Auctioneer Greg Bateman with the egg. Image Credit: batemans.comA rare golden egg linked to Cadbury’s famous Creme Egg advertising campaign is heading to auction, bringing with it a remarkable story that stretches back more than four decades. The egg, known as ‘Cuckoo Cuckoo’, was one of 12 golden eggs hidden around the UK in 1983 as part of a nationwide treasure hunt based on the book ‘Conundrum: The Cadbury’s Creme Egg Mystery.’According to Batemans of Stamford, which announced the sale on 17 July 2026, the egg was discovered in Somerset by Dorset man Clive Pinder and later sold at auction in 2018 for £6,500. It is now being offered again, with an estimate of £15,000 to £20,000. The unusual collectible has also been made by Garrard & Co of London and retains its original presentation materials, adding to its appeal for collectors.What makes the golden Cuckoo Cuckoo egg so uniqueThe golden egg is not simply a decorative object connected to Cadbury’s. It was part of an elaborate treasure hunt created for the company’s Creme Egg advertising campaign in the 1980s. Batemans explains that 12 eggs were offered as prizes, each placed inside a perspex casket along with a wooden box and a handwritten parchment letter. These caskets were hidden at secret locations around the country.Finding them required participants to work through clues in Don Shaw’s 1983 book ‘Conundrum : The Cadbury’s Creme Egg Mystery.’ The riddles and pictures pointed treasure hunters towards the locations of the hidden prizes. The reward for successfully solving the mystery and finding a casket was one of the golden eggs. That unusual combination of advertising, treasure hunting and craftsmanship has helped turn the eggs into highly sought-after pieces decades after the original campaign.Image Credit: batemans.comHow was the ‘Cuckoo Cuckoo’ egg discoveredThe particular egg being offered by Batemans has its own story within the wider Conundrum mystery. The auction house says the egg is titled ‘Cuckoo Cuckoo’ and corresponds to the eleventh story in the book. The story was written in West Country dialect and was based on the Cuckoos of Crewkerne folktale. In 1983, Clive Pinder from Dorset successfully found the hidden casket at Cricket St Thomas in Somerset. The discovery brought him the golden egg that had been concealed as the prize.After many years, Pinder eventually decided to sell it. Batemans records show that the egg was auctioned in 2018, when it achieved a hammer price of £6,500. The current owner subsequently acquired the egg and has now decided to put it back on the market.What does the golden egg look likeThe egg was created by London firm Garrard & Co and features detailed engraving and enamel work. According to Batemans, it is decorated in translucent green and blue enamel, with an image of a cuckoo sitting in a tree. Several men are shown standing among the trees beneath it, apparently looking and pointing towards the bird. Seven wheatsheaves are also engraved on the other side of the egg.Despite its relatively small size, the piece has a substantial weight. Batemans states that it stands 8cm high and weighs 253.6g. The craftsmanship is only part of what makes the object distinctive. Its connection to the original Conundrum treasure hunt gives it a story that ordinary jewellery or decorative objects would not have.What will come with the egg at auctionThe winning bidder will receive considerably more than the golden egg itself. Batemans says the lot includes the original green leather presentation box, as well as the perspex box in which the egg was buried. The wooden casket and handwritten parchment letter are also included. A copy of ‘Conundrum: The Cadbury’s Creme Egg Mystery' will accompany the lot. The book was written by Don Shaw, illustrated by Nick Price and published by Hamlyn in 1984.Together, these objects help preserve the complete story of the treasure hunt. For a collector, the supporting material could be almost as interesting as the egg because it connects the physical prize with the clues and mystery that led to its discovery.Image Credit: batemans.comCould the egg follow Batemans’ earlier auction recordsThere is already a notable history of Cadbury golden eggs passing through Batemans’ saleroom. The auction house says it has previously sold a golden egg twice. The first sale took place in July 2017, when it achieved a hammer price of £17,200. When the same egg returned to Batemans in February 2021, it sold for £31,000. Batemans also highlights a separate ‘secret thirteenth’ golden egg. This 22-carat gold egg was commissioned by Cadbury’s from Garrard & Co and was larger than the original 12 eggs, weighing 323.6g and measuring 8.3cm high.That egg sold at Batemans in July 2017 for £17,200 against an estimate of £10,000 to £15,000. When it returned to the auction house in February 2021, it reached £37,200 including the buyer’s premium, setting a new auction house record at the time.What is the Cuckoo Cuckoo egg estimated to fetchFor its upcoming sale, Batemans has placed an estimate of £15,000 to £20,000 on the ‘Cuckoo Cuckoo’ egg. The auction house also states that a 30% buyer’s premium applies, made up of 25% plus VAT. While the estimate does not guarantee the final price, the egg’s history gives the upcoming sale plenty of interest. It combines a 1980s advertising phenomenon, a real-life treasure hunt, a piece of British popular culture and the work of a prestigious London goldsmith.Most importantly, it is one of the original 12 eggs created for the Conundrum campaign. More than 40 years after it was hidden in Somerset, the ‘Cuckoo Cuckoo’ egg is once again set to become the centre of attention, this time in an auction room rather than at the end of a treasure hunt.