16 Unexpected Collector's Items You'll Want To Look Out For At Thrift Stores

As the saying goes, one man's trash is another man's treasure. This couldn't be truer at thrift stores. Thrift stores are gold mines of unique pieces and vintage treasures. While thrift stores have a reputation for being full of junk, you can still find high-quality, rare, and nostalgic collectables there if you know where to look.

Whether you're a novice thrift shopper, a seasoned reseller, or a collector yourself, you need to know how to scan the shelves to find treasures for a bargain. Oftentimes, an item's age and historical significance contribute to its value. Vintage pieces are usually defined as being 20 to 50 years old, while antiques are more than 100 years old. Collector's items from vintage Christmas ornaments to sterling silver dinnerware can sell for hundreds and even thousands of dollars at antique auctions and online marketplaces, like eBay. Look for these 16 thrift store finds you should never skip buying next time you're out, and you might just stumble upon a valuable piece.

Don't pass by the kitchen section on your next thrift trip. Pyrex is one of several vintage kitchen dishware items you should always look for at thrift stores. Pyrex began producing kitchenware in 1915, and its containers are still made today. However, collectors favor colorful vintage Pyrex and glass products made before 1998. In 1998, Pyrex switched from using borosilicate glass to cheaper soda-lime glass in its products. Borosilicate glass is exceptionally strong and heat-resistant. You can estimate a piece's age by color and pattern as well as the glass markings, stamps, and logos.

While crystal pieces exemplify timeless elegance, they still end up on thrift store shelves. Don't pass it up. Vintage crystal patterns, like teardrop and rose point, can be valued at hundreds of dollars, while rarer items can sell for thousands. Even if you're not looking to sell, crystal never goes out of style. Why not snag a timeless piece that holds its value?

You might not expect Christmas ornaments to hold much value, but certain vintage and antique pieces are sought-after collector's items. Several pieces originating from Germany, like Dresden die-cut angel figurines, are worth hundreds of dollars. World War II-era ornaments are also priced high and highly sought-after. American companies like Shiny Brite produced ornaments when they couldn't be imported from Germany, leading to beloved collections with a story.

Antique china is another popular collector's item, distinct from ordinary ceramic plates. Authentic antique china is prized for its high-quality materials, meticulous craftsmanship, and historical significance. Authentic blue and white china, for example, can be traced back to the Ming Dynasty from 1368 to 1644 AD. A given piece of china's value varies greatly based on its age, condition, rarity, and market value, but many are resold for thousands of dollars.

Hidden among piles of ordinary cutlery and plates might be something extraordinary. Sterling silver dinnerware is renowned for its quality craftsmanship and intricate detailing in well-known patterns. It's often passed down through generations in families, but it can also be bought from an antique dealer at a high price. Besides the pattern, other signs can indicate you've found a sterling silver treasure. Lightweight, odorless pieces that leave a residue when tarnished may be sterling silver.

Thrift store shelves are often filled to the brim with glassware. With so much to take in, it can be easy to miss valuable pieces like carnival glass. Carnival glass has a colorful, iridescent finish reminiscent of an oil spill. It's an art form born of the Great Depression era, intended as an affordable alternative to crystal and china. Collected for its unique look and historical significance, carnival glass could be a beautiful addition to your glassware collection or an opportunity to make some cash.

Knowledgeable pottery collectors won't pass up a piece of Roseville pottery. Roseville pottery was manufactured by the Roseville Pottery Company from the 1890s to the mid-1950s. Common pieces are valued at up to $300, while rarer or more popular pieces can sell for $500 or more. A piece's value is dependent on its size, rarity, and age. The most expensive piece, from Roseville's 1905 Della Robbia collection, was sold at auction for $38,850.

Most thrift stores are overflowing with toys in varying conditions. If you can find mint or good condition vintage or antique toys, you've struck gold. There's a toy for every kind of collector, from antique porcelain dolls to vintage board games. Some newer toys, like Funko Pops, are also valuable collectables due to limited production or cultural significance. Be on the lookout for items like vintage Barbie dolls, action figures, and early LEGO sets.

Original artwork adds a personal touch that mass-produced prints cannot, so you may want to thrift your wall art. At the store, look for signs like unique maker's marks, gallery stickers, and signatures that indicate that a work is original. Artwork from certain time periods and movements, like the Renaissance period, is especially valuable. To be certain you have an original piece, or one from a specific period, it's best to research its authenticity online before making a purchase.

Brass candlesticks are a seemingly insignificant and definitely outdated piece of décor. However, antique hobbyists collect them because they represent centuries' worth of styles, production methods, and craftsmanship. A way to tell antique brass apart from fakes is to look for patina. Patina, the natural oxidation layer that develops on brass, can indicate authenticity and age. Uneven coloration, green or brown coloring, especially in the crevices, and subtle variations in texture are all signs of patina.

Denim is a bit of a niche collector's item, but when you consider the quality construction of vintage jeans, it's easy to see the appeal. Levi's 501 jeans made between 1949 and 1954 are among the most sought-after by collectors and resellers. These jeans, in varying conditions, have been known to sell for thousands of dollars. While Levi's doesn't date their jeans, you can estimate a piece's age using the tag. On jeans made before 1971, Levi's is spelled in all capital letters on the iconic red tag.

Scanning thrift store bookshelves can feel like looking for a needle in a haystack, but with a trained eye and a little luck, you could strike gold. The first edition of a book is the version that was printed for the public for the first time. There is some debate among book collectors on what constitutes a first edition book, but most want the printing that predates all other versions. You may find the words 'first edition' or 'first printing' on the copyright page. You can also look for the number 'one' on the copyright page.

It may seem strange to collect old pans, but cast iron is different from other materials. Not only does it last, but when properly cared for, cast iron improves with age. Prices for skillets can range from a few dollars to thousands. Any piece you find for a few bucks is a good deal. To identify an antique skillet, start by checking the bottom. It might have the manufacturer's logo. If not, look at the pan's shape. Cast iron makers have adjusted the shape of their pans over the years to match the cooking styles of each period.

That stack of old tins gathering dust on a thrift store shelf could be something special. While a tin may seem inconsequential, vintage and antique tins are loved for their historical significance and artful design. Tins that once held trivial things like spices, tobacco, and cookies now sell for hundreds to thousands of dollars. A tin's text style, material, and closure type can all give clues to its age.

Remember when your favorite cereal came with a toy? You won't get one in your cereal today, but you could dig one up from the thrift store bins. Collectors are attracted to the nostalgia, while resellers see a lucrative opportunity. Toy series, like Kellogg's stretch pets, are fun to collect for kids and adults. Full sets of such series can sell for hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars.

Beanie Babies are a well-known collectible item commonly sold at a steep price. If you come across one of these '90s collectibles at the thrift store, you've already struck gold. But while you search, pay special attention to detail. You might think manufacturing errors would decrease an item's appeal, but rarity increases value in collectibles. Tag errors, such as misspellings or incorrect dates, significantly raise a Beanie Baby's value.