One lucky thrifter found a rare gem in a secondhand jewelry box, inspiring envy among fellow shoppers on Reddit.
The buyer shared a photo on r/ThriftStoreHauls of a Victorian mourning locket they found among the vintage jewelry they thrifted. They said it was their "craziest thrift find yet." The image shows a gold pendant with intricate carvings and a stone in the middle.
"It's a mourning pin, when they wore these, they would put a picture and a locket of hair," the poster said of the artifact. They added in the comments that "it's 22k" gold.
This find is just one example of the valuable goodies shoppers can find at the thrift store. Some expert thrifters have snagged designer shoes or sweaters for a fraction of the original price. Oftentimes, people find bonus scores hidden in the pockets and compartments of their purchases.
This Redditor is fortunate because authentic Victorian mourning lockets go for upwards of $1,000 on online secondhand sites like eBay and 1stDibs.
Thrifting has also uncovered other antique heirlooms. In some cases, secondhand shopping has allowed families to reconnect with their accidentally discarded items. For example, one woman was reunited with a vintage photo collage of her late mother that was sold at a flea market.
The benefits of secondhand shopping extend beyond the savings. Thrifting also helps the planet by redirecting usable clothes, home appliances, and other goods away from the landfill.
One thrift store demonstrated how much fast fashion waste was diverted from the dump by sharing the bags of clothes donated to their shop. This helps curb the issue of textile waste, which currently amounts to approximately $150 billion in losses.
Fellow Reddit users were impressed by the poster's antique find and shared their praise for the locket.
"It is a beautiful piece," one person wrote.
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"Beautiful Victorian piece! I love this era of jewelry," another said.
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