Sometimes when our loved ones pass on, we are given the job of sorting through their belongings and passing on treasured possessions to our grieving family members. While it can be challenging, it is those times that we learn about the people we love.

Unbeknownst to one Utah woman, one of her great-grandmother’s belongings was a historical treasure that had been sitting in the basement for years.

Her great-grandmother was a staunch member of the Latter Day Saints, so it wasn’t odd to find that one of the items she left behind was a Bellows Falls Latter Day Saints hymnal. It had been published in 1844, and the very first hymnal of its kind had been published in 1835, just nine years earlier.

When “Antiques Roadshow” stopped by Salt Lake City, the woman decided to meet with book appraiser Ken Sanders. He explained to her that the book was made using both lyrics and musical notations, which made it more rare than she had expected.

He said the hymnal was designed that way so it could be thrown away after they were used, and he was impressed with the good condition of the book. The condition of the book only added to the value, according to Sanders.

“It makes them very uncommon to actually still exist a century and a half or so later,” Sanders said. “So you’ve got a very scarce and rare one.”

In the video below you will get to see the reaction of the woman as Sanders explains to her what the book is worth. She had no idea what he was going to tell her, but her reaction was priceless when he breaks the news to her.

He tells her that at retail value the hymnal would sell between $40,000 to $50,000 and she gasps in disbelief and covers her mouth. “Keep it very very safe,” he says. “Like in a safety deposit box.”

If you found this video and story as interesting as we did, please share it with your friends and family. Who knows what kind of treasures you have lying around that you don’t even know about!