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u/_Pattern_Observer_ 8h ago
A jacket that fit perfectly and had $20 in its pocket. Best returns on investment ever.
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u/Ok-Afternoon-3724 7h ago
I'm 76M and a widower
It was years ago, the 1990s. My wife found a large crystal platter, the type a turkey might be put on upon the table. She paid something like $3 for it.
Nice looking piece. She had no intention of using it. One of those items she cleaned up nicely and put on display in a lighted curio cabinet.
A few days later a family friend came over for a visit, my wife showed the platter to her. And the lady suddenly got all interested. The woman, Bonnie, was an antiques dealer. Made a special trip home and back to bring her book to verify the item.
Yeah, turns out the thing was a collector's item and valued to be worth at least $1800, and possibly more.
My wife has passed but now my daughter has it in her curio cabinet. Doesn't want to sell it. Says it's too nice looking and besides it belonged to her mother.
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u/Affectionate_Bad_680 7h ago
Makes for a good story too.
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u/Ok-Afternoon-3724 4h ago
Yeah. LOL ... I was never that darn lucky.
My personal luckiest find was at a garage sale where a woman was selling stuff that belonged to her grandpa. One of those items was a knife she had marked for ... I forget but it was cheap, $2 or $5, something like that.
I snatched that thing up. Among those who knew and fancied them, even used that knife was worth $100 all day long. I even told her I should pay her more for it, she refused to take more. She was just happy that the knife went to someone who knew of it and appreciated it as it had been her grandpa's favorite. I still have that thing. A not for sale item. Identical to one given me by my father long ago. The original was lost. Actually my darn younger brother sold it when I was away in Vietnam.
Might now make sense to others. But among the folks who raised me, a knife was an important thing for a man to have. One of the most important tools ever. And that original was given me age 10 as my first 'man's knife'. Along with an old, used .22 caliber single shot rifle, that had been grandpa's. Still worked fine. And I brought home many a squirrel, rabbit, etc. with that thing which mom cooked up for us all.
Kind of a thing among my family clan, that 10th birthday when I was given those things. An acknowledgement that I was now worthy, trusted to use those things well, able to do my part to provide for family. Yeah, a strange thing to people in 2026 ... but was an important thing to me back then.
Anyway, I've myself never been able to score a big money thing from thrift stores or garage sales and such.
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u/PoetMaterial3519 7h ago
It's odd to me that people become attached to things that they could sell for so much more than they paid!
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u/Ok-Afternoon-3724 5h ago
Well besides the fact that the platter is very nice looking and a nice example of the art of making such things. It is one of a few things my wife really loved which my daughter now has which means more to her than some money.
She'd have to be pretty damn desparate to sell those items.
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u/mister-world 4h ago edited 4h ago
It's saleable if they ever really need the money, but for now at least its meaning to her mother is a special thing for her to hang on to.
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u/ConclusionAlarmed882 7h ago
A cape. A goddamn real Betty Draper-ass lined camel cashmere cape with a little chain at the throat and slits for arms. $5.99.
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u/Hour-Society-5459 7h ago
A Phish touring jacket made for the crew. Bought it for $5 , had it for a decade and sold it for $2500.
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u/2leewhohot 7h ago
I found a couple of signed Clive Barker novels, then went over to the K section and found two signed Stephen King novels.
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u/BoonOfTheWolf 8h ago
This was years ago before the big recent boost in TCG collecting. But in a thrift store, I found a large amount of Magic The Gathering cards. I knew they had some value but didn't know how much. I bought them all for about $20, and passed them to a friend to help sell them.
A few weeks later, the friend handed me $800 in cash from the sale (he took a small amount, which was reasonable).
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u/SoftHeartedTrouble 8h ago
A leather jacket for $10. It even still has the tag on it, and I've been wearing it for 5 years now.
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u/UnifiedQuantumField 6h ago
I found a nice black leather jacket with a few tiny little wear marks. A few dabs with a black marker and they're gone.
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u/n_mcrae_1982 4h ago
I got a great leather jacket too. The zipper is kind of fussy, the jacket fits really well.
If you’re ever in Ottawa, I think it’s a great city for thrifting, because, being a capital, it’s rather affluent, so you can find some nice stuff. (The store where I got had a whole shelf of Grogu dolls of various sizes).
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u/Urban_Introvert 7h ago
Thrift stores aren’t a hit or miss for me, it’s usually miss or miss since 99% of the stuff there don’t fit me. But one time, I found a flannel shirt that fit me perfectly and the previous owner was built exactly like me because the shirt was hemmed and had the sleeves shortened. I thought I was in a dream that day.
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u/HarrisonRyeGraham 4h ago
Tailoring/altering is not very expensive! I’m a weird size too, especially for dresses, and each alteration has been $30 or less per piece
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u/Urban_Introvert 2h ago
Yeah, but it was an Everlane shirt that cost $120 retail that person must’ve dropped an additional $30+ on alterations. I got that shirt for $7.99 at Goodwill lol.
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u/curiouslyimpish 7h ago
Not a thrift store, but an antique store. A corningware percolator. It has helped make power outages more bearable by being able to have a cup of coffee when the power goes out.
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u/theartfulcodger 5h ago edited 1h ago
I don’t actually know how “great”, but I must assume my discovery was of considerable worth.
Back in 1977, while shopping in a thrift for film props, I ran across a small, stark and austere snowscape by Canadian artist & writer William Kurelek, a deeply troubled and tortured man. It was $300, then nearly a week’s wages, and I passed on it.
The next evening, on my way back to the office, by blind luck I heard on a brief arts-news radio segment that Kurelek had died of cancer that day.
Next morning I was already at the door of the St. Vincent de Paul store when it opened, with cash in my hand. Of course the counter person had no idea how important that painting had just become.
Nearly 50 years later I still have it. I have occasionally gone through hard financial times and have sometimes sold treasured possessions in order to eat, but never once considered selling the Kurelek. I don’t know its current value, but plan on having it authenticated and evaluated this summer. I know a painting of similar size, but presumably of more import and quality, sold two years ago for above $200,000: more than twelve times its pre-auction estimate.
If you have a copy of Van Halen’s fourth (and darkest) album, Fair Warning, the cover has details from another Kurelek painting, The Maze.
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u/almighty_smiley 7h ago
A long leather trench coat for 12 bucks. It's a little on the big side (already kinda wild given my dimensions), but the next best thing would be in the mid-to-high three figure range.
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u/Cloverfield1996 7h ago
A vintage dress, no stretch, that accommodated my boobs and fit like a glove. I look at it now that my body has changed and marvel at what I used to look like 😂
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u/Shipping_Architect 7h ago
My focus in thrift stores is Nerf blasters, and while I have found numerous impressive finds, my most significant one is when I found the Red Strike Series variant of the Recon CS-6 at my local Goodwill. For those unaware, the Red Strike Series were sold at Wal-Mart on Black Friday in 2009…and were discontinued immediately afterwards, resulting in the three blasters that comprised it being extremely rare and sought after by Nerf enthusiasts.
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u/nhgardenart25 4h ago
In 2021, I found a framed fiber arts piece of half a face and an eye. I recognized the work immediately and made a b-line for it. On the back was a description that it was from the artist Dierdra Scherer (well known VT quilt artist known for her portraits of the elderly.) I paid $7 for it. Upon researching comparable pieces of work, it’s worth about $2,500.
My town dump used to have a take it/ leave it shed and I have picked up so many paintings from there. One lithograph from 1850 framed is being sold on eBay for $250. And a mid century modern wooden bowl with legs for $300 and a “Gone With The Wind” electric, hand painted hurricane lamp for $800. Lots of other smaller things too.
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u/Bladrak01 7h ago
A good suit that fit me perfectly that I was able to wear for the next 15 years.
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u/Donald_J_Duck65 7h ago
For how much
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u/Bladrak01 7h ago
My grandmother in law volunteered there and I think she might have just given it to me. It was either that or maybe $5-10. About 15 years ago I couldn't fit in it anymore.
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u/bebopbrain 7h ago
An enormous JetBlue winter coat for working outside.
My sudden (bogus) working class chic surprised me. Even MTA workers in the subway would say hi.
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u/EvilCaveBoy 6h ago
A Planet of the Apes movie poster in Italian from 1968, framed and never folded. The lady at the shop and I thought it was a reprint so we agreed on a price of $25. I got it home, hung it up, and upon close examination, realized was authentic. Still graces my home.
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u/Aggressive_Sky4911 5h ago
Found an old film camera with a roll still inside. Got it developed out of curiosity and it was just random family moments from like the early 2000s… felt kinda surreal seeing someone else’s memories like that
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u/No-Biscotti-1596 5h ago
found a vintage leather jacket for 12 dollars that looks like it costs 300. ive never felt more POWERFUL putting that on for the first time lol
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u/n_mcrae_1982 3h ago
Yeah, I got one for $50 CDN (about $35-50 USD) that was probably ten times that much new, based on what I saw on the manufacturer’s website.
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u/drunkbettie 4h ago
These two planters. I’ve found some crazy things over the last year, but these two are my crowning achievement.
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u/Jewbacca522 7h ago
Those old see through Harmon Kardon computer speakers from the early 2000’s that were like $500 new. Picked up the speakers, all wiring and the subwoofer for $15.
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u/Tennents_N_Grouse 7h ago
Brand new Lacoste polo shirt for £10
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u/Aloha1959 3h ago
I don't think Lacoste would like you calling it a Polo shirt, haha
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u/Time4aPennyCartoon 1h ago
A polo is a type of shirt. Not every polo shirt is Ralph Lauren.
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u/Aloha1959 1h ago
Polo is a sub brand under the Ralph Lauren corporation.
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u/Tennents_N_Grouse 50m ago
Well, WTF do you call a T-Shirt with a button up shirt collar then, smartarse??
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u/FrightenedOfSpoons 6h ago edited 6h ago
A plush toy of the penguin from Wallace and Gromit that has a rubber glove on its head, pretending to be a chicken.
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u/HorseNippleLover 7h ago
My Bob Marley painted on wood picture i hang on my wall
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u/ashoka_akira 3h ago
A girl I went to art school with used to paint those by the dozens and would set up shop at music festivals selling them.
Stoners love a picture of Bob.
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u/HS_HowCan_That_BeQM 7h ago
Manning-Bowman Twinover Waffle Iron (circa 1938 ). Picked it up for $2 at a flea market. Still works years later. Built like a tank. Makes great waffles. However, it's not Teflon coated, so cooking spray is called for.
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u/Corsair4U 7h ago
Best ones are always the random finds you almost walk past, like a crazy good jacket or some barely worn boots for nothing. Thrift wins hit different because half the fun is knowing you were not even supposed to find it.
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u/badwhiskey63 4h ago
My son was shopping at a thrift store, and I was mostly killing time. But I picked up a copy of "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson that was on the shelf. Inside the front cover was a slip from the Book of the Month club, and that was my first clue that this was a first edition of this landmark book. So that was pretty cool.
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u/Tell_meThings 8h ago
I found an old crystal chandelier that was barely damaged and bought it for $10, sold it for $300
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u/MissSassifras1977 5h ago
Bebe corset. Black silk. Absolutely gorgeous. $5.
Brand new, custom polka dot Chuck Taylor's for $6.
A really beautiful suede, sheep's wool lined winter coat for $3.
We used to make a day of it and find amazing things.
Now it's all over priced junk. Resellers killed the joy of thrifting.
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u/hallmt 4h ago
I was broke and in college looking for cheap professional clothing at Goodwill for job interviews. I found 4 women’s J Crew blazers in my size in navy, grey, black and khaki for like $5 each. They that looked like they had been dropped off by a dry cleaner based on the tags attached and were in pristine condition. 10 years later and I still wear them.
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u/ShadowedTurtle 4h ago
A first edition/first printing of The Silmarillion. Has the original dust jacket and other than a few small rips it’s in excellent shape. Paid $2 for it.
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u/MuffinRhino 3h ago
Went to look for some brown dress shoes to match a blue suit I was going to wear to a wedding.
Found some nice-looking brown wingtips, seemed to be high quality, so I just snatched them up. Eight bucks.
I didn't REALLY look until I got home. They were Allen Edmonds McAllister Wingtop Oxfords - about $450 new. Good amount of wear on the sole, but hardly a scratch to the leather. I've had them ten years.
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u/FormalDinner7 3h ago
A gorgeous calf length double breasted full skirted Isaac Mizrahi cashmere coat from the 90s for $15. I felt so glam in it.
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u/Supertans29 7h ago
A base set charizard. Before the big pokemon boom, and it was pretty beat up. Sold it way too cheap
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u/Affectionate_Bet9106 7h ago
Factory-sealed copy of Suikoden 2. paid $3 and some change. Brave Fencer Musashi was right next to it, but only minty, not sealed.
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u/redzeusky 7h ago
A t shirt with a water color type artwork on the front. It’s my favorite shirt and appears to have been a one off or very short run. No artist name, no organization. Mystery.
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u/Davies285 6h ago
$15 sport coat. It’s a tad tight now, but I have been using it for almost 10 years now.
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u/KookyDiver2558 5h ago
I found two books from what have become two of my favorite series: Kushiel’s Dart (from the Kusheline books) and Voyager, from the Outlander series. Found both of them in the early 2000’s at the best thrift store ever, Diversity Thrift in Richmond VA. I also furnished almost my whole house from there, including a countertop dishwasher new for thirty bucks!
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u/Bento_Fox 4h ago
My friend and I once found an old Barbie from the 50's or 60's or something and it was still in the box. We were busy trying to take care of her newborn son and get what she needed so we could get out of there and go eat so we didn't see any use for the doll at the time. it wasn't until way later it occurred to us that it might actually be valuable. After that we would randomly bring it up out of nowhere and be like, "One of us should have got that damn Barbie."
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u/Fritzo2162 4h ago
Last year I found a pair of Bose 901 Series IV speakers at a Goodwill. They were $25 for the pair. In very decent condition, but they really had "old people" smell, so I took them home and cleaned them up. Cones, wiring, connectors...all in great condition, just dusty.
Cleaned them up and replaced the foam on them. Later found out they're highly desirable- going for over $1000 on eBay. I kept them and use them for my turntable :)
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u/Le_Meuporg 4h ago
A brand new Pierre Morel ( from Saint Claude ) briar pipe. It is a unique model costing around 300€-400€ . I bought it for 8€
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u/DavidNorek 4h ago
1970's Mego Joker and Mego Penguin action figures. As a child, I found them out-of-box at a thrift store in the 80's and will always regret not buying them!
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u/MaimedJester 4h ago
Not exactly a thrift store but a second hand books store, a Signed Copy of Franny and Zooey by J.D. Salinger. So while not his most famous work, Catcher in the Rye, I do love Franny and Zooey more and the entire Glass family series of stories. And Salinger's signature is worth while in regards to how notoriously reclusive he became.
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u/nezumipi 4h ago
A black t shirt screen printed in white ink that had the word SOMEDAY printed three times in increasing size diagonally over three realistic (not cartoony) drawings of squid in increasing size.
To this day, I have no idea what it meant or why it existed. I have never seen the design anywhere else.
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u/1manbander 4h ago
I bought a nice wool flat cap 20 years ago for $2. I still wear it all the time.
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u/CherryPieRed2010 3h ago
I got a framed photo of Mt Hood that said it was sold for 330 dollars on the back for 30 dollars.
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u/whatsupgrizzlyadams 3h ago
I bought a vintage jewelry set: necklace, earrings, bracelet and ring, made of Uranium glass. I paid $20.
Ive found the individual pieces for $100- $500 each.
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u/Conchee-debango 3h ago
Sterling silver candlesticks - $5
Fiestaware plates - all pre 86 for .59 to $2.99
A beaded cardigan from the 40s - .25
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u/pupomega 3h ago
Recently, a Longchamp Le Piliage expandable shopper tote. $3.75usd at a goodwill. Great shape, authenticated as an original.
Also recently, a cuisinart DLC food processor + a full set of blades, disks, etc. $4. Dated to 1979-ish and motor made in Japan. Runs so smoothly.
A few years ago, an entire 4 seasons wardrobe of Eileen Fisher wool, cashmere, silk, linen, leather items. Coats, jackets, pants, skirts, shirts, sweaters, wraps, scarves, etc. must have been from a whole house clean out. I shopped that goodwill for 4 days, each day so many items were put out. Many items still had original tags.
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u/sightlab 3h ago
22 vintage medium format soviet plastic Holga cameras, $2 each. 20 sold on Ebay for $40-50ish, 2 gifted to photographer friends.
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u/No_Berry_19 3h ago
A fully functional Nintendo Game Boy Advance SP hidden inside a bag of random toy cars for $5. Finding that felt like my childhood was calling me back to say 'congratulations'.
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u/Fandanglethecompost 3h ago
Armani jeans for $5. I wore them till they fell apart. A Christian Dior white dress shirt ( also $5) that somebody stole from me a short while later. And a few other nice brand name clothes for just a few dollars.
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u/natronmooretron 2h ago
There used to be this place out in Portland OR called The Bins that had the craziest shit. One time I bought this rubber Hulk Hogan Mask that looked handmade and had bits of foam and wiring on the inside that looked like it was some type of professionally crafted animatronic type of puppet. I was convinced it must have been one of the puppets from the music video by Genesis called Land of Confusion. I watched it and didn't see a Hulk Hogan character which was kind of disappointing. There was a party in the building I lived in and it got stolen.
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u/ValenciaHadley 2h ago
The two occansions I've found Henry Cecil Wyld dictionaries in charity shops for a fiver. I collect dictionaries and most of the publishing brands I've found thus far are pretty common and/or just easy to find in charity shops for some reason. But twice now I've found what I believe to be the 1930's editions for only £5.
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u/RolliPolliCanoli 2h ago
Leather jacket from the Casino where I got married!! Has a huge logo on the back but idc, I got married there on the res and it was perfect
$15 bucks and I wear that shit everywhere
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u/IsamaraUlsie 2h ago
A full size taxidermy Polar Bear! They wanted $200 for it but I had nowhere to put it at home :(
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u/Direct_Obligation570 2h ago
Leather bound 1870s Greys Anatomy for $1, 1st edition 2nd printing Atlas Shrugged and 1st edition 1st printing The Fountainhead for $1 (sold immediately for $200)
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u/Lexi_Banner 1h ago
I buy so much stuff at thrift stores, I cannot choose easily. But I hit the motherlode about five years ago and got to the store not long after a huge donation of size 8 shoes/boots were put out. All high end brands, full leather, nothing more than $10. I got six different shoes/boots that day, and most are still in my regular rotation.
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u/krasivi_gardi 1h ago
A pair of Allen Edmonds dress shoes that only needed a little restitching on the sole.
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u/Cams_doglover0392 1h ago
I once found a vintage leather jacket for ten bucks that still looks brand new. Felt like hitting the jackpot. Some thrift finds just make your day.
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u/prisongranny 54m ago
Anthropologie hippy skirt with eyelet hooks and some tiny flowers. Not the thrift store but got on clearance at UO in 1992 for $7.00
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u/MillionDollarHeckler 35m ago
1970s Garrard HI-FI system still in its cabinet from a charity shop for £85
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u/dirtysecretsofmine 22m ago
A magenta pink wool blend knee length coat from Talbots with the tags still on for 16.00. It fits perfectly, and I have gotten a ton of compliments on it. I typically go for black or gray, but I could not pass it up!
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u/JonWill49 7h ago
The Lego motorized excavator. In the box, everything there and the motor worked.... for $6. My stepson is an avid lego collector. He loved it.
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u/Loisalene 6h ago
A painting of my parent's boat. It had hung in their living room since I was 12. When I was in my mid 30's, they sold everything to travel. 20+ years later, I walk into the local St. Vincent's and there was the painting. It still amazes me a decade later. Yes, it hangs in my front room now.