A rare and highly prized feather from the extinct New Zealand huia bird has made history by selling for NZD$46,521 (US$28,365) at auction, marking it as the world’s most expensive feather ever sold. This hammer price dramatically surpassed initial estimates of NZD$2,000-$3,000 and eclipsed the previous record of NZD$8,400 set by another huia feather in 2010. Weighing approximately 9 grams, the feather’s value stands at a staggering NZD$5,169 per gram, far exceeding the current gold price of NZD$127 per gram.
Read also: 6 most expensive drinks in the world This extraordinary valuation shows the cultural and historical significance of the huia bird, which was last confirmed sighted in 1907, although it is believed to have survived into the 1920s. The huia, the largest of New Zealand’s wattlebird species, was revered for its beautiful song, glossy black feathers, and distinctive long tail feathers tipped with white. The bird held deep cultural importance for the Māori people, with its feathers symbolizing prestige and worn only by rangatira (chiefs) and individuals of high status.
European demand for huia feathers in the late 19th and early 20th centuries contributed significantly to the bird’s extinction. Leah Morris, head of decorative arts at Auckland-based Webb’s auction house where the feather was sold, attributed the feather’s high price to its exceptional condition and the meticulous efforts to preserve it using archival paper and UV glass. Read also: Top 10.
