Chinese Farmer Finds Pig Gallstone Worth $605,000

The extremely rare object, which is known as a bezoar, is a small, stony solid mass that is formed in an animal’s gastrointestinal system. It is comprised of hairy materials and other indigestible products, measuring 4 inches long and 2.7 inches wide, and is believed to be worth 4 million yuan ($604,240).

Bo and his 26-year-old son, Bo Mingxue, discovered the large gallstone when they sliced up their 550-pound pig. After the discovery, their neighbors told them that the bezoar has great medicinal value, Metro reported.

In Chinese traditional medicine (TCM), practitioners often refer to this as “Pig Treasure” and believe its medicinal effects on the human body can remove toxins.

Bo and his son then travelled to Shanghai where they forked over 40,000 yuan ($6,042.80) to get an appraisal on the bezoar, which experts told them has a market price of up to 4 million yuan ($604,240).

However, not everything found inside an animal’s gastrointestinal system can be turned into gold.

Deccan Chronicle noted that only the bezoars found inside gallbladders are considered more valuable, while contents found inside the stomach are nothing more than waste products.

Winning the lottery is a surefire way to become an instant millionaire. Others, however, believe that accidentally finding a lost treasure buried deep under their house or buried tin cans containing $10 million worth of gold coins beside an old tree are the answers to their money problems.

Featured Image via Wikimedia Commons / Wellcome Images (CC BY 4.0)