A rare solid gold Cadbury egg has sold for a staggering £123,500 after sparking a fierce bidding war – smashing a world auction record.
Experts had expected the 22-carat gold egg to fetch between £15,000 and £20,000 when it went under the hammer.
But the unique ‘Conundrum’ egg eventually sold for more than six times its top estimate after bidders battled it out.
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The gleaming prize was one of just 12 created for Cadbury’s famous 1983 Conundrum treasure hunt.
The sale set a new world auction record for a Cadbury’s Conundrum egg, as well as a new record for the auction house.
Weighing 253g and standing 8cm high, the egg, known as ‘Cuckoo Cuckoo’, was produced by Royal goldsmiths Garrard and Co.
It is enamelled in translucent green and blue and features a detailed scene depicting a cuckoo nesting in a tree, as reported by What’s The Jam.
Expert Greg Bateman said: “To see ‘Cuckoo Cuckoo’ achieve £123,500 and set a new world auction record was absolutely incredible.
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“I am sure it will be one of the highlights of my career.
“It demonstrates the enduring appeal of nostalgia and the extraordinary demand for collectibles with a truly unique story behind them.”
The egg came with its original green leather presentation box, the perspex box in which it was buried, a wooden ‘Conundrum’ casket, a handwritten parchment letter and a copy of Conundrum: The Cadbury’s Creme Egg Mystery.
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Cadbury’s launched the Conundrum treasure hunt as part of a hugely successful advertising campaign in the 1980s.
Twelve perspex caskets were buried at secret locations around the UK, each containing a wooden box and handwritten parchment letter.
Members of the public were challenged to crack the clues and find the hidden locations, with successful treasure hunters then presented with one of the specially commissioned gold eggs.
“The Conundrum eggs are a fascinating piece of British cultural history,” Greg added.
“Cadbury’s created one of the most memorable advertising campaigns of the 1980s, capturing the imagination of millions with a nationwide treasure hunt that combined storytelling, mystery and the excitement of discovery.
“This egg represents so much more than a beautifully-crafted object, it is a tangible link to a moment in time when an advertising campaign became part of everyday life, inspiring people across the country to pick up the Conundrum book, and a spade, and try to solve the clues.”
‘Cuckoo Cuckoo’ was originally won by Clive Pinder, from Dorset, who discovered its hidden casket at Cricket St Thomas in Somerset.
He sold the egg at auction just eight years ago for £6,500 – meaning its latest sale price was almost 19 times higher.
The lot attracted thousands of online views ahead of the auction from around the world, including the USA, Japan, Sweden, Germany, France, Spain, the Netherlands, Italy, Denmark and Austria.
Bidding opened at £17,000 before quickly climbing through £18,000, £20,000, £22,000 and £24,000.
Several bidders across different platforms then battled for the egg, pushing the price to £30,000.
At that point, two bidders pulled away from the pack as the price soared through £40,000, £50,000, £60,000, £70,000, £80,000 and £90,000.
The hammer eventually came down at a staggering £123,500 including buyer’s premium.
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