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HomeNewsWorld's NewsAncient Scroll of Mao Found in Hong Kong Is Worth Millions

Ancient Scroll of Mao Found in Hong Kong Is Worth Millions

An ancient scroll found in Hong Kong in a damaged state is estimated to be worth millions. According to the police it was cut in half after it was stolen in a heist on 10th September.

This Chinese calligraphy document was written by the founding father of the People’s Republic of China, Mao Zedong. It is believed to contain some kind of poetry. The multi-million dollar heist took place at the Hong Kong apartment of a popular art collector named Fu Chunxiao.

What Is The Value of Stolen Ancient Scroll?

According to Fu, whose the original owner, the calligraphy is estimated to worth around 300 million USD. The police said that the buyer purchased it for only 500 HKD (65 USD). He believed that the scroll is torn so it was a fake one.

According to the investigation, the scroll was apparently too big for art displaying units. Police concluded that someone may have ripped it in two pieces to display it properly.

The buyer surrendered on 22 September after a public appeal by the police. The police arrested the 49-year-old buyer on suspicion of handling stolen properties before releasing him later on bail. The answer to a typical question of who cut this historic piece of art, remained unclear.

Fu became sad after seeing the scroll in two pieces. He mentioned that it will definitely shrink the overall value of this historic artwork.

The Great Heist In Hong Kong

According to the police reports, three burglars entered Fu’s apartment to steal more than 4 billion HKD worth of art collection. The owner was in mainland China due to the coronavirus pandemic when the robbers swept his apartment in Hong Kong. They took 6 other calligraphy scrolls, 24000 Chinese postage stamps, and 10 coins. Mao’s scroll was the most valuable loot from this heist.

The stolen collectibles mostly included Mao Zedong’s original calligraphy and stamps. Majority of these relics are from the 1930s when the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) was not even in power. Fu was heartbroken over the loss of his priceless collection. According to the reports, the heist accumulated around 645 million USD. However, the owner could not provide independent appraisals of the stolen collectibles. Independent appraisal is a value estimated by a neutral party who does not have any financial interest in the asset deal.

Is Anything Else Recovered?

Police has arrested three men who are somehow linked with the robbery. They are being held on the suspicion of proving assistance to the actual robbers. According to police, at least two more people connected to this heist were on the run.

The officials have also recovered some of the stolen collectibles except the 24000 stamps and 6 other scrolls.

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