‘s record for the most profit made by an item was set in 2002 and still stands today. The trinket box was bought by a team for £140 and sold for £800 at auction on the show. The moment was revisited as part of a special to mark a quarter of a century of the antiques hunting game show where the original Bargain Hunt presenter David Dickinson could be seen cheering at the result.
The Blue team, made up of Ally and Diane, were paired with expert Michael Hogben, as they went shopping at Ardingly antiques fair in West Sussex. They paid £140 for a George Johnson 1908 Royal Worcester flamingo trinket box. While it was expected to do well everyone appeared surprised when it made a profit of £660 and earning them a place in the Bargain Hunt history books. It hasn’t been topped over the past 23 years.
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David Dickinson and the blue team were thrilled to make a huge profit in a 2002 Bargain Hunt episod (Image: BBC)
This was in sharp contrast to the poorest performing item ever to appear on the show.
The expert responsible was Tim Weeks who was leading a blue team who paid £60 for a vintage, rusty ice cream fridge.
Despite the auctioneer lowering the starting bid to just 50p, when it got to the sales room .
He recalled the incident on the anniversary show as they broadcast a clip of the incident. He and his team were eyeing up the ice cream cart whch was going for £80.
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David Dickinson was the Bargain Hunt presenter when a team turned the highest ever profit (Image: BBC)
Having managed to secure it for £60 they brought it to auction but Tim realised they may not turn a profit as soon as he walked through the door.
“I remember Catherine Southon telling me off as I walked in the sale room,” he remembered as a clip of the auction in question was played.
“Despite even asking for 50p for the curio it received no bids leading one of the team to exclaim: “I’m so ashamed!”
“No bids and unsold on Bargain Hunt. I made history,” Tim laughed.