Antiques Roadshow guest is stunned after discovering the HUGE value of a 17th Century box and says he 'needs a bodyguard'

An Antiques Roadshow impermanent was gobsmacked aft discovering nan staggering worth of his metallic gambling container and joked he needs a 'bodyguard' to support it safe. 

The BBC show saw master Alastair Dickenson near successful utter daze arsenic he looked astatine nan 17th Century portion which featured a image of Charles I. 

Alastair said: 'My favourite play of English metallic is nan 17th Century and you've brought on a charming small container pinch a image of Charles I connected nan top'.

Interrupting, nan pensioner exclaimed: 'Is that what that is?'

Confirming nan history, Alastair replied: 'Yep. And earlier we person a look astatine it, what tin you show maine astir its past?'

The proprietor explained: 'Well I cognize very small astir it Alastair isolated from nan truth that I was successful business and 1 of nan group successful my agency came to maine and said he was a spot short of rate and was I willing successful this.

'And I was successful nan security business, specialising successful antiques, I said, "yes, I don't cognize thing astir it but it looks interesting. What do you want for it?"

'So he mentioned a fig and I said it was a spot alternatively connected nan precocious broadside truthful I said to him I wouldn't spell much than £2,000, he said, "OK, I'll return it" and I've had it ever since and that was successful 1988.' 

Expert Alastair past examined nan unsocial point and said: 'As I said, connected nan top, we've sewage nan image of Charles I and underneath we person his woman Henrietta Maria. 

'What I peculiarly for illustration astir this container is these fantastic, fanciful, almost demonic figures astir nan broadside here.'

The proprietor explained really erstwhile he bought nan ancient he was told by nan erstwhile proprietor it was 'gaming discs'.

He said: 'Absolutely beautifully pierced and engraved but we should really opportunity what it is. Well I understand, erstwhile I bought it, I was told it was gaming discs, produced by this atrocious gentry many, galore years agone who did thing but eat, portion and womanise'.

Laughing Alastair added: 'Well location we are! Nothing much to beryllium said! It is simply a antagonistic box, you're perfectly correct and I deliberation if we return nan lid off, we'll spot wrong these awesome counters, each 1 beautifully engraved pinch different kings and queens of England.

'Now there's a shaper associated pinch these and that's a chap called Simon Van de Pass and he died successful 1647. So we cognize that this box, pinch nan image of King Charles I has to beryllium earlier 1647 truthful I would day it to astir 1640.'

The pensioner was shocked and replied, 'good gracious' earlier confirming location was 32 counters successful nan box.

The master replied: 'That's beautiful overmuch adjacent nan capacity number of counters you tin get into 1 of these boxes.

'Over nan years, a fewer of these person travel up astatine auction and not that galore of them person arsenic galore arsenic 32 counters, because each 1 of these is simply a small portion of creation successful its ain right.

'It's perfectly awesome detail. 32 small gems each adhd up to a reasonable sum.'

The impermanent was near successful disbelief and said: 'Do they? I'm waiting for you to show maine what that sum is!'

Expert Alastair past delivered nan unexpected news to nan owner: 'Well, I tin show you it's much than £2,000. It's now £6,000 to £8,000.'

The proprietor was near gobsmacked, 'No! Golly' earlier joking, 'I request a bodyguard!'.