Sleeper / Wanderpokal

A sleeper / Wanderpokal [German for "challenge cup"] is the colloquial designation for an art object that has been unsuccessfully offered for sale more than once at auction. Its price usually falls with each auction so that such objects can often be snapped up at bargain prices. The US term "sleeper", also used in English, highlights the positive connotations of the term, suggesting an unexpected success and the pleasure derived from it.