Surely you have ever visited a thrift shop full of objects with no apparent value. This was the case of John Carcerano, who after visiting the a Goodwill in Evanston, Illinois, bought a plate of Chinese porcelain for $4.99, only to discover later that it was a an 18th century relic valued in $5,000.
Just my luck!
It is not easy to find relics in thrift shops and it is not a common occurrence.
However, luck was on the side of our protagonist, John Carcerano, who after looking, discarding and stirring between boxes, shelves and cars, found a treasure. He admits that, like the other buyers, he passed by the cart where the plate was, but something made him come back and discover it.
According to an interview for the CBC, Carcerano said “I have a pretty good education, I could identify it and that’s how I recognized the Chinese export plate”. Modesty aside, he appeals to his education to justify his ability to recognize the work, when in reality he had to turn to various professionals to verify the authenticity and value of the object.
What now?
After certifying the value of the dish, it has been decided that it will be auctioned next summer. After certifying the value of the dish, it has been decided that it will be auctioned next summer.
After all, John will not be able to keep the treasure. It remains only to wait and see in the hands of who ends up and for what price.
What other treasures have been found?
Apparently the Americans have a very good eye to detect those products that to a naked eye do not have any value, but they turn out to be authentic jewels. Carcerano has been the last to come on the list of people like Allen Treibitz.
In this case, Treibitz, an art dealer from New York, paid $50 for a 19th-century painting by the artist Emily Carr, after finding it at a Hamptons barn sale in 2024, which was subsequently sold for $240,000. It was definitely the best acquisition of the day in the Hamptons.
Another case was the painter N.C. Wyeth, whose painting was bought by a lady at Manchester for $4 in 2017, and went up for auction in 2024, being purchased for a value of $191,000.
Watch out for this products
If you are a treasure hunter and want to find gems in this type of establishments, you should bear in mind that there are certain items that are more likely to be the right ones.
According to Elizabeth Kadar of House Beautiful, all attention should go to porcelain, artwork and also adds solid wood furniture and glassware. You never know if they might belong to the royal family or some noble.
Other store owners like Anthony Charman of Vintage Cash Cow, says buyers should not divert their attention from jewelry, antique toys and rare coins. He also refers to first edition books and furniture. Who knows, he could find the favorite doll of some president or an exclusive coin of unique production.
Are Goodwills worth it?
It is certainly a hobby that anyone can play. It would not be sustainable to hold it in time, but with a control and knowing which products deserve attention, it is not a bad entertainment.
Maybe for $4 you can find a treasure of thousands of dollars or what´s more, you may already posses one and are not aware.
