Chess Bling! Bling Bling Bling! And Yet More Bling!

Okay, so I was looking for some information regarding Queen Elizabeth II's Silver Jubilee in 1977 (I didn't find what I was looking for) when I came across this article and these knock-your-socks-off chess sets!  HOLY HATHOR!

From - I kid you not - "The Richest," an actual website.

10 Sets for the Rich
Christine Correctti
March 6, 2014

Scroll through and feast your eyes on the beautiful and unique chess sets in the article while watching the moths fly out of your wallet.

Here is the "cheap" version of the Silver Jubilee set, produced by Geoffrey Parker, "manufacturer of high end luxury goods, including games," made of sterling silver at a mere $77,880 back in 2014.  I've no idea what a set like this might be worth now, let alone the original which was stated in the article linked above as "priceless."  But, using the information below the image from the Geoffrey Parker website, the value of 50,000 GBP today is about $60,775 - a bargain compared to the 2014 price!

At the Geoffrey Parker website, you can find this set produced in sterling silver as well as other materials, ranging in price from 4,420 to 50,000 GBP.  I confess, I found the description confusing and am not sure if the price include the pieces, or merely one of several different options for the playing board!!!

The most expensive set in "10 Sets for the Rich" article was valued at $9.8 million called the Jewel Royale Chess Set, but no photo of the set was in the article.  It stated at the time that "a limited number of replicas" would be offered for sale in the near future at $26,000.  Sure, my monthly allowance.

So, now I'm having a good hearty laugh at the things people waste their money on.  Of course, if you can spend millions for a chess set, I guess you have money to burn on a cold winter's night - literally.  Here's the Jewel Royale Chess Set - by the way - this comes courtesy of an article at the appropriately named website Money Inc dot com (not joking).  Geesh.

Jewel Royale Chess Set by Boodles for Jewel Royale.  

From "The Five Most Expensive Chess Sets Ever"
Nat Berman
2016

Berman explained that the hoo ha about the set being worth $9.8 million was based on an error as to the value of one of the King pieces.  The actual cost of the set, custom-ordered, is $1,327,515. 

Personally, I like Queen Elizabeth II's Silver Jubilee set by Geoffrey Parker much better :)