The presence of the emerald jewelry box caused a climax in the auction. The final price of 20,000 dollars made everyone gasp in surprise.
Twenty thousand dollars was six months salary for many families.
Most of the crowd came from ordinary families who had never participated in big auctions like Christie’s and Sotheby’s. Therefore, when they saw something like the small jewelry box costing 20,000 dollars, it was an eye-opening experience for them.
According to custom, the most valuable auction items were saved until last.
However, the emerald jewelry box had sold during the middle of the auction. The most expensive items at charity auctions sponsored by this church usually sold for about three to four thousand dollars; that seemed like nothing compared to 20,000 dollars.
