Woman finds 1961 portrait of JFK at yard sale

GLENDALE, A.Z. (WHDH) -- Proof that one person's trash is another man's treasure - an Arizona woman made quiet the find at a yard sale.

Hidden behind an ordinary picture of a horse, was a portrait of former President John f. Kennedy that could be worth thousands.

"We just picked it up and brought it home and never really went through it," remembered Pam Dwyer.

That's usually how these stories start, isn't it?

Pam Dwyer and her husband picked up a horse picture at a yard sale, but her husband had a hunch that's not all they were getting.

"He said, ‘I just have this gut feeling that there's something behind that.’"

Sure enough, when they removed the picture from the frame, they found a portrait of JFK from 1961.

"I was just in awe of the detail, and the likeness, and that it was an original,” said Dwyer.

Dwyer did some research on the artist, Carmelo Soraci, and found he was an infamous forger who served time. But while incarcerated, he unleashed a hidden talent.

"He was best known for the stained glass artwork he created when he was in prison, actually,” said Dwyer.

"There are those surprise treasures those things people can find, and then of course there's the hit and miss,” said Dwyer

Pam went to an art appraiser named Lisa Barnes to see what it's worth.

"This particular artist doesn't have a history of sales,” said Barnes.

Barnes said it's tough to give an exact appraisal.

"Someone like the Smithsonian would buy this because of the merit of how he captured and he depicted JFK."

But the quality may speak for itself.

Barnes estimated that it could sell for anywhere between $2,500 and $5,000.

"It's great."

As for Dwyer, she said even though it only cost them five bucks, she'll likely part with than portrait worth more than just a thousand words.

"I would probably sell it, you know we've been on hard times," said Dwyer.