Fisherman Finds 75 lb Pearl, Hides it for Ten Years Under Bed for Luck!

If you ask me the thing is a litte hideous but it's undeniably massive. Once certified, this pearl would destroy the previous record by more than 5x.

NY Daily News - Fisherman found giant pearl worth $100 million and kept it under his bed for 10 years

After discovering a 75-pound-pearl a decade ago in the sea off a Filipino island, a fisherman, who has not been identified, opted to stash it under his bed as a “good luck charm,” completely unaware of its $100 million value, Metro UK reported.

But after a fire claimed his small, wooden home earlier this year, the angler was forced to clear out his house and move — that’s when he handed the pearl over to the local tourism office who confirmed its value.

It looks a bit like a huge malformed tooth or a reaaaaally big wad of gum. I didn't know much about giant clams but apparently they can live more than a century and grow to be over 400 lbs and nearly 4' across.

He 'gave' it away? I bet.

But now that its worth a ton you think he'll get any of that? I bet.

Thats some clam that produced that. A pearl by definition but only worth the money because its so large. As far as a beautiful adornment, maybe for an elephant.

Poor bastard probably won't see more than a cursory amount from the government to help him rebuild his shack/ hut.

Still, if I lived in the area, I'd be diving every single day looking for these suckers. WOW that's a lot of money?!?! Definitely worth making a career out of finding them.

a reply to: intrptr

Here's the current record holder, it's a regular pareidolia fest:




a reply to: FlyInTheOintment

No mention of how much the unidentified fisherman might stand to benefit. The local tourism board is hoping it will be a draw but I'm having a hard time imagining that it's going to be responsible for millions of dollars in tourism let alone tens of millions.

The current record holder was also found in the Philippines. I guess they grow 'em big in the Philippines!

a reply to: FlyInTheOintment

And that's why there are almost no giant clams left.

a reply to: theantediluvian

Looks like a face almost.

a reply to: theantediluvian

Dbl post

a reply to: theantediluvian

I would chop a tree down in front of my house,leaving a 4-5 ft tall stump..
Then place the pearl on top ...

Make an awesome lawn decoration,and I bet it would look really cool in the light of a full moon.

Big ole' shimmering mushroom!

~meathead

a reply to: theantediluvian

Here's the current record holder, it's a regular pareidolia fest:

Indeed.
It is like Frankenstein's Monster crossed with the Mummy for me!

a reply to: theantediluvian

There has to be more of those out there. 100 million just sitting somewhere. I wish I had the energy to go look.

originally posted by: theantediluvian
a reply to: intrptr

Here's the current record holder, it's a regular pareidolia fest:

a reply to: FlyInTheOintment

No mention of how much the unidentified fisherman might stand to benefit. The local tourism board is hoping it will be a draw but I'm having a hard time imagining that it's going to be responsible for millions of dollars in tourism let alone tens of millions.

The current record holder was also found in the Philippines. I guess they grow 'em big in the Philippines!

Almost favors The Donald a little bit

a reply to: theantediluvian

I'm having a hard time imagining that it's going to be responsible for millions of dollars in tourism let alone tens of millions.

I'm having an equally hard time imagining it has a value of 100 million. Rich collectors have quirky tastes that are usually priced off market values. What the heck would anyone do with this beast? Do any private collectors obsess over misshapen pearls of this size?

It'll be a cool enough story ending if the reported owner gets some good money for it.

a reply to: Kandinsky

I'm dubious about the $100 million myself thought it's almost certainly worth several million. I'm learning all sorts of things today like the fact that basically all shelled mollusks are capable of making pearls though only certain of them produce nacreous pearls.

Also there are these "pearls" that are found in China called yemengzhu that aren't pearls at all but rather big chunks of fluorite that are shaped into spheres and polished.

Here's a big one that was unveiled in 2010 and was appraised at over $300 million (Oddity Central):


(not in fact, a giant bowling ball)

Another one from 2007 was reportedly valued at over $450 million.