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Man's Odd Collection Worth Fortune

AOL News

posted: 1 HOUR 27 MINUTES AGO

comments: 7

filed under: Weird News, World News

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(July 23) -- Tony Pilson has spent 30 years amassing a huge collection of everyday items that is now thought to be worth a fortune. What does he collect? You're probably wearing one right now.

Pilson, a "mudlark," collected over 2,500 buttons and cuff links from the banks of the river Thames in England. He donated the collection to the Museum of London for an exhibit unveiled Wednesday, the Daily Mail reported.

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Treasure Trove Along the Thames

Tony Pilson's collection of buttons and cufflinks is thought to be worth hundreds of thousands of British pounds. Pilson recently turned over the collection, including this glass bead from an 18th century cufflink, to the Museum of London. The artifacts, found along the banks of the river Thames, were unveiled in a new exhibit Wednesday.

Press Association

Mudlarking began during the Industrial Revolution, when poor people would scour the mud along the Thames for items of value that may have been dropped or discarded. Today's mudlarkers, like Pilson, are amateur treasure hunters with a special permit to seek out objects as a hobby, armed with modern technology like metal detectors. The hunters are obliged to turn their findings over to the museum, according to BBC News.

"Rubbish... used to be dumped in the river, meaning that many curious items were left there," said Hazel Forsyth, senior curator at the Museum of London.

Those "curious items" include the buttons and cuff links 76-year-old Pilson collects, which easily detached from clothing as people traveled by boat along the river. Pilson has also found silverware, smoking pipes and even some Victorian-era pornography.

His button collection, however, may be the most impressive find. Made of silver or pewter and some even dating back to medieval times, Pilson's collection is thought be worth hundreds of thousands of British pounds. He kept his prized possessions in his bedroom, before turning them over to the museum.

The majority of the buttons date from the 1300s to the 1800s, the age of "conspicuous consumption." Many buttons are emblazoned with unique insignias, meant to designate social status.

'It is an extraordinary feeling to know you have unearthed something from so long ago, just sitting there beneath the surface of the hustle and bustle of the city," Pilson said. "It's the luck of the draw, the uncertainty of what you might find that makes it so appealing."

For more on Pilson's collection and mudlarking, read the Daily Mail.

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Eye on the News

Cinders fly in the air as a member of the Belchite fire brigade works to fight a fire in Andorra on July 23.

Pedro Armestre, AFP / Getty Images

2009-07-23 15:40:52

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JBJG24M

06:26 PMJul 23 2009

I'VE GOT A COLLECTION OF PLAYBOY MAGS !

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WARMPUNANY

06:10 PMJul 23 2009

HOLY BARNEY FRANK ... THAT'S WEIRD.

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WARMPUNANY

06:08 PMJul 23 2009

WHY DON'T THIS DEMOCRAP TYPE GET A LIFE?

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Fknhippie

05:59 PMJul 23 2009

it makes me think about my mom her grandpa used to play poker and him and his buddies would play with gold coins they had saved from the depresssion. They didnt realize how much they were actually worth and gave a bunch to my mom she still has them and would never sell them but they are priceless especially since they were recalled and collected by the government to put into the national treasury. Sometimes it pays to think about the future value of everyday items

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Laurarvail1

05:57 PMJul 23 2009

very cool - history and reward - how sweet!

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Kookabob