Tammy Bullock of Boulder, Colorado found a painting in the trash, decided to grab it, held it for 10 years, and almost tossed it when moving into a new home.

It’s a good thing she didn’t. Although she didn’t know what to do with it or how to sell it, she felt it could be worth something. She was right.

After watching a local TV news report, Bullock decided to contact WorthPoint.com, a site about antiques and collectibles that helps people identify said items and also connects them with other collectors interesting in buying and selling.

With the help of Thom Pattie, WorthPoint’s Chief Worthologist, the painting was identified as "Coin De Paris, Rue De Meaux," a work created by 20th century Japanese artist Takanori Oguiss.

WorthPoint brokered the painting for Bullock and it was sold Thursday at Sotheby’s prestigious spring sale of Impressionist and Modern Art for an incredible $103,000. The final auction price was nearly 50 percent above its estimate.

Tammy Bullock was elated.

"I never would have had this wonderful experience without the help of Thom Pattie and WorthPoint, Bullock says. "And I’ll never drive by another dumpster without wondering what treasure it might hold."

One would think that finding a priceless painting in the trash is rare. It is, for sure. But accounts of similar stories have been reported. As examples, check out the articles here on HuntTreasure:

• Treasure Finds from Flea Markets, Rummage, Yard and Garage Sales
• Priceless Tamayo Painting Found in Trash - Could Sell for $1M

For a further accounting of this particular story, including comments from Tammy Bullock and how she found and almost threw it away herself, read the WorthPoint release embedded here:

About WorthPoint

Atlanta-based WorthPoint is a social network for collectors and a search engine rolled into one. Its Web site (www.worthpoint.com) is changing the process of assessing worth for collectibles by providing a vast database of sales records wherein an individual can assess the worth of their own collection. Through WorthPoint, collectors connect with experts to learn more about authenticity and value in art, antiques, and vintage items. Through the WorthPoint online community, members can contact other collectors interested in buying, selling, or swapping stories, and they can share their insight and knowledge through the forums and wikis.