Apartments on the highest floors, expected to fetch upward of $8 million, would offer panoramic views of the river.

Today such works are fetching upward of $400,000.

Now they fetch upward of $700,000, none waterfront.

But in recent years, the island has attracted a more affluent sort to two-bedroom condominiums that fetch upward of $250,000.

About the inflated price: experts confirmed that early Boulle pieces like this one could well fetch upward of $1 million in today's market.

"But what were freebies over 20 years ago are now fetching upward of $20,000 at auction."

Fully renovated town houses in the historic district now fetch upward of $600,000, while unrenovated properties can still be bought at around $300,000.

Today, they fetch well upward of $1,000 in fine condition.

A good specimen can easily run more than $5,000, and often, major trees can fetch upward of $15,000 to $20,000.

To others, they smell like gold: truffles can fetch upward of $4,000 a pound in the global gourmet market.