By Bradley Stokes, SWNS

A 470-year-old Elizabethan globe depicting the world in the 1500s which was bought for £150 at an antiques fair has sold at auction for a staggering £116,000.

The 16th-century terrestrial globe is believed to be the oldest example of its kind ever to be publicly auctioned and among the rarest in existence.

The historical object was uncovered at a free valuation event after its owner took it to be valued having no idea of what it was worth.

The globe is illustrated with bizarre sea creatures and shows earth before Australia had even been discovered and Down Under is merely marked as “unknown land”.

It also comes with images of the Greek god of the sea Triton while Japan is called “Sipannge” and the USA is marked “Devicta ann 1530”.

Experts estimated the globe might fetch between £20,000-£30,000 when it went under the hammer last week (Thursday) at Hansons Auctioneers in Wolseley Bridge, Staffordshire.

But it smashed its estimate to fetch a whopping £116,000 after it was bought by a private online bidder in New York.

The owner, who does not want to be named, but watched the auction online, said she was left stunned by the result as she paid £150 for the item at a Welsh antiques fair.

She said: “I thought I was pushing the boat at £150 when I bought it during the pandemic.

“I had no idea it was so important and valuable. I watched the auction with my friend, my husband and a glass of wine.

“My friend was crying, I was in shock and my husband was totally and utterly dumbstruck.

“It goes without saying that I’m delighted.”