FRESNO, Calif., July 27 (UPI) -- An art appraisal expert says a cache of negatives bought for $45 at a California garage sale were created by Ansel Adams and are worth about $200 million.

Rick Norsigian bought the 65 glass-plate negatives of nature images at a garage sale 10 years ago in Fresno, Calif., and has been attempting to prove their value ever since, People.com said Tuesday.

Appraiser David W. Streets said he believes Adams took the photos between 1919 and the early 1930s, long before he became a famous artist in the 1940s, CNN said.

"This is going to show the world evolution of his eye, of his talent, of his skill, his gift, but also his legacy," Streets said. "And it's a portion that we thought had been destroyed in the studio fire."

People.com said Norsigian is trying to sell original prints of the photographs to museums and collectors.

Adams died in 1984 at age 82.