By Whether you’re shopping for fun or on the hunt for items to resell, you never know what you may come across when you visit your local thrift store. Sometimes, an unexpected gem can turn out to be worth big money! That was the case for one man whose $5 find was deemed to be much more valuable. Keep reading to learn about the rare Chinese porcelain plate found at a Goodwill store. Plus, discover what valuable thrift store finds you should snatch up!
The true Chinese porcelain plate value
Chicago resident John Carcerano keeps busy running a one-man carpet cleaning company, but that hasn’t stopped him from finding time to buy and sell antiques on the side. During one visit to a Goodwill store in Evanston, Illinois, he managed to uncover an unusual find: a rare, 18th-century Chinese plate.
“The plate was underneath a modern plate and three other people were digging on the cart with me,” he told Newsweek. “When everybody walked away from the cart, including me after we went through it, in the corner of my eye I noticed the plate was underneath a modern one.”
Once the item was in his hands, Carcerano quickly did a search on Google Lens. The findings proved to be shocking! The decorative plate that was priced at the second-hand store for $4.99 was worth thousands of dollars. His online digging showed that only two of the plates had been sold via auction in the last 50 years, with one earning a whopping $4,400.
The history of the antique plate
After snatching up this rate find, the regular thrifter began asking experts to verify the plate’s authenticity. According to Newsweek, a specialist at Sotheby’s Auction House in New York determined that the plate was specifically a “Chinese export armorial chamfered rectangular platter” from the Qianlong period (around 1775) of the Qing dynasty.
The estimated value? Between $4,000 and $6,000!
The antique’s rarity, combined with the shape in which Carcerano found it, makes it a truly unique discovery. “What makes my plate stand out is the condition — it was never eaten on or used; no scratches,” he said. “It’s pristine.”
How to spot valuable antiques when thrift shopping
Though you may not stumble on a valuable piece of Chinese dinnerware at your local thrift store, there are other antiques that are currently worth a lot of money. Here are some items you may want to look for during your next shopping trip:
- Mid-Century modern furniture. Young collectors have been drawn to the designs of this once-popular style, so the furniture has gone up in value.
- Art Deco rugs. These rugs from the 1920s and 1930s are known for their geometric shapes and bold colors. They’ve been in demand for the last few years and that’s expected to continue.
- Vintage Pyrex. Not all Pyrex kitchenware is considered valuable, but some older pieces have been sold for between $500 and $3,000, according to MoneyDigest.com. Rare promotional items and patterns that were popular during the 50’s and 60’s tend to be the most sought after.
- VHS tapes. This outdated movie format can be worth money if the item fits certain categories and is still in its original factory shrink wrap. The experts at Kiplinger.com say to snatch up:
- Blockbuster films from the late 1970s–1980s (released on VHS prior to the 1990s)
- Horror films from the 1980s
- Early Disney copies that were released in the early to mid-1980s (Note: Most Disney animated films aren’t valuable).
- First-edition modern literature. First-edition books in pristine condition with original dust jackets are worth it if you find one for a steal. TheFirstEdition.com shows early editions now going anywhere from $75 to $14,500 for a first edition/printing of To Kill a Mockingbird.
