CORPUS CHRISTI (November 23, 2012)—Rue Ferguson, took a painting he inherited from his mother to appraisers with the popular PBS program "Antiques Roadshow" and learned the artwork is worth as much as $1 million.

Ferguson said his great-grandparents bought the painting by Mexican artist Diego Rivera in the 1920s.

He got it last May after his mother died.

He showed it to appraisers when the PBS program came to Corpus Christi to tape three episodes for its 17th season that starts in January.

The program's account executive Mariel MacNaughton told the Corpus Christi Caller-Times it's exciting to come up with such a gem.

The painting is the highest appraisal so far for the upcoming season.

Ferguson had kept it in a box in his office, but it’s now in a bank vault.