Shopper stunned after striking gold in $5 thrift store grab bag: 'What a find'

Finding treasures at thrift stores without spending a fortune is easier than ever, as thrifting becomes more popular. One thrifter discovered this after finding a 14K gold bracelet at their local thrift store. 

"Found a 14K Gold Bracelet out of a $5 grab bag at St. Vincent's," wrote the thrifter in the subreddit r/ThriftStoreHauls, which is full of similar discoveries.

Over the past decade, thrifting has transformed from a second-rate shopping experience to a coveted one, where shoppers can find affordable, high-quality items for far less than traditional retailers. Some lucky thrifters even stumble upon hidden treasures in drawers, pockets, and — in the case of this Redditor — a grab bag. 

Valuable items bought for cheap secondhand can often be resold at a profit. Whether you keep or resell your thrifted finds, you'll be saving money and enjoying the thrill of the hunt. 

In the wake of recent tariffs, which are particularly impacting fast fashion retailers, thrifting popularity has only boomed. 

Newsweek explained in April that buying from fast fashion shops like Temu or Shein will have consumers paying more. 

"Tariffs will also hit once-protected low-value imports on packages worth $800 or less," one TCD article explained. "The shipments now have a 90% duty. It all adds up to increased prices, fewer product choices, and slower shipping."

However, the opposite is happening for thrift stores, which resell donated items for cheap. As they typically offer in-person retail, there are no worries about shipping costs, and quality product choices are still valuable. At the same time, online thrift store experiences do exist, where shoppers can receive the same secondhand shopping experience found in stores, for only a slight increase in cost for shipping fees. Without tariffs impacting online thrifting, experts believe thrift shops are growing in demand. 

"Some 59% of American consumers said they'd turn to shopping secondhand for clothing and accessories should prices in the primary market go up," Forbes reported on statistics from ReturnPro. 

This growth is in addition to ThredUp's Authoritative Resale report, which projected an increase of 12% in 2025, reaching $56 billion in sales. 

Would you buy your wedding dress from a thrift store? Absolutely 💯 I did 👰 Only if I found one I loved 😍 Nope 🙅 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

On top of the affordable, high-quality, and distinctive benefits of thrifting, this form of shopping also circumvents the excessive and negative impacts that fast fashion has on the environment.

According to Earth.org, 85% of textiles end up in a landfill every year. Air and water pollution are further boosted by textile waste, adding microplastics and hazardous air into vital water and air resources for humans. Shopping at thrift stores eliminates the relentless demand for wasteful clothing production, while offering more benefits to consumers. 

Redditors were ecstatic about the OP's find.

"What a find!" wrote one.

Another user echoed the same sentiment, writing, "Cool find!"

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