A curbside discovery posted to the r/uraniumglass subreddit had the community in applause, praising both the find and the thrill of finding secondhand treasures.
The original poster excitedly shared, "My first piece was found on the curb by the trash cans!?" along with photos of an antique bird cage and its stand with brightly colored glass or stone decorative elements.
The OP discovered the antique fixture thrown away curbside. The colorful parts of the fixture seemed to glow in the sun, and under blacklight they seemed to confirm their find: a free uranium glass antique birdcage.
Uranium glass is a rare collector's item, known for its glowing qualities under certain lighting. The fixture that the OP happened upon, and others like it, sell for hundreds of dollars, making this find even more unusual.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency explained that uranium glass, aka "vaseline glass," has a small amount of the radioactive element and that "Antiques that contain radioactive materials are usually not a health risk if they are in good condition."
Finding valuable secondhand finds on curbsides is nothing new, but no less exciting to the thrifters who happen upon such gems.
Another Redditor was taking a stroll through their neighborhood when they came across a piano keyboard, a grandfather clock, and a vintage table with a "FREE" sign attached. Another thrift shopper found a vintage flower coffee table for $120, then researched to find out it was possibly worth over $8,000.
Many secondhand shoppers know there's nothing like the thrill of a thrift store, or curbside, find — and it can pay off in more ways than one.
Swapping out even half of your new purchases with secondhand items can save you up to $100 a year. With secondhand shopping, you can score high-quality items at a fraction of the retail price, with some people flipping their legendary finds for profit.
While the financial benefits are obvious, curb-hunting has another upside: It keeps perfectly good items out of landfills. Reusing rather than tossing helps reduce waste and makes better use of the resources that went into making these products.
TCD Picks » Upway Spotlight
💡Upway makes it easy to find discounts of up to 60% on premium e-bike brands
|
What's your primary motivation in shopping at thrift stores?
Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Cheaper clothes 🤑 Collectors and thrifting enthusiasts were aglow over the birdcage curbside treasure, with numerous comments applauding the discovery.
One commenter said, "You lucky, lucky, lucky ducky."
Another commenter gave a decorating idea: "You absolutely need to find some uranium glass birds to pose in that cage!"
Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
