The late fee would be a whopper.
But no fine will be imposed in the case of the overdue painting - returned 30 years late - at the Barrie Public Library.
"It was just a nice surprise one day," said Genevieve Kwant, Manager, Branch and Public Services at the Barrie Public Library.
The unframed print was recently dropped off at the library's downtown branch by a man who left without giving his name.
The piece of art work was signed out from the library in a long-ago cancelled program where patrons could borrow paintings likes books and return them after a month.
"He had bought a business in downtown Barrie and was cleaning out the basement and found it all packaged up," said Kwant. "When he opened it it said Barrie Public Library on the back so he brought it back, which was very nice of him."
The paintings-for-loan were displayed on a wall where people could make a selection and renew the art if there were no other requests for that particular piece.
The returned print is a popular reproduction of contemporary American realist painter James Wyeth's "Island Roses" depicting a cottage and rosa rugosas, or wrinkled roses, in bloom on Maine's Monhegan Island.
Once upon a time, the library had a picture loan collection in the late 1970's and early 1980's where patrons could select a piece of art from 50 to 100 paintings and sign it out for about four weeks to hang in their home or business.
The card on the back shows Island Roses was first signed out in 1978 and appears to been borrowed many times over the next few years.
"We noticed the due date was October 30, 1985," said Kwant. "First of all, a lot of the staff here are new and we didn't even know that we signed out paintings at any given time".
Nobody recalls what the fines were for paintings but books are about 30 cents a day so multiply that by 30 years.
The art-loaning service was discontinued, the art sold and now libraries have come full circle and lend a wide variety of items including fishing rods.
While the value of the returned print is minimal, the history is solid gold.
"It was really neat to walk down memory lane," said Kwant. "I think the painting was originally done in 1968 and obviously it's a print. Not worth much except for a great story."
Kwant says she'll probably frame the print and hang it up at the library - again.
"It's unique that it's come back after all this time. We'll find a space for it."
