Woman stunned after discovering bonus item inside thrifted purse: 'Congratulations on finding a treasure'

A trip to the thrift store might turn up a treasure worth its weight in gold.

One thrift store shopper reported buying a purse — only to discover a stunning gold ring hidden inside.

The lucky thrifter took to Reddit's r/vintage community with photos of a purple stone set in an engraved gold ring.

"I went thrifting this weekend and found this ring in the pocket of a purse I bought," they wrote. "Curious on the value of a ring like this?"

Commenters were unsure whether the central stone was a genuine amethyst, but they stressed that the piece was beautiful regardless of value. 

"Congratulations on finding a treasure!" one user wrote.

The Redditor's discovery highlights the possibilities of thrift shopping, which lets people purchase high-quality clothing and accessories for far less money than they might spend on new items. Thrifting also helps keep clothing out of landfills and promotes more sustainable shopping habits.

People can even make a profit by reselling thrifted items — especially when they discover surprise accessories at no additional cost.

One commenter on the Reddit post pointed out that the ring's original owner is likely missing it, but OP explained the lengths they went to give people the opportunity to claim it.

"I've put a post in my neighborhood's FB page, where I said that I found a gold ring in a thrifted handbag, and if it belongs to someone, asked them to describe the pattern and the gemstone," they wrote. "So far nobody has responded, but if I get an honest reply, I'll do the right thing and return it."

No matter what happens, the shopper will still have walked away with a fabulous secondhand purse. For now, though, it seems like "finders keepers" is the name of the game.

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