A fisherman located on the Philippines’ Palawan Island unknowingly made the discovery of a lifetime when he found an enormous pearl ― possibly the largest in the world ― more than a decade ago.
The unnamed man kept the secret treasure in his home as a good luck charm before recently handing it over to “amazed” officials, according to the BBC. It reportedly weighs about 75 pounds and could be worth approximately $100 million.
Tourism officer Aileen Cynthia Amurao said the man found the pearl inside a giant clam after it snagged a boat anchor, according to multiple news reports.
“He noticed that it was lodged on a shell and swam down to pull up the anchor, and also brought the shell with him,” Amurao explained, adding that she hopes the gem will remain in the city to attract more visitors.
The stunning pearl, which is about 2 feet wide and nearly 1 foot long, could be the biggest ever recorded. The current record holder, known as the Pearl of Allah or Pearl of Lao Tze, was also discovered off the coast of Palawan. By comparison, it reportedly weighs just over 14 pounds ― less than one-fifth the weight of the fisherman’s discovery ― and is worth about $35 million.
