A thrifty shopper made an unexpected discovery in a grab bag of jewelry from a flea market, paying just $5 for some high-end pieces.

In the r/ThriftStoreHauls Reddit forum, the original poster shared a photo of their finds, two "sterling silver hair barrettes" and "an 18k gold egg lapel pin."

The egg is an especially interesting piece. It looks like it was designed to look like a cracked egg, and some Redditors speculated that it may have held something like a "carved ivory chick" and encouraged them to dig deeper into the bag to check (no word back on if they did). 

The OP estimated that the gold piece alone was probably worth $265 if they melted it down, but they swore they had no intention of doing so and planned to keep the unique piece. 

People often find these kinds of hidden gems (literally!) when shopping at secondhand and thrift stores. One person discovered actual gems in an old briefcase they purchased at a thrift store, while others have had rare finds such as custom vintage tools, and even plain-old cash left behind in pockets or other nooks and crannies. 

Shoppers also score great deals on purpose when they find high-end items for a fraction of the cost, such as brand-name cookware or designer clothes, as well as other practical items. Overall, shopping secondhand is a great way to save money on a wide range of items.   

It also helps keep perfectly usable items from going to waste in a landfill, where they'll take years to break down, releasing harmful chemicals and planet-warming gases as they do. Buying secondhand also cuts down on the need for resources to produce new items, which are often made with plastic fueled by oil, coal, and gas, further helping the environment while helping your wallet. 

Reddit users in the comments loved the OP's find, particularly the egg.

"The egg is incredible," one person wrote.

Another user added: "Stickpin is everything." 

"Those are great, even aside from the monetary value! I've never seen sterling silver barrettes before," another commenter noted.

What's your primary motivation in shopping at thrift stores? Cheaper clothes 🤑 Trendier items 😎 Reduced environmental impact 🌎 I don't thrift 🚫 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

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