Filipino Fisherman Kept $100 Million-Worth Giant Pearl Under His Bed For Good Luck

Ten years ago, a man from Puerto Princesa City, Palawan in the Philippines, caught a clam with a giant pearl inside. Unaware of how much this pearl was worth, he decided to put it under his bed for good luck.

According to a report from Daily Mail, the unnamed man found a 34-kilogram pearl, which is said to be the biggest in the world. It even beats the previous record-holder because the giant pearl found in Palawan is five times larger.

The fisherman caught the giant clam when the anchor of his boat got into it and he had to go down and swim to disengage the clam from the anchor, The Guardian reported. For 10 years, he kept the pearl under his bed as a good luck charm.

Every time he goes out fishing, he touches the pearl for good luck, according to his aunt, Aileen Cynthia Maggay-Amurao, who is also a tourism officer in the city. However, the fisherman decided to move the giant pearl when a fire broke out his home and entrusted it to Maggay-Amurao.

Thinking that it could be a possible tourist attraction, and with the permission from her nephew, Maggay-Amurao decided to present the giant pearl to Puerto Princesa mayor Lucilo R. Bayron. Now, the giant gem of Palawan is now on display at the New Green City Hall in Puerto Princesa and is currently attracting a lot of attention from tourists and locals alike.

According to local Palawan news, Maggay-Amurao is already asking help from gemologists to authenticate and appraise the giant pearl. Despite the excitement and possible top records, it is still unknown how a humongous pearl with that size has grown in a giant clam because after all, it is very rare for clams to grow pearls to begin with, Popular Science reports.