50 Times People Couldn't Believe Their Luck In Thrift Stores, Flea Markets, And Garage Sales

[left-of-center2012]

There are incredible treasures and mind-blowingly weird objects hidden all around us —
and all it takes is a trip to your local thrift shop, garage sale, or flea market to spot them.

Giant Book Coffee Table On Facebook Marketplace Yesterday. The “Spines” Open As Drawers.
Each Book Is Actually Leather Bound.


Rocking (horse) Dragon


Royal Doulton Balloon Lady


Booth From A Defunct 1990s Subway


Article and more photos at:
https://www.boredpanda.com/thrift-store-second-hand-finds/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=Newsletter

[Lochloosa]

1. I went to an estate sale years ago. It was late, so I was sure the "good" stuff was gone.

There were these two Bali paintings there. After talking to the owner, she told me her husband had brought them home in the 50's.

I bought both for $14. (hint...talk to the owners about their stuff...listen to the stories, you will make a friend, get a good deal and just might learn something)

I never could find anyone that knew the value till I showed them to a friends father. He had lived in Bali around that time and it turns out they are made from putting on wax over the satin then scraping it off to get the colors. He said it takes over a year to one and they can be worth in the 10's of thousands of dollars.

[safeinOhio]

2. Old and retired with not much to do,

so I go to yard sales.
Most fun find this month was a 14K gold Swiss watch .saw a box with watches, held one up and asked how much. She any one for a buck. Pretty plain looking 60s mans watch. Swish or French type name. Bad eyes, but could kind of make out the 14K, but couldn’t tell if there was a P or Pl after it. Took a chance for a dollar and was pretty happy when I got home and looked it up. I wound it up there and it worked. Getting it cleaned and will get a new band.

[Siwsan]

3. I bought a little, round quill basket for .50 from a 'treasures and trinkets' festival stand.

I looked for a similar one on line and found one (same markings/design) for $150.00. I really like it, though, so it's staying put with me.

[ihas2stinkyfeet]

4. treasures talk to me from trashcans.

i once found a small pile of jewelry in what must have been a clean out where someone died.
among the hoard was a diamond and sapphire ring. 1ct diamond, 20 .1 ct sapphires, and some other little diamonds.
couple gold bands. couple cool big pins.

also found a great plate, in the box, norman rockwell. the one of the little girl w a black eye sitting outside the principal's office. mint condition.

many more. i junk the alleys a lot. sometimes i just get a tingle.

[Marthe48]

5. I'm done buying now

We'd go out to sales, auctions, estate sales, went on the Lincoln Buyway (1st Th-Sat in August) and the Longest Yard Sale, The Rt. 50 sale and private buys. Loved it, it was so much fun. We'd get supplies for the house (my husband bought a partial box of N95 masks. I found them in the basement when Covid hit, so I gave one each to relatives in the medical field, and am using the rest) and pick up bargains.

We were coming home from a vacation in Maine and stopped at some sales. My husband noticed some Zippo lighters. He had collected lighters for over 30 years and knew they were worth more than $1 each. He sold 2 on eBay and paid for our gas and lodging He bought a bowl from an antique collector, and sold it on eBay for enough to pay for a week at the beach.

I bought a vintage Korean War military souvenir jacket at a sale, original, with the original paper tag in the pocket. We put it on eBay and a guy out west got our phone number and begged us to stop the auction, that he'd give us an eye-popping amount for it. We were new at eBay and didn't want to break the rules, so we didn't stop the auction for him. He ended up paying over twice the eye-popping price. That was amazing.

There are all kinds of treasures. I have a huge amount of stuff we bought. I'm giving my kids whatever they want. If I don't get the house, buildings, rental storage units, etc. cleaned out, they can have an auction when I'm gone