The Appraiser's Archive: Unearthing Hidden Treasures
- Danny Triplett
- Mar 7
- 4 min read
Today's edition of The Appraiser's Archive is all about discovering overlooked treasures and (while not as exciting but equally as important) the future of estate tax laws. We spotlight a valuable watercolor we discovered in a client's garage, take a look at recent archaeological discoveries in Europe, explore changing estate tax laws and their impact on estate planning (professionals, we want to hear your thoughts!), and introduce an exciting new service that enables you to unlock the value of your personal property from the comfort of your own home for an affordable price.
PERSONAL PROPERTY SPOTLIGHT
Today's personal property spotlight is on a watercolor painting we found in a client's packed garage while photographing items for an estate tax appraisal. What could have accidentally been sold at a garage sale for $50 was appraised by Valuables Appraisal Service for over $50,000. The 1926 watercolor painting is by American artist John Marin on pure linen, handmade paper. Marin was known for making his own frames for each piece of art, although this one no longer had its original frame. We fortunately found this artwork undamaged apart from the torn matting, but it's not uncommon for valuable art to be stowed away without proper protection and get overlooked by heirs or relatives years later. Our two takeaways: invest in the protection of your fine art, and when in doubt, get potential valuables assessed by a professional appraiser.
Do you have a potentially valuable item you want to learn more about?
UNLOCKING VALUE: INDUSTRY INSIGHTS
Roman weaponry and 15th century coins — in the spirit of uncovering valuable and rare items, we're taking a look at these two recent, incredible European discoveries.
While searching for World War II artifacts, two Polish metal detectorists found a two-thousand year old Roman sword buried in the Polish Jurassic Highlands. Archaeologists believe the sword to be a Roman broadsword called a spatha. This particular spatha is thought to have been used as part of a burial ceremony due to findings that it had been burned and deliberately broken. The sword will eventually find its way to the Mokra Museum in Poland for exhibition.
Across the North Sea in Scotland, another pair of detectorists unearthed a rare collection of 15th century coins including English silver groats and Scottish gold demys and half-demys. The coins date back to the reigns of Scottish Kings James I and II, and English Kings Henry V and Edward IV. The discovering duo will receive a monetary award for their find. The historic collection itself, which is thought to have been stashed away during a period of political conflict between Scotland and England, is in the hands of the Scottish Archaeological Finds Allocation Panel, which will determine where the coins go next.
THE PROFESSIONAL'S CORNER
If you work in the estate planning industry and are anything like us, the future of federal estate tax might be on your mind these days. With the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) sunsetting on December 31, 2025 — and recently proposed legislation to abolish federal estate tax altogether — planning for your client's future is anything but certain at the moment.
While estate planning and tax laws are always in flux, particularly with changing administrations, these two potential changes are top of mind for us right now. Here's a quick breakdown if you need a refresher or aren't familiar:
2017 TCJA Sunset: In 2017, President Trump enacted a series of revisions to federal tax law. Particularly of interest to us is the increase in estate and gift tax exemptions. The exclusion was increased from $5 million to $10 million, adjusted annually for inflation. After the law sunsets and adjusted for inflation, the exclusion will decrease from $13.99 million in 2025 to $7.2 million in 2026. In other words, more of your client's estate or gift will be taxable.
Repealing federal estate tax: A number of U.S. politicians — including U.S. Representatives Randy Feenstra and John Thune, as well as Senator Kevin Cramer — have introduced legislation to repeal federal estate tax.
While we aren't estate planning experts ourselves, it seems that the overwhelming response by actual experts has been the same: plan strategically. With exemptions being halved after 2025, now may be the time for wealthy families to give while exemptions are still high. And with so much uncertainty around the future of federal estate tax itself, flexible planning is more paramount than ever.
If you're helping clients navigate giving or estate tax planning involving high-value personal property, Valuables Appraisal Service can help simplify your work with our IRS-qualified appraisal services.
Are you an estate planning professional with opinions about changing estate tax legislation? We want to hear from you!
VAS NEWS
Valuables Appraisal Service is thrilled to announce a new service to help our clients obtain fast, simple value estimates for their personal property: virtual valuations. Do you have an item you've been planning to sell, trying to send to auction, or are simply curious about but don't have the time or know-how to begin your research? Our virtual valuations allow you to submit photos and information about your item in minutes and receive a valuation report within three business days.
Your report will include an identification, description, and valuation of your item.
No subscriptions. No hourly fee. Only pay for what you need: $40 per item. If you're overwhelmed by the thought of providing the right photos and information about your item, check out our Virtual Submission Guide, which outlines exactly what to upload. Book today and unlock the value of your items!
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