To Hosman, I guess you did not really read my post. Please read it again and do not try to read things into it that are not there. I did not say the owner did not have a right to insure it. I also did not say the owner could not sell it and make money from it. If one lists a "valuable" item at $5 and it sells for $200,000, then there is a large profit to enjoy. If one lists a "valuable" item and it sells for only $10, then there is only a small profit to enjoy. An items' worth is what a buyer is willing to pay for it at a given point in time, not what a price guide says, not what a neighbor says, and not what someone on the internet says. It is 'worth' what someone pays for it. As for insuring it, I only pointed out that monetarily, the owner would have only been out the actual $5 that was paid for it if it was not insured and there was a subsequent loss or damage. One pays to insure objects based on the perceived value and inherent risk. The amount one pays depends on many factors including 'value' of the object, area of the country lived in, city lived in, etc. On many insurance policies this paperweight would be added on a rider and be listed separately. The extra cost would be above and beyond normal household insurance. The owner would have to determine if the cost of the rider would be worth the added cost of insurance. Could the owner obtain another Tiffany paperweight of like style for $5? Probably not. Is it worth $100 (with a noticeable scratch on it) like the one on eBay sold for? Probably not. Would I insure it? No, because as I mentioned, I paid $5 for it and I would only be out $5 if lost or stolen. I am willing to assume that risk. The owner may not be willing to assume that risk. It is the owners decision to insure it and it is the insurance companies right to insure it or not and accept an appraisal from a qualified appraiser in that area. I do not know of any insurance company that will accept an appraisal of an object from an antiques forum where the object was viewed only by pictures on the internet. Right now, it is a nice piece of scratched glass with the words "Tiffany & Co" engraved in it. Anyone can get that done on any piece of glass. Only a qualified appraiser can verify whether or not it is Tiffany and its' insurance value. What will that cost? A lot more that the $5 paid for it.
