Antiques Roadshow guest blown away by bold valuation – but refuses to sell
A gobsmacked Antiques Roadshow guest was left stunned after discovering the eye-watering value of her great-grandfather's collection of cycling badges.
Expert Paul Atterbury was at the ready on Sunday's show (September 22) to assess the badges, originally belonging to the guest's one-armed, diehard cyclist great-grandfather. Exceeding all endurance expectations, he pedalled from Swindon to London and back in under nine hours.
The guest revealed William Albert Cooper's story, born in 1888, who lost his arm during the First World War and remained a dedicated participant in the Swindon Wheelers Cycling Club.
Analyzing his bicycle, Paul commented: "To me [his bike] looks like a fairly conventional gents' tourer it's got drop handlebars, it probably had three or four gears, and it was heavy."
"Of course he was a member of this club the Swindon Wheelers Cycling Club. Club cycling was so important in those days there were clubs all over Britain, competitions... it's not like it is today," reports the Express.
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Discussing the significance of the badges, Paul noted: "That's what takes us to all these badges, that he won in various competitions. Some of them are local, some of them are national. In a sense this is the history of his career."
While reading the accompanying certificate for the badges, Paul remarked on William having finished the race in eight hours, 55 minutes.
Paul added, astonished: "It's unbelievable. Just think about that. It's about 84 miles in nine hours, a one-armed man on his own on a fairly old fashioned bicycle. How did he do it?"
The guest expressed pride, noting: "I'm very proud," in response to the evaluator Paul's comments on her collection.
Paul then unveiled the 'true' worth of the assemblage: "What you've got to think about are these badges. Some of these are gold. They're all dated and they all relate to particular events."
He enthused: "There's probably getting on for £1,000 worth there. Think of the weight of the gold ones!"
Upon hearing the substantial valuation, the guest graciously responded: "Thank you. It's not going anywhere, as everyone says."