Chess takes five minutes to learn and a lifetime to master. The game has been around for thousands of years, and will probably be around for thousands more. It’s no wonder that the standard board and game pieces have become an art medium. Take artistic design and combine it with conspicuous consumption, and you end up with one-of-a-king chess sets with astronomical prices. Consider this set by Piero Benzoni with an estimated value of $113,575.
Piero Benzoni crafted this stunning chess set. It features a scene which pays homage to the ancient 9th century battles that took place between the Ottoman Turks and Carolingians. Each piece in this chess set is decked out in period attire and comprised of fine gold and silver. The Carolingi XIV chess set has a Gothic appearance, and the details on the handmade pieces is incredible. Rather than have the standard shaped chess pieces, this medieval set is carved to look like actual kings, queens, knights, bishops, pawns, and rooks.
But it’s only #5 on the list of the most expensive chess sets ever, which you can see at Money Inc.