30 Lucky People Share The Best 'Treasures' They've Found While Shopping Secondhand

While it seems like a cliche right out of a soap opera, the idea that someone might stumble upon long-lost art has some basis in reality. A classic example of this was when N.C. Wyeth's Ramona, purchased for a staggering $4 at a thrift store, ended up selling for $191,000. So next time you are poking around and see something that looks better than its price tag would suggest, perhaps do a little research.

Obviously, most stories like this don’t feature people making six figures for buying something that costs as much as a cheeseburger. That being said, valuable, vintage, and one-of-one items end up sold all the time. 

Art is probably the most common “culprit,” because, often enough, the real value comes less from a person’s aesthetic considerations, but the pedigree of the painter. To compound the issue, a well-known painter's most famous works are almost never “lost,” so the ones sitting around in a garage sale or thrift store would already be more obscure. 

This is just part of the appeal of thrifting, besides the often excellent deals one can score. Unlike a supermarket, where you always have a decent idea of what you might find, thrift stores might stock the most unhinged, creepy, and weird items. They also tend to sell things you simply will not find in other stores because, to put it frankly, no one wants them.