SALEM (WSLS 10) - A Goodwill worker with a good eye spotted what turned out to be a rare Confederate sword.
The item was donated to the Rocky Mount Goodwill store then sent to Farmer Auctions in Salem to be appraised.
"We see a lot of unique items, but something with this sort of historical significance and value, not as frequently. So it's exciting right now," said Goodwill E-Commerce Manager, April Dalton.
Appraisers looked it over for indicators that it was authentic and a not a reproduction. It turned out the sword was an original Confederate officers dress sword made in England for a company in South Carolina.
"This sword would have been purchased by an officer," explained Farmer Auctions owner Jarrod Hines. "This type of sword is expensive as it was something that they offered to the officers, but they had to buy their own sword for their dress uniform. And this would have been one of those."
The sword is expected to go for anywhere from $5,000 to $10,000 when it's sold at online auction Thursday, Hines said. The auction is set to begin at 3 p.m.with the sword expected to be auctioned around 6:30 p.m.
The money raised will go toward supporting Goodwill programs.
"One thing that we do in particular is the prison reentry," Dalton said. "That is completely funded by sales just like this sword."