£15 charity shop ring linked to Princess Amelia sells for £5,500 at auction

A shopper who paid £15 for an old ring at a charity shop in Leicester has made thousands of pounds after auction experts linked the item to the British royal family. The rare ring turned out to be a 19th-century gold and enamel mourning ring made to mark the death of Princess Amelia, the youngest daughter of King George III and Queen Charlotte. It was sold at Hansons Auctioneers in Etwall, Derbyshire, where intense bidding from buyers around the world pushed the final price to £5,500. According to Hansons Auctioneers, the buyer spotted the ring among everyday items in a local charity shop without knowing its historical importance. After taking it to experts for an appraisal, specialists identified the detailed gold ring as a rare item from the Regency era.Hidden high street treasureCharles Hanson, owner and director of Hansons Auctioneers, described the item as "the most important charity shop find I've heard about in a decade." Details shared by Hansons Auctioneers show that when the owner brought the ring in for a valuation, specialists recognised features linked to royal jewellery made during the reign of King George III. "I was stunned and dazzled," Mr Hanson said in an officia...