Unbelievable Thrift Store Find: Woman Scores $5 Victorian Jewelry Piece Worth Thousands
Woman’s Incredible Discovery at the Thrift Store
A WOMAN who scored a $5 piece of Victorian jewelry, was stunned to be offered mere peanuts by a goldsmith. But she was canny enough to turn down the offer because she suspected her shiny thrift item was worth a lot more. Fortunately, she recognized she had something pretty special.
A Reddit Revelation: Sharing the Treasure
Redditor Famous-Being-625 shared her fabulous pre-loved find in a post on Reddit. The response from Redditors was universal, advising her to steer well clear of this jeweler. He was merely ripping her off, they said, with his derisory offer. She shared pictures of the heavy chain with an antique clasp.
Judging the Real Worth
“I bought this gold chain for $5 from a thrift store last year,” she said. “It’s not hallmarked but I suspected it was real gold so I took it to a jeweler and had it tested.” The jeweler confirmed it was the real deal and promptly offered her a shameful $250. “I declined because I really like it, but I’m curious about how much it’s actually worth,” she said. “The jeweler didn’t say but it looks like 18k to me, and weighs 17 grams. There is an inscription on the barrel clasp that says, ‘FEBY 7 1874,” she added.
A Treasured Possession: To Keep or To Sell?
She had fallen in love with this item and wasn’t ready to get rid of it, but she was open to good offers. “I love it and it’s part of my collection now. I’d only sell it if someone wanted to pay like $2k or something,” she wrote.
The Verdict from Reddit Community
Commenters said she should walk in the other direction from the jeweler. He was way off target, they said. “The current spot price for 17 grams of 18k gold is $832.47. The jeweler tried to rip you off. Nice find,” said one person. “Pretty bad practice for them to make an offer unless you asked them for one. The lowball offer isn’t a shock with business practices like that,” wrote a second person. “That combined with the garbage $250 offer is a huge red flag of unethical practices,” chimed in a third person. “If there’s a more reputable jeweler in your area then I’d recommend taking it there. You can have it tested properly and appraised for insurance purposes,” they added.
Professional Jeweler’s Take on the Situation
But at least one jeweler weighed in with their opinion. “Hey just so you know, jewelry stores do not make money on buying with gold base value. We have to make money as well. But that being said, I would have offered $500,” they said.
In Conclusion
The woman’s discovery of a valuable piece of Victorian jewelry for $5 proves that hidden treasures can be found in the most unexpected places. It serves as a reminder to always trust your instincts and seek second opinions when it comes to assessing the true value of valuable items. So, next time you come across a seemingly ordinary item, it may just turn out to be a priceless gem waiting to be discovered.