Feather of Bird Extinct Since 1920 Sells for $28,000, Making It the Most Expensive on Earth

This single bird feather sold for an astounding $28,000. The bird has been extinct for over 100 years, making it an extremely rare find. It is likely that there are no other existing feathers of this species to be found again.

The Huia bird was native to the North Island of New Zealand and was said to be last seen around 1907 and 1920. The bird was a small songbird within the wattlebird family.

The Maori used the Huia bird’s feathers as headwear, specifically by the chiefs and heads of families. As the feathers were sacred they were also given as gifts and could have been traded for other important items.

In the 18th century, there was early contact between the Maori population and European people, mainly for trade, where a Haui feather could have been traded for some European goods. Today the Maori people make up 15% of New Zealand’s population. They keep their traditions alive through promoting their culture and language.

The feather was predicted to be sold at NZ$2000-$3000, but it exceeded that expectation as it sold for $28,000. This beat the record of $8,400, which another Huai feather was sold for in 2010.

The feather was only allowed to be sold to collectors who had a license since it is registered as a “taonga tuturu,” a system to protect Maori-made items. The feather has a rule that it is not allowed to leave the country without consent from the Ministry of Culture and Heritage.

The feather has been encased in a UV-protected glass box to protect it from any sun and light damage. The auction house claims the feather will have a “really long life” because of this protection and the rules set on where it can travel.

The Dodo bird is likely the most well-known extinct bird, and it is said to have died out in the early 1680s. Other extinct birds include the Great Auk, Labrador duck and passenger pigeon. The most recent bird to go extinct was Kauaʻi ʻakialoa, normally found on a Hawaiian Island but has not been seen for 60 years.

Typically, those that find rare feathers are either part of scientific explorations or just plain lucky, especially when it comes to a bird that has been extinct for quite a while. To start a collection, those interested can look at dedicated websites and apps, which can help with identification of the feathers.

The Oppenheimer blue diamond is a rare diamond which was sold in an auction for $57.6 million. Other rare items are many paintings created by famous artists, such as David Hockney’s “Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures),” Alberto Giacometti’s “Man Pointing” and Georgia O’Keeffe’s “Jimson Weed/White Flower No. 1.”

The Salvator Mundi painted by Leonardo da Vinci in 1499–1510 was sold in 2017 for $450 million. It was bought by the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman. It is one of the most expensive artworks ever to be sold.

According to Heritage Auctions, it is a common trait to collect rare items as a competitive challenge, recognition from other collectors, desire for control of some small part of the world or even to feel a connection to history. It can be an expensive but interesting hobby, depending on the sort of items you want to collect.