For years, this woman horded her grandmother’s possessions down in her basement.
Decades passed, and a collection of items and gadgets gathered dust without anyone bothering to open the boxes.
The woman was aware her grandmother was a devout Mormon, and so extremely religious.
What she didn’t know, is that there was a historical treasure hidden amongst the things she had in storage.
When searching through her grandmother’s belongings, the woman found a copy of a hymn book. Said book, published by the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, dated back to 1844.
For those who don’t know, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the official name for the religion known more commonly as Mormonism.
Interestingly, record has it that the first ever hymnal book of this type, published by the church, dates back to 1835, predating this woman’s version by just nine years.
The woman decided to ask experts on America’s Antiques Roadshow, so that they might tell her more about the hymn book. It worked out pretty well, since the TV show shot an episode in Salt Lake City, where Mormonism has both its headquarters and a great deal of followers.
Expert advice
Well-known bookseller Ken Sanders has seen a lot in his day, but he knew instantly that the book was something out of the ordinary. The woman herself admitted that before sitting down with Sanders she had no idea how old her grandmother’s book really was.
Ken proceeded to explain that this copy was one of the earliest published versions of the hymnal. Within its pages were notes and texts that made it extremely rare.
Hymnals were designed to be used on church benches by the masses. When copies were worn, the church would simply throw them away and print new ones. However, this woman’s family had saved her grandmother’s book for a great many years.
When Sanders revealed just how much that act could earn her, she began to cry and shake.
Naturally, she asked what he would recommend doing with it. Sanders told her to keep the book in a safe place (preferably an actual safety-deposit box).
Watch the the moment this woman is told the true value of her book, below. It’s not everyday you get to see something like this.
What a wonderful reaction this woman has – it’s clear that it means a lot to her on many different levels.
Please share her amazing response if you, too, enjoyed watching this.
