A rare feather from the extinct New Zealand huia bird has sold for an astounding NZD$46,521.
This huge prices sets a new record as the world’s most expensive feather ever sold at auction. The feather, which was expected to fetch up to NZD$3,000, far surpassed its estimated value.
Weighing roughly 9 grams, the huia feather is now vastly more valuable than gold, costing $5,169 per gram compared to gold’s $127 per gram. The previous record for the most expensive feather was held by another huia feather sold in 2010 for $8,400.
The huia bird, the largest of New Zealand’s wattlebird species, was known for its beautiful song and distinctive black glossy feathers with white-tipped tails. The bird was sacred to the Māori people, and its feathers were worn by chiefs and individuals of high prestige. The last confirmed sighting of the huia was in 1907, though they may have survived into the 1920s.
The feather sold at Auckland-based Webb’s auction house.
The feather is also registered as a taonga tūturu (authentic treasure) with New Zealand’s Ministry for Culture and Heritage, restricting its purchase to registered collectors and ensuring it cannot leave the country without permission.
Despite the presence of around 30 people at the auction, all bids were placed via phone or online. The room erupted in applause when the final bid was placed, marking a rare moment of excitement at an auction.
