A Romanian flea-market seller thought an old machine was a typewriter and let it go for €100; the buyer, a cryptography professor, recognized a World War II Enigma I and sold it at auction in 2017 for €45,000

A Romanian flea-market seller thought an old machine was a typewriter and let it go for €100; the buyer, a cryptography professor, recognized a World War II Enigma I and sold it at auction in 2017 for €45,000

A German Enigma machine sold for €100 at a Romanian flea market surprised many when it fetched €45,000 at auction. The machine, thought to be a regular typewriter, was identified by a cryptography professor who recognized its historical significance. After purchasing it, the professor cleaned and repaired the machine to prepare it for auction. This Enigma machine was used during World War II for military communications.

A Romanian flea-market seller thought an old machine was a typewriter and let it go for €100; the buyer, a cryptography professor, recognized a World War II Enigma I and sold it at auction in 2017 for €45,000 - THE LOCAL REPORT ARTICLES

A Romanian flea-market seller thought an old machine was a typewriter and let it go for €100; the buyer, a cryptography professor, recognized a World War II Enigma I and sold it at auction in 2017 for €45,000/Image: Reuters In 2017, a machine sold for €100 at a Romanian flea market turned out to be ...