v.
Elmer Lewis
The defendant was convicted of stealing a case of surgical instruments and two cases of eyeglasses from a physician’s office. On this appeal he presents but one question for our consideration.
[*485] chased new at the time they were taken. The defendant claims that the admission of this testimony was prejudicial error. It is, of course, true that the general market value of the property stolen is the criterion by which the jury is to determine whether the property stolen exceeds in value $20 or not; but this rule does not necessarily apply where the stolen goods have no general market value. In such eases the original cost of the goods may be shown in connection with their condition at the time of the larceny as tending to prove their value when taken. State v. McDermet, 138 Iowa, 86. While Dr. Eberall testified that the instruments had a general market value as secondhand instruments, the doctors called by the defendant were unable to fix such value without referring to the original cost of the several instruments. In other words, defendant’s witnesses based their estimate of the market value on the cost of the instruments when new. This was in reality what Dr. Eberall did, and for that reason we think there was no prejudice on account of his testimony.
Moreover, the court instructed the jury that they must find the fair market value of the property at the time it was taken, and' that they could only consider the testimony as to the original cost thereof for the purpose of determining its fair market value when taken. We think the instruction was right under the circumstances, and it is to be presumed that it was followed by the jury.
[*486] No question is made as to the guilt of the defendant, and' we are of the opinion that the judgment should not be disturbed because of the admission of the testimony to which we have referred.
• The judgment will therefore be affirmed.