An guest became visibly overwhelmed and wiped away tears upon learning the astonishing value of a treasured family heirloom on the show.
Charanjit Singh had brought his father’s “prestigious” medals to Pollock Park Country Park, Glasgow, when the show visited. It fell to expert Mark Smith to examine the treasured family possessions, which included a Victoria Cross medal.
The expert was clearly excited when presented with the treasure and explained the item’s rarity. “This is the ultimate moment because there is really only one medal that every medal collector craves to have in their collection,” he said.
The Victoria Cross is Britain’s highest award for gallantry that can be awarded to members of the British and Commonwealth Armed Forces.
Mr Singh’s father, Captain Gian Singh, was awarded the honour for heroic actions in Burma, now known as Myanmar, during World War 2. This was the first time the programme had ever featured a Victoria Cross awarded to a Sikh Soldier
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Antiques Roadshow guest wiped away tears as his family heirloom was given a six-figure price tag (Image: BBC)
The guest confessed his father never spoke about why he was honoured with the medal but the citation accompanying it detailed the brave acts that led to his recognition: “Firing his Tommy guns and hurling grenades, Naik Gian Singh made two lone charges against the Japanese astride the…Mingan Road in Burma.
“It was essential that the enemy should be dislodged from this area, and when a Punjab platoon assaulting a nearby village came under very heavy fire, Naik Gian Singh ordered his machine gunners to cover him as he rushed the enemy foxholes.
“Our tanks had now moved up and come under fire, but Naik Gian Singh, who had sustained several wounds, again rushed forward and annihilated a Japanese anti-tank gun crew, capturing the weapon single-handed. He then led his section in clearing all enemy positions.”
Despite his injuries, Singh requested to continue leading his section until the “whole action had been completed” and was granted permission.
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Antiques Roadshow expert Mark Smith was tasked with valuing the rare medal (Image: BBC)
Clearly impressed, Mark exclaimed: “Wow. So I know these things happen really just in the heat of the moment but that still takes some bravery to do that.
“To be that involved in the battle and to just keep going even though he’s wounded is absolutely incredible. And he never spoke about it.”
Explaining some background of the medal, Mark said it was made of bronze, as per Queen Victoria’s wish, who said she didn’t want it to be “made of something precious…it’s not about the medal, it’s about the deed behind the medal.” He then disclosed the worth as a quarter of a million pounds as onlookers gasped in amazement.
Unfazed by the valuation, the guest declared emphatically: “Wow. Even if it’s worth £2 million, £10 million, still we won’t part with it, no way,” before subtly wiping away a tear.
Viewers took to X to share their thoughts on the scenes. One exclaimed: “Quarter of a million! I certainly wasn’t expecting that. #AntiquesRoadshow.”
Another penned: “Hearing this #VictoriaCross citation is deeply moving, and the expert’s valuation jaw-dropping. #AntiquesRoadshow.”
A third wrote: “A quarter of a million for the medals. Have a feeling a military museum is going to get in touch very soon #antiquesroadshow.”
And a fourth said: “#AntiquesRoadshow Victoria Cross. Wow.”