Discovering Real-life National Treasures

Guest: Nathan Raab, Principle, The Raab Collection, and author, "The Hunt for History"

How do you become a top historical treasure hunter? Nathan Raab, an expert in rare documents, shares how he learned to sift through forgeries, copies, and fakes in order to discover lost and forgotten treasures of history.

 

The Curse of the Hope Diamond

Guest: Richard Kurin, Distinguished Scholar and Ambassador-at-Large, Smithsonian Institution, and author, "Hope Diamond: The Legendary History of a Cursed Gem"

Drawing millions of visitors every year, the Hope Diamond is the crowning jewel of the Smithsonian Institution. It’s famous for its deep blue color and impressive size, but the diamond is also known for something more sinister—a deadly curse befalling those who cross its path. Richard Kurin of the Smithsonian Institution weighs in on the legendary history of this infamous treasure.