GUEST: I bought an old Book of Mormon.

It's an 1840 edition.

And this was in our family.

My grandpa was a collector, and he passed it to my dad, and my dad kept it in the safe.

My mom just passed a, about a year and a half ago.

And that is when we opened the safe.

We always thought it was a, a European edition, but once we opened it, we realized it was not a European edition, but a Nauvoo edition.

APPRAISER: Do you know when your grandfather got it, or how he... GUEST: I believe he bought it in 1972.

APPRAISER: Do you have any idea what he paid for it?

GUEST: I have no idea what he paid for it.

APPRAISER: Well, let-let me s... First of all, it wasn't done in Illinois, it wasn't done in Nauvoo.

This edition was actually printed in Ohio.

GUEST: Oh.

APPRAISER: As the Mormons moved west, they were considered a cult.

They weren't welcome almost anywhere they went.

GUEST: Mm-hmm.

APPRAISER: And so they had to keep moving.

They knew they were moving to Illinois when this copy was printed.

The Mormon Church and the LDS, they had been very successful.

And people are very, very interested-- whether it's Mormon or another religion-- very interested in the origins and the history of their religion.

One of the reasons the book is important and very collectible: Joseph Smith was still alive when this edition was done.

And for collectors of the Book of Mormon, one of the key big factors is, there were four editions printed when he was alive.

He died in 1844.

They want the ones that he was there and saw the printing.

One thing I will mention about this is, this is not the original binding.

My guess would be the binding's 100 years old.

It might be a little bit more-- very nicely done.

The actual book in this is in great condition.

A retail price, $50,000 to $60,000.

GUEST: (gasps): Oh, wow.

Wow.

(laughs): That's crazy.

That is, that is amazing.

APPRAISER: $50,000 to $60,000.

Insurance, I'd probably say $75,000.

GUEST: Mm-hmm.

APPRAISER: If you had come to me with this book 20 years ago, I would say maybe, maybe $20,000.

I consider an honor just to be standing here holding it and, uh, seeing it.

So, thank you.

GUEST: (voice breaking): Thank you, thank you.

It is a treasure for our family, and having you share this information has been very, very enlightening and very dear to me.

Can I give you a hug?

APPRAISER: Sure.

GUEST: (laughing): Okay, thank you.

APPRAISER: If this was the original binding, this would probably be a retail of $75,000.

GUEST: Wow.