A couple were left gobsmacked after discovering their old biscuit tin which they kept in a kitchen cupboard for decades was a rare collectors' item from 1929 worth £1,500.
The Huntley & Palmers biscuit tin had been gathering dust for 25 years after its owners tucked the object away in a cupboard and forgot all about it.
But after the retired couple moved house they discovered the colourful red and cream tin and took it to a free antique valuation event to find out more about its history.
And the pair were left stunned after experts revealed the container was a prized collectors’ item which is now set set to fetch between £1,000-£1,500 at auction.
The striking 90-year-old biscuit tin doubles up as a clockwork double decker motor bus destined for London's Liverpool Street complete with passengers and driver.
East Bridgford
"It was made 90 years ago and dates back to the start of the Great Depression in 1929. It’s survived unscathed through numerous world events including the Second World War which lasted from 1939 to 1945.
“Thanks to the ingenuity of their designs, Huntley & Palmers biscuit tins became as highly prized as the products they contained. Now they are collectors’ items.
"I inherited it from my mum and she got it from her cousin who used to run a corner shop in the Doncaster area a long time ago. It was found in a cupboard at the shop.
“We came across it again when we moved house. You put things away and just forget about them.”
Steve Fulford, toy valuer at Hansons, added: “A clockwork mechanism underneath the bus would have originally to enable it to move.
"The key has not been moved for a very long time but it should be possible to get it functioning again.
"It’s a lovely find.”
