The Most Valuable Collectors' Items in History

83. Thomas Carver Carved Decoy Duck

Manufacturer: Thomas Carver
Original price: $2.500 *
Worth Today: $270.000 *

A decoy duck is a fake duck that people make out of wood. They're often used in waterfowl hunting as a way to attract real ducks. Historically, these ducks were made from Atlantic white cedarwood, which can be found on the eastern coast of the US, starting in Maine and ending in South Carolina. Some early ducks were made of cork.

This duck decoy, made by Thomas Carver, broke a record when it sold for US $270,000. Copley Fine Art Auctions brokered the sale, which was the highest price ever for a decoy duck. Other decoys also sold for large sums of money at the Copley site, with a John English selling for US $ 246,000 and a Charles Wheel for US $ 198,000.