer’s share that was sold at auction. Chamonix’s share is on display in its crystal museum.
The sale attracted around 40 bidders in the auction hall and more than 300 online. In half an hour, the hundred or so stones, valued at €6,000, sold for a total of €25,000.
An Indian jadeite stone with a starting price of €150 sold for €1,100.
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