Thrift Store Discoveries Worth Insane Amounts of Money

Thrift stores, garage sales and flea markets are great places to find awesome deals or sell old items for quick cash. These lucky finds earned thrifty shoppers insane amounts of money!

Legal Stuff.

[Coffeetime]

In 2011, when I was 19 and broke, I went with my friend to a thrift shop in Brooklyn, NY. I picked up these black leather boots for less than $20. When I looked Inside of them there was a jewelry box with a gold chain. I took it to the diamond district and they gave me $1400 cash for it. With that money I packed my bags and moved to Boston, MA and got a job. I have been here since then.

[keithcastillo]

I work for the Meridian Idaho Goodwill.
One time we received in a donation 16 new dresses, the price tags on them ranged from 1500$ - 2400$ they were pure silk handmade in Europe

[joannavanambon]

I bought a black velvet winter coat with 3 big weird looking buttons at a thrift store in Coquitlam BC, I almost replaced the buttons then I realized it was Versace buttons. It is 100% Wool, Made in Italy. Very beautiful indeed.

[alntitefqer]

I had a friend who actually bought his great grandfather's old world war 1 foot locker at a thrift store for 5u$d but inside was sentimental family heirlooms not valuable to anyone else but as it was his great grandfather's it was priceless to him and his new family

[URCompliant]

When I was 18 yrs old, I "picked up" a 28-year-old, hot, blonde, Swedish lady, 30 years later, we have a home near Lake Tahoe and 3 beautiful, adult daughters....best 'find' yet!

[emmasilver]

One time a lady came into my mom's music store with a clarinet she had purchased from a thrift store for about 20 bucks. It was a little beat up, so she wanted to see if it could be refurbished. My mom's initial reaction was something along the lines of "you'll be lucky if this can make any sound at all. $20 isn't even enough to get you a clarinet-shaped object, let alone something that's actually playable." But the customer insisted they at least check it over. So Mom called over the repair guy to see if it could be salvaged. It turned out that the clarinet was a really high-quality instrument worth over $1000. After a thorough cleaning, replacing a couple degraded parts and giving it a nice polish, the clarinet was tested by a local clarinet teacher, who found it to be capable of producing some of the most beautiful sounds she'd ever heard. The lady that bought it decided to take clarinet lessons that very day.

[annamaecafasso]

Just bought two Tiffany & Co candlesticks at a yard sale for $3, each. I also spent $50.00 on two Hooker chairs and a small Hitchcock side table. The table is worth about $600.

[silvenimoy]

I once picked up a ceramic clown statue at a flea market for $5. My grandpa had a vast clown collection so I figured he would like it since it was in a similar style to other pieces he had. Once I gave it to him, he realized it was genuine (I don’t recall the artist that made them) worth about $3-5k. I was like wow 😳

[jlee]

That Ansel Adams clip was amazing. I love his work. That was a really awesome find!

[SuperSkinandHairCare]

I found an extra large sized, red leather Gucci Hobo bag at a thrift store for $125. I bought it because it was beautiful to me. It turns out to be worth $1500.
I also bought a vintage Chanel ceramic necklace for $2.99. It is worth $1300.
I love the history of fashion and do not plan on selling them. I am handing these items down to my daughter.

[lucypollard]

I purchased what I thought was a paint by number at a garage sale. I found it in an old box in my garage years later. Turns out it was a William Leigh. Not sure what it's worth but he was a brilliant artist.

[elenikotsaki]

Goodwill prices are outrageous now, they was selling candle holders, from the Dollar Tree store, which they are one dollar, for 2.99 I was like wtf!!!!

[fishwanda]

I found a diamond tennis bracelet at a garage sale. It was among the junk jewelry and had a price tag of $1.25. I opened the clasp to find 14k stamped inside

[heru-deshet]

I've found some gems in thrift stores, Salvation army stores, flea markets and yard sales. Paid a few dollars and they were worth hundreds. Still hoping to find a million dollar treasure. I'll be hitting them after the pandemic is over.

[DrTiwade]

I found a Fornasetti Milano ash tray for a $1.50. It sold for over $80. A pair of Alligator Larry Mahan cowboy boots for $3 which sold for $220. Not a fortune but great.

[putnam]

At a local thrift shop I found a copy of the DURAN DURAN board game, intact with all its mini discs in near mint shape. I bought it for under one dollar and sold it for about eighty. Not a fortune but definitely a nice turnaround.

[rochelleesser]

I’m a photographer who has always loved Ansel Adams’ photographic images, so the moment I saw the glass slides, I immediately thought, “Those look strikingly like Ansel Adams’ work!”….. 💯 Nailed it! 😁

[amyx]

At an estate sale there was a $40 purse. I chose to buy cloth for sewing and a kitchen pan instead. Turns out, Ferragamo purses are worth thousands. That would’ve gotten me a lot of kitchen utensils!

[samuelschick]

Grandfather helped a guy clean out his garage in the 1930's for $5. They got to the back of the garage and there was a complete queen size bed. The guy was going to burn it but grandfather asked for it instead of the $5. My grandmother slept on the bed to the day she passed in the 1990's. That bed is still in the family and was made before George Washington was born.

[airamortiz]

I bought some 14k gold bangles at a Salvation Army store once for $1 each. People die and the families want to sell the house quickly so they have the house emptied and donate all the contents without checking for valuable items.