GUEST: I picked these up at a local Goodwill.
APPRAISER: They were both made by the same maker. I'm going to turn this one over, and we can see the mark. And it says clearly, "L. Megede," then underneath that it says, "Coin," telling you that it's made of coin silver. And Louis zur Megede was German, he was born in Prussia, 1821. And he was trained as a jeweler and a silversmith. In the late 1840s he moved to Missouri. Okay. And he made a number of things. Mint julep cups, which these are, are something that would have been popular. This one's engraved, mentioning Lafayette. That's Lafayette County, where he operated from at the time. People do like mint julep cups, especially when they're as old as these are. They're also made in the Southern states, and this is a relatively rare manufacturer. If you put them in auction, each one would likely bring at least $500.
GUEST: Oh, wow, that's amazing.
APPRAISER: Maybe as much as $600 or $700.
GUEST: I paid, I think, $1.99 each. (chuckles)
