LISTEN: North Charity Sells Off Donated Ring For £19,500
The sapphire and diamond ring was handed into a Highland Hospice store.
A sapphire and diamond ring handed in to a north charity shop has sold for £19500 at auction.
The piece of jewellery sparked a bidding war when it was sold off in Glasgow, pushing the price well above estimates.
All the money raised will now go towards running costs of the Highland Hospice in Inverness. A volunteer found it in a donation to one of the charity's shops.
staff decided to get it valued due to the size and quality of the stone.
MFR News speaks with Hayley Muir from Highland Hospice...
Susan Cooper, Retail Manager, Highland Hospice said: “It is quite shock that so much was paid for it but we are absolutely thrilled.
"I got an email notification as I couldn’t make the auction and I thought I was reading it wrongly or there had been a mistake.
"I called McTear’s who confirmed that I had read it correctly and thousands of pounds would soon be with the hospice.
"When we were given the ring we thought we might get some money for it but we never imagined we would raise this much. “We are currently in the midst of the Project Build Appeal to rebuild our In Patient Unit on Ness Walk in Inverness so we need to raise more funds than ever.
"This money will go towards the running cost so we can continue to provide the highest level of care to patients and their families across the Highlands.”