Hope Diamond was mailed in a plain brown package for just $145 in 1958
The Hope Diamond embarked on a remarkable journey in 1958 when it was sent as registered mail to the Smithsonian Institution for safekeeping. This precious gem, with its origins in India, has a captivating royal history. American jeweller Harry Winston generously donated it to the museum after obtaining it from Evalyn Walsh McLean's estate in 1949.
A renowned diamond, weighing 45.52 carats, traveled across the United States in a simple brown package in 1958, reaching the Smithsonian Institution through registered mail. American jeweler Harry Winston sent the gem, valued at $1 million, from New York to Washington, DC, at a cost of $145.29, including insurance. The diamond's origins trace back to India, where it was discovered before 1668, and it entered the French royal collection after being purchased by King Louis XIV.
After disappearing during the French Revolution and resurfacing in London, the diamond was eventually acquired by American socialite Evalyn Walsh McLean in 1912, cementing its status as a subject of public intrigue. Jeweler Harry Winston donated the diamond to the Smithsonian in 1958, aiming to bolster the national collection of precious gemstones.
Beyond its rich history, the Hope Diamond is exceptional for its size, deep-blue colour, and unique optical properties, such as emitting a red glow under ultraviolet light. The diamond is now displayed in a setting featuring 16 white diamonds and 45 additional diamonds on the necklace chain. The unassuming brown-paper package that carried the Hope Diamond to its permanent home at the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC, serves as a tangible reminder of the extraordinary journey and historical significance of this world-famous gemstone.
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