Hunting for gold in this supercharged gold market? Maybe try digging around at your local thrift store instead. With gold at near-record highs, one thrift shopper's find is even more valuable than this time last year.
In a post shared to the r/ThriftStoreHauls subreddit, one shopper didn't have to dig very far or hard to find something beautiful.
The find? A vintage Tiffany & Co. sterling silver and 18-karat gold heart pendant and necklace, as one commenter spotted. And according to eBay listings, the cheapest options online cost $350, and prices skyrocket from there.
"Found this pendant in a mixed bag at a thrift [store]," the poster wrote. "Gold checked out on nitric. I think it buffed out okay after I almost ruined it."
Fortunately, the lucky finder got to be a keeper and didn't ruin the necklace.
"I assumed it was fake being in a $20 bag of mixed sterling," they wrote.
Thrifting offers chances to find rare, hidden treasures and flip them for money. It's also a sustainable practice that helps the planet — while saving $1,700 a year on average. Reusing items or donating old ones helps keep them out of landfills, which create pollution that warms our planet.
When you thrift, you can help slow the demand for fast fashion as well. The industry's constant production of new, short-lasting goods and materials is responsible for 2% to 8% of carbon air pollution globally.
A find like this gold pendant is rare. And you're not guaranteed to find thousands of dollars stuffed in something like a piggy bank either. Regardless, thrift stores often offer a great mix of vintage clothing or household items — all at a fraction of new prices.
In response to the thrifting find, many commenters were blown away by the score.
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Cheaper clothes 🤑 "Wow! Lucky find!" one wrote.
"Gorgeous," another added.
And one shared advice for gold-hunting thrifters: "When testing jewelry, ALWAYS try to do so with minimal damage. … Because one day, you'll do this to a very expensive unmarked 18k item from the 1800s and it'll be worthless due to the damage. Fair warning from a fellow hunter. It won't always buff out."
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