There aren’t really any opportunities these days to go and search for lost cities, presumably overflowing with gold. The best we have is the second hand store and maybe Facebook marketplace. But that doesn’t mean one can’t at times still find treasure.
So we’ve gathered some of the best posts from a Facebook group dedicated to sharing the interesting, cool and sometimes bizarre things folks have found while just thrifting. Get comfortable as you scroll through, upvote your favorites and be sure to share your own stories in the comments down below.
More info: Facebook
#1 I Found One Of The Coolest Things I’ve Ever Found At Gw Today! They’re Victorian Grape Shears, Used For Taking Individual Grapes Off The Stem. They’re Heavy Too! It Shows Foxes Stretched Up Toward Grape Vines
Image source: Melissa Edson
#2 A Few Years Ago I Completed My Search For Enesco’s Passages Musical Doorknob Plaques Check Them Out. Found The Last One At A Flea Market In Pensacola For 20 Bucks
Image source: Carrie Ann Goettel
#3 I’ve Peaked On Facebook Marketplace 🥹 $60 For This Franz Porcelain Tea Set
Image source: Stephanie Baker
Passing things along to new owners is about as old as owning things in the first place, yet thrifting has never been bigger than it is right now. ThredUp’s 2026 Resale Report projects that the global secondhand apparel market will reach $393 billion by 2030, growing twice as fast as the overall apparel market.
Gen Z and millennials are expected to supply roughly 71 percent of that growth, which is a polite way of saying the kids are very into other people’s old sweaters. Money plays a part too. A majority of consumers, 59 percent, bought secondhand apparel in 2025, and 72 percent said rising prices are directly affecting what they spend on clothes, according to Chain Store Age.
#4 Neil The Frog For The Win Today At A Neighborhood Yard Sale $5!
Image source: Kathy Olivarez Gardner
#5 This Glass Ball Is Heavy! It Is In A Metal Base And Stands 7″ Tall. I Doubt It Is Mourano. I Plan On Weighing It Eventually. Found At An Estate Sale In SW, Ok
Image source: Lahree Merten Jenkins
#6 Open Day At Local Animal Rescue In France. Thought I Should Buy Something To Make A Donation And Saw This! A Bargain For 7 Euros!
Image source: Linda Lovelock
The impact goes well beyond saving a few bucks. The United Nations says the fashion industry is responsible for up to 8 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, and a UN News report describes the equivalent of a garbage truck’s worth of clothing being burned or buried every single second.
#7 My Road Trip Find. Found This Absolutely Incredible Canister Set For $40! It Now Proudly Sits In My Kitchen, Holding My Flour And Sugar
Image source: Haley Showalter
#8 My Mom Found This At Savers
Image source: Brianna Kelly
#9 So Freaking Excited, I Love Love Love The Gold And How It Totally Looks Like Little Portals Spinning Around In Their Absolute Magic. I Did A Search For “Triple” Mirrors On Marketplace And Th. I’m So Happy
Image source: Sherah Taylor
The same report notes that experts estimate doubling the lifespan of clothing could cut those emissions by 44 percent. In the United States, the EPA estimated that 17 million tons of textiles were generated in 2018, with only about 13 percent of clothing and footwear recycled. Buying secondhand will not fix everything, but it keeps perfectly good items out of the trash and pushes back, even a little, against treating clothes as disposable. That cardigan you rescued from a crowded rack is quietly doing the planet a favor.
#10 I Found This Cow Kettle On The Side Of The Road! Cleaned It Up And Am Gonna Use It As A Vase. Date On Bottom Is 1992
Image source: Hannah Skj-Sea
#11 Behold! After Years Of Wanting This Gorgeous Mirror, One Appeared To Me On The Fb Marketplace For $100 In The Cool Springs/Franklin Area Of TN!
Image source: Alexandria Rae Scott
#12 Found This Beautiful Chandelier Complete At The Thrift Store! Cannot Wait To Get Her Lit Up!
Image source: Casey Daniels
Then there is the question of why it feels so good, and the answer is mostly about the chase. Brain imaging research by neuroscientist Brian Knutson and colleagues found that simply anticipating a possible payoff activates the nucleus accumbens, a key hub in the brain’s reward circuitry, and that it responds more strongly as the potential prize grows.
#13 So Excited To Add This Guy To My Collection Today. I Love Nutcrackers And I Collect Clocks. Found At A Thrift Shop In Boston For $5
Image source: Emily Smith
#14 This Preposterously Delightful & Unabashedly Weird Italian Majolica Snail Was Found At The Local Thrift & Is Smiling… Promise!
Image source: Andrea Courtie
#15 This Afternoon’s Thrift Score
Image source: Kem Lou
Notice that the anticipation is doing the heavy lifting here, not the winning. A thrift store is basically an anticipation machine. Every shelf is a maybe. Maybe it is another mug celebrating a dental convention from 1997, or maybe it is the one thing you never knew you were looking for.
#16 This Is A Tiffany Museum Replica Numbered Lampshade I Rescued From The Garbage!
Image source: Bryan Mueller
#17 Not Sure What To Say About This Little Guy, But Had To Bring Him Home From Thrift Store
Image source: April Lilling
#18 I Finally Found My House Hippo, Thrifting In Charlestown, NH. 5 Miles From Home
Image source: Gail Fellows
That uncertainty is the whole point, because if every rack held a guaranteed prize, the hunt would probably lose its sparkle. It is a bit like foraging, only the berries are vintage band tees. Add the pride of a bargain, the joy of owning something nobody else on your street has and the story you get to tell afterwards, and you have a recipe for one very happy shopper.
#19 Do You Remember These??? The Rescuers Down Under Ornaments From McDonald’s 1990?
Image source: Heather Neyers
#20 Found This Guy At Goodwill In Springfield Oregon Today. 16 Inches Tall And Crazy Eyes. Would You Have Brought Him Home?
Image source: Larisa Bartolovich Worthington
#21 When I Found This Table On Marketplace, It Was Painted And It Looked Like A Cartoon. I Managed To Make It Look A Little More Classy With Some Old Gold Paint And Antiquing Wax
Image source: Tammy Brown
And now and then, the maybe pays off in a very big way. According to Good News Network, a woman in Manchester, New Hampshire stopped by a Savers store hunting for frames to reuse and left with an old painting that cost her $4. She assumed the signature was a fake, hung it in her bedroom and eventually stashed it in the attic.
#22 The Best Thrift Find Of My Life…
Whilst out thrifting in the Scottish Highlands I found this cute scent bottle in a cheap trinket bowl and snatched it up with a few other doll house miniatures. Noticed when I got it home that the lid is silver and has hallmarks so decided to do some research –
It’s an 1880s (approx) Sampson Mordan novelty scent bottle and, according to some auction sites I looked at, could be worth around £200+.
How much did I pay for it?
20 pence.
I think I hit the jackpot.
Image source: Imogen Smith
#23 Found At An Antique Sale In Vancouver
Image source: Michelle Lynn March
#24 Found For Half Price At An Antique Store Today. Of Course, He Came Home With Me. A Cute Addition To My Beachy Guest Bedroom
Image source: Susan Breaseale Woods
Then she shared photos in a Facebook group, which is a plot twist we can all appreciate, and the painting turned out to be a lost work by N.C. Wyeth with an auction estimate ranging from a quarter of a million to three million dollars. Another shopper who initially found a painting unappealing learned it was Vertical Diamond by Ilya Bolotowsky and worth far more than she expected. Mental Floss reports it sold through Sotheby’s for $34,375 including the buyer’s premium.
#25 Can’t Remember The Last Time I Was So Excited For A Thrift Find. Now We Need A Name
Image source: Brittany White
#26 Nabbed This Beauty At A Fill A Bag! ($5 A Bag I Got 16 Things)
Image source: Mid Nite
#27 Coolest Nightlight Ever! One Of Those Prized Thriftstore Bucket List Finds, For Me
So I have one of those flickering single metal flame shape bulbs that I always thought was fascinating. Then at the thrift on my way home today i found this one on this funky little base. It’s a little bit Extra fascinating.
Vintage 50’s 60’s. Called, Bird and Bouquet, by Aerolux, I believe.
Image source: Adam Cimermanis
Of course, most finds never see an auction house, and that is perfectly fine. The everyday wins are smaller and often stranger, like a jacket that fits as if it had been waiting for you, a lamp shaped like a fish or a board game with every single piece still inside. Secondhand things arrive with history attached, and half the fun is wondering where they have been and who loved them before you did. That sense of story is something a brand new item on a shelf simply cannot offer. Then there is the social side.
#28 Found This Giant Coffee Mug Planter At The Thrift Store Today
Image source: Randy Feagans
#29 Saw My Very First Vomit Clock In The Wild Today At Two Sisters Antiques In Cleburne TX. But No It Did Not Come Home With Me
Image source: Amy Jackson
#30 Found In A Charity Shop In England £5 I Love It
Image source: Elisha Hayden
Thrifters love to swap tips, compare hauls and cheer each other on, which helps explain why online groups full of proud shoppers exist. A great find is rarely kept quiet for long, because the excitement is meant to be shared. So the next time you spot something odd peeking out from under a stack of old puzzles, give it a second look. It might be nothing at all, or it might be the best story you tell this year.
#31 Found Him At Goodwill. I Almost Had To Bring Him Home. Look At That Face!
Image source: Kim Walters
#32 5$ Hobnail Milk Glass Wall Sconce From A Moving Sale- That Spot On My Wall Has Been Blank For Over A Year, Now That It’s There It Feels Like Everything Else Was Designed Around It The Whole Time. I Absolutely Love It
Image source: Raven Amaranthx
#33 Mr. Hyde, What You Doin’?? Found And Left At The Youth Ranch In Idaho Falls, ID
Image source: Sunny Bowman Katseanes
#34 Found These Beauties At My Local Thrift Shop. I’ll Now Be Looking For More Holiday Pieces To Add To It. (This Is My 1st Time Collecting Anything)
Image source: Mostly Madison
#35 Couldn’t Pass This Up. Not Sure What I’ll Do With It But Omg! Found Thrifting At Goodwill In Bastrop, TX
Image source: Kris Tofte
#36 $5 At Goodwill? Yes Please
Image source: Jim Krapenc
#37 I Loved This Glass Turkey At The Antique Store I’ve Been Trying To Find Unique Seasonal Decor For The Fall And This Was Stunning! But Way Out Of My Price Range. But Those Colors Were So Bright! Loved It!!!
Image source: Topacio Greer
#38 Artist Signed Rooster Mexican Folk Art Hand Painted Candle Holders Bought At Goodwill!
Image source: Sammi Richardson Gonias
#39 Found This Absolute Fashion Icon At The Thrift Store Today In Shrewsbury, PA. Floral Blouse, Bloomers, Vest And A Hat. She’s Serving Little House On The Piggy
Image source: Kristie Myers
#40 We Found This Casper On Marketplace
Image source: Kuple
#41 Thrifted In Washington – Pony Coven
Image source: Stacy Lynn Choi
#42 I Found This Guy, Charlie Mccarthy, At Goodwill In London Ontario Today. He Needs Some Repair And A New Shoe, But It Was A Perfect Find Today For Their 30% Off Sale!
Image source: Allison Stewart
#43 Weird Coin Side Table I Found At Goodwill Today For $15. Couldn’t Resist! It’s 18 Inches High And Almost 30 Pounds
Image source: Code Ry
#44 Bought This At A Thrift Store In Donner, CA. It’s Hand Embroidered And Professionally Framed. I Think It’s More Wonderful Than Weird
Image source: Denise Jones
#45 I Found My Dream Mirror At A Garage Sale! I’m In Love!
Image source: Amanda Sparks
#46 Found At A Thrift Shop In San Carlos, CA. She Came Home With Me
Image source: Monique M. Kreutzer
#47 Definitely One Of My Top 10 Weirdest Thrift Purchases Happened Today. Also Got An Inflatable Nascar Car As Well (Not Pictured, Behind The Battery)
Image source: Sean Daly
#48 Wonderful For Me, Weird To Some. Finally Organizing Some Of My Collection Of Antiques From Various Flea Markets And Antique Stores From Kentucky Up To New York, Down To Georgia, And Everywhere In Between
Image source: Eric Kaiser
#49 Apparently Called “Mr. Bones, Sticks, And Stones” Omg They Are So Dang Cute. Marketplace Find!
Image source: Ashley Dee
#50 After Many Years Of Searching, Karma And My Shopping Angels
Image source: Diana Kowalski Langhauser
#51 This Is The Way I Displayed The Sea Glass Found Throughout The Years, With An Art Glass Paperweight From A Local Thrift Store And A Vintage Carnival Glass Bowl, From Good Will
Image source: Diana Louisa Carrasino
#52 I Fell In Love With This Horse When I Saw It! It’s At An Antique Store In Dickinson, TX And I Absolutely Loved It! I Don’t Know Where I’d Put It But It Was So Magical! Maybe One Day I’ll Have Space For It But Not Today
Image source: Topacio Greer
#53 Found This Rabbit At Savers Thrift Store In Fort Smith, AR. There Isn’t Any Branding Or Labels Anywhere On It So I Haven’t Found Much Information About It. Paid $6.99 And It Makes Me Smile
Image source: Shelia Wallace
#54 Found And Left At The Copper Mill In Greenville, NC In A Thrift Shop Booth
Image source: Teresa Marrella
#55 Nifty Little Dudes Found At A New-To-Me Thrift Store In Sacramento, California!
Image source: Kaylie Lavin
#56 Screaming Pickle Anyone? These Can Be Yours At Denton Mini Mall II Antique Store At Denton Square
Image source: Kristy McCoy
#57 A Completed Trinket Shelf Found At The Arc For $8.29. Lots Of Pieces Were Broken But I Put Them Back Together. It’s Bittersweet To See A Strangers Whole Life And Collection Laid Out In A Display Like This
Image source: Amanda Bonnot
#58 Saw Him And Immediately Went Into My Cart At The Thrift Today. I Love Him So Much. Print By Denise Ekstrand I Found Her Art Pages And She Also Loves Funky Little Animal
Image source: Gabby Solomon
#59 Guys I Think This Is Someone’s Iris And Pupil On A Plate. What Do You Think? Found This Strange Plate At The Thrift Store Today. Is It An Eye? I Don’t Know How I Feel About Eating Off Of This Plate
Image source: Kristie Myers
#60 Found At A Local Thrift Store! They Certainly Are Wonderful “Four Seasons” Collector Plates Featuring Artwork By Norman Rockwell And Produced By Gorham Fine China Around 1971
Image source: Susan Breaseale Woods
#61 I Found This At A Local Thrift Store For $3. It Glows So Beautifully But I Haven’t Been Able To Identify The Maker Yet. I’m In Love With It
Image source: Michelle Young
#62 Found This Beauty While Thrifting, Beveled Oval Glass In A Lovely Patina Brass Frame For $7. Cheers!
Image source: Christine Colligan
#63 They Really Do Make A Plate For Everything. This Doll Head On A Plate Is Cool And Wild At The Same Time. Found This At The Thrift Store In York, PA Today
Image source: Kristie Myers
#64 Painting Found (And Left Behind) At The Salvation Army In Ozark, AL
Image source: Rachel Strain
#65 I Got This At A Vintage Shop. So Cute!!!!
Image source: Amy Lanks
#66 Cookie Jar $45 At An Antique Mall. Did Not Buy
Image source: Angie Dolak
#67 70’s Yarn Art Found At A Church Sale This Morning In Texas
Image source: Amanda Harrell Houston
#68 I Found This In A Goodwill Store A Few Years Ago
Image source: Marilyn Hill
#69 Found This Vintage Glass Blown Plate At My Local Goodwill. Has A Really Cool Illusion When It Rotates
Image source: Code Ry
#70 Purchased Today At Goodwill In Austin With The Intention Of Gifting For A White Elephant. But Now, Seeing It Lit Up In All Its Glory, Feel I May Need To Keep It- “It’s A Major Award!” After All
Image source: Meaghan Ganucheau
#71 She Definitely Came Home With Me! Found At Local Estate Sale
Image source: Donna Barr Cartier
#72 Was About To Leave The Thrift Store When My Boyfriend Spotted The Face On This Dress! Favorite Find Of All Time!! (Ron Swanson/Duke Silver Tattoo To Match)
Image source: Jenny Vust
#73 Finally Something Of My Own To Share. My Neighbors Had A Table Setup In Their Driveway With A “Free” Sign. My Friend Hopped Out Of The Car At A Red Light To Grab This For Me After I Kept Going Back And Forth Over Whether I Actually Wanted/Needed It. Behold, The Octopus Mug
Image source: Zachary Stevens
#74 Found This Funky Halloween Decor At A Local Thrift Store, But Let’s Be Real, It Will Probably Be Year Round Decor
Image source: Sam Martin
#75 I Found A Toad Purse Thrifting Yesterday! I Was So Excited!
Image source: Kaitlyn Yinger
#76 Found An Interesting Jacket At Wiggy’s Trading Post In Houlton, Me Today!
Image source: Courtney Laws
#77 My Collection Is Really Filling Out And I Feel Like A Proud Mother. Thrifted, Gifted, Antiqued Or Rummaged, She’s Taken A Long Time To Get To This Point. I Love Hands
Image source: Dandy Kat Newton
#78 I’ve Never Had Anything Exciting To Share Here… Until Now! I Saw This Gorgeous Tiffany Style Lamp On Facebook Marketplace And Couldn’t Stop Thinking About It
I tried to convince myself that I had nowhere to put it and it was an hour away, which is a long drive on an already jam-packed day. I finally sent an inquiry and let fate handle the rest. The woman said she got 14 messages within 20 minutes of listing it but she chose me! She just knew it would be the most loved in my home. I have two parrots (pictures included) so this was a necessary purchase. I was so giddy on my way to pick it up. It’s stunning and I’m so happy it’s mine!
Image source: Brittany Baker
#79 Every Now And Then, I Get Lucky. My Newly Acquired Two Fenton Blue Poppy Lamps. I Smile Each Time I See It. Drove 2 Hours N 45 Min To Get It And For $150 For Both. Found It On Fbm At 3am When I Couldn’t Sleep
Image source: Naty Hernandez
#80 I Got This At An Antique Store I Found Very Little Information On It But Figured Is Just So Cool
Image source: Yesenia Carlson
#81 2 Barrel Cactus Touch Lamps Got From 2 Different Yard Sales. Bought 1 At A Yard Sale In Central Minnesota And Bought The 2nd One At A Yard Sale In The Minneapolis Area. U Touch The Pot To Turn Them On
Image source: April Adams
#82 Picked Up This Set Of Knobs And Handles Today Off Marketplace, Said They Were Vintage But I Dont Know Much About Uranium Glass
Image source: Johnny McIver
#83 Just Got This Cool Table Today On Facebook Marketplace!
Image source: Alexia Von
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