€100 flea market 'typewriter' was WWII Enigma machine worth €45,000
A rare German Enigma I machine from World War II was discovered at a Romanian flea market by a cryptography professor who purchased it for €100. The machine was later auctioned for €45,000 after being identified as a significant piece of military history.
Why it matters
The discovery highlights the historical value of cryptographic artifacts and the potential for significant finds in unregulated secondary markets.
In 2017, a machine sold for €100 at a Romanian flea market turned out to be a German Enigma I used during World War II, after a cryptography professor recognised what the seller had mistaken for an ordinary typewriter. The rare machine later sold for €45,000 at an auction in Bucharest.The collector spotted the machine at a flea market and immediately recognised its significance. He bought it for €100 before eventually consigning it to Artmark, a Bucharest auction house.Artmark put the machine up for sale with a starting price of €9,000. It was eventually bought by an unnamed online bidder for €45,000.“The collector bought it from a flea market. He’s a cryptography professor and ...
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