The truth is that many people who search through various thrift shops and flea markets have no idea what they will find there or that some things are actually treasures that are worth a fortune. If you want to go to thrift stores you should know that – if you look closely – you might find something valuable that will make you rich overnight. Of course, as the saying goes, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure, so, you have to pay more attention to the things around you, because you may be surrounded by treasures.

However, many individuals who choose to visit a thrift store think that they will find cheap things that they can use for a short period of time, but only some of them are lucky enough to find things that are worth millions of dollars, especially since these goods are hidden among the aisles of discarded items.

So, even though you don’t prefer these types of stores, it may be worth a few visits from time to time. Maybe you can get rich, though. For instance, from a necklace that was worth about $300,000 to a simple bowl estimated at about $2.200 million, these gems have changed the lives of the people who found them. 

That being said, here are some of the most valuable treasures ever found at a flea market that turned out to be worth a fortune! Read on to find out more info!

Alexander Calder’s necklace

As you probably already know, Alexander Calder was an American sculptor that delighted the eyes of many people out there with his work. His family members were famous artists and their masterpieces are in various museums around the world. Even though Alexander Calder was popular for his sculptures, he also created amazing paintings and prints, jewelry design, rugs and so on. 

According to experts, his art, including rings, necklaces and earrings, were made of brass and steel. These items were precious not only because he used quality materials, but also because they were unique models made especially for his friends. So, Norma Ifill got $267,750 for the necklace at auction. She bought the necklace for $15 from a flea market in Brooklyn.

Martin Johnson Heade paintings

Martin Johnson Heade was an American painter known for his salt marsh landscapes, seascapes, lotus blossoms and other beautiful paintings. Unfortunately, when he was alive, he wasn’t that famous, but his death brought him fame and his work attracted the attention of people around the world and he became recognized as a major American artist. His works can be found in various important museums or thrift stores. 

For example, a man from Wisconsin found Heade’s painting of blossom flowers at a thrift store. This man needed the painting to cover up a hole in his wall. At first, he didn’t know anything about the painting, but he recognized it when he played a game based on art. That was the moment when he realized that he found a treasure, so he contacted a museum, so they estimated the masterpiece at $1.25 million.   

Another person bought the painting called “Two Magnolias on Blue Plush” for $29, but it was later sold for $882,500. Someone else found the two “Magnolia Blossoms on Blue Velvet,” and sold them for $937,500. Can you believe it? You should definitely visit a thrift store and pay more attention to paintings because you can get rich.

Ding pottery Chinese bowl

Finding valuable and original Chinese objects in a thrift store can be quite difficult especially because almost every item has a ‘made in China’ inscription, but you have to pay more attention to the details because sometimes they can make a difference. This rule applied to a Chinese bowl as well. 

It all started when an individual bought a white bowl for $3 at a thrift store. Although it looked quite minimalist because of its design, the buyer was impressed by its details and kept it in the living room to complete the décor of his house. 

After a while, the owner of the bowl decided to take the item to an auction house because he knew that it was really special. They told him that the bowl was from the Song dynasty of Chinese history and was made of Ding pottery – which is the most precious type of ceramic produced at that time. 

So, this is the story of a man who got rich overnight, because he chose to pay attention to details and appreciated things from thrift stores, so he sold the Chinese bowl for $2.225 million.

Declaration of Independence

The truth is that you can find a lot of valuable things in thrift stores, from clothes and jewelry to toys and paintings, but did you know that the only unique American document was found in a place like this? And yes, we are talking about the Declaration of Independence – namely, the document that represents our country and everybody talks and learns about it in different fields, from schools to politics. Well, even Nicolas Cage tries to steal it in his movies, right? Paradoxically, you can find it in thrift stores if you look closely. 

So, an individual bought a painting in 1989 for $4 at a flea market because he wanted to decorate his house and the wooden frame impressed him. When he looked closely at the frame, a piece of paper slipped out from the back. After this, the man took the document to an auction house and they found out that the document was an original copy of the Declaration of Independence ( there are only 24 original copies as they were printed for July 4th, 1776 in Philadelphia). The document was worth $2.42 million at Sotheby’s.

Paysage Bords de Seine by Pierre-Auguste Renoir

Pierre-Auguste Renoir was a famous French artist who was known for his works that represented the beauty and sensuality. Renoir is the creator of Paysage Bords de Seine, one of the most popular oil paintings in the world. According to art experts, the painting was stolen in 1951 from the Baltimore Museum of Art and was found by a man in a thrift store a few years later. 

It seems that this beautiful painting was bought for only $7 by a man from a thrift store. The new owner noticed the name of the creator on the frame and a referring gallery on the back of the painting. He checked the information and found a picture that looked exactly like his new discovery. So this was the moment when he realized he had just found a treasure.

Even though the Paysage Bords de Seine by Renoir was created in 1879, this masterpiece became famous in the art world in 1926. The painting is worth $75,000.

A sketch with Rudy Vallee by Andy Warhol

As a first conclusion, one of the most important things that you have to take into consideration when finding some paintings at the thrift store is to always check the frame and the back of a painting or piece of paper, because it may be a treasure.

This is another case of a lucky man who found a sketch of Rudy Vallee (an American singer) created by a famous American artist, Andy Warhol, in a thrift shop. Andy Fields – the man who found the treasure – bought five paintings (including this sketch) for $5 in Las Vegas. The sketch had the name of the creator on it, namely Andy Warhol’s name. So, the experts say that the sketch was done when Andy Warhol was ten years old and the details reflect the elements he used in his later works.  

Initially, Fields didn’t want to sell the sketch, which was estimated at $2 million by experts, but when Andy Warhol’s brother said that the work was fake, Fields changed his mind and put it up on sale for £1.25 million.

Fabergé Egg

When you visit a thrift store you don’t expect to find hidden gems that could make you rich overnight, right? Many people who opt for second hand items want to find cheap things for their needs, such as clothing, home decorations, jewelry and so on. So, that being said, no one knows that there are actually hidden treasures made of pure gold and other precious materials. 

One day, a dealer in scrap metal was looking for objects that he could melt down and then sell to make money to meet his needs. So, he saw a Faberge Egg and bought it, even though he didn’t know the real value of this item. 

Peter Carl Fabergé, also known as Karl Gustavovich Fabergé was a famous Russian jeweler and the creator of the Faberge Eggs. He was responsible for producing these types of gifts for the Russian Imperial family every Easter – that’s why they look like eggs. Carl Fabergé used only precious metals and gemstones when he created these famous eggs. Unfortunately, when the Russian Revolution took place, he was forced to spread his works around the world. 

There’s speculation that this egg found at the thrift store was made for Czar Alexander III to give to the Empress Maria Feodorovna in 1887. So, the masterpiece was valued at $33 million.