Antiques Roadshow expert's 4-word demand upon discovering the box's enormous value | TV and Radio

Antiques Roadshow’s resident expert Alastair Dickenson broke the good news to a shocked pensioner who had no idea his purchase was worth so much.

The silver game box he paid just £2,000 for was actually a 17th-century rarity, with King Charles I in portrait form on the top. Despite being an antiques expert himself, he was visibly surprised when he learned what a wise investment he had made.

The previous owner was not a fan of the item, dismissing it as merely “game discs produced by the horrible nobility”. However, Alastair explained: “At the top we have the portrait of Charles I and below we have his wife Henrietta Maria.

“What I particularly like about this box are these fantastic, fanciful, almost demonic figures all around here,” he marveled as he examined it. The owner agreed: “Absolutely beautifully drilled and engraved, but we should really say what it is.

“Well, I understand, when I bought it, I was told that they were game discs, produced by these horrible nobility many, many years ago, who did nothing but eat, drink and womanize!” Alastair joked: “Well, there we are! Nothing more to be said!”

He continued: “It’s a counter box, you’re absolutely right, and I think if we take the lid off we’ll see inside these fantastic counters, each beautifully engraved with different kings and queens of England.

“Now there is a maker associated with these and that is a chap called Simon Van de Pass and he died in 1647… so we know that this box, with the portrait of King Charles I, must be before 1647.”

He gave it an estimated date of 1640, before commenting that the maximum possible number of counters was included inside, differentiating it from other game boxes of its kind.

“This is very close to the counter capacity you can put in one of these boxes,” he clarified.

“Over the years, some of them have been auctioned off and few of them have as many as 32 counters because each one of them is a little work of art in its own right.

“It’s an absolutely fantastic detail. 32 little jewels add up to a reasonable sum.”

“Do they know? I’m waiting for you to tell me what that amount is!” exclaimed the excited retiree.

Alastair replied: ‘Well, I can say it’s more than (the) £2,000 (you paid). Now it’s £6,000 to £8,000!”

The shocked owner could hardly believe it as he joked that he would now need a “bodyguard” for protection after showing off his prized possession on the BBC show.