Antiques Road Trip presenters were astounded when a £20 item sold for £240 at auction.
Irita Marriott and Mark Hill were competing to find bargain antiques they could sell at auction for a profit. Irita had more than £400 to spend while Mark had a little over £100.
In the episode, which aired on BBC1 on February 28, Mark was convinced an item he spent £20 on could be worth a small fortune. However, neither Irita and Mark could have expected just how much his antique find would go for.
READ MORE: Brookside's Corkhills where are they now? From West End to Benidorm
Stopping off in Markyate, Hertfordshire, Mark visited a shop called Renovation and spotted two profitable collections to take to auction, reports the Daily Star. The first was a set of antique human anatomy models, which were mass-produced to help medical students learn more about the human body, without the need to wait for 'fresh cadavers.'
However, it was a set of London bus signs that turned out to be a money maker as it appealed to travel enthusiasts and locals alike. Mark said: "These are off a London bus, these would have sat on the front inside a frame telling you where the bus was going.
"Inside there would have been a little handle that the driver would turn to change the destination."
Auctioneer Lindsay Taylor said: "We've had a huge amount of interest in the Routemaster destination signs for this sale. The market for any transport items is really good at the moment and this sale is going online. There are lots of people all around the country who would love those, especially those in Essex where most of these are based."
And the experts weren't wrong as bidding on the item started at £140 and finished at £240, giving Mark a profit of £220. Irita said: "God. Mark, this is amazing." Mark said: "Thank you. A good buy, I think."
Receive newsletters with the biggest and breaking TV and showbiz news by signing up here
READ NEXT:
M&S to make change to every store impacting 40,000 workers
Expert says 11 minute exercise cuts risk of cancer and heart disease
Aldi's list of 30 places it wants to open stores with three planned for Merseyside
Eurovision 2023 tickets on sale next week with prices from £20
