...
By Jack Beresford
Senior Reporter
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
A Nevada man’s trip to the thrift store took a surprising turn when he came across a vintage mirror with two very important words engraved on the handle.
Alexander, who requested any personal details be omitted from the story, was browsing the shelves of a Goodwill store in Reno when he came across the mirror. He was immediately taken by it and thought it would be the ideal gift for his wife.
"My wife owns a salon where her walls are covered in antique beauty stuff from old hand trimmers, old curlers, old blow dryers, old vanities, and old mirrors," Alexander told Newsweek. "So I always have an eye out for stuff like that."
Read More
First Time Buyers Pull Up Carpet, Can’t Believe What’s Underneath—‘Jackpot’3 min read
Woman Smashes Open Piggy Bank, Then Has Painful Moment of Realization3 min read
Thrifter Finds Photo Frame for $4.99, Inscription Leaves Internet in Tears3 min read
Thrifting is a popular pastime among shopping enthusiasts today. It is estimated there are over 25,000 resale, consignment and not-for-profit resale shops spread across the U.S., according to research by Capital One Shopping.
Thrifting can save you some serious cash. The same research estimates thrifters save an average of $2,071 a day. It can also result in some serious windfalls for the eagle-eyed among us.
Recently, one woman turned a major profit after finding a rare Halloween mask selling for just $5 in her local thrift store. She eventually sold it for over $700 on eBay.
Then there was the fashionista who discovered a designer garment worth $922 at retail that was being sold for $13 secondhand. Another thrifter, meanwhile, recently revealed how a simple bag of secondhand pens she bought for $3 ended up being worth $100.
In the case of Alexander, it was the shine of the mirror itself that first caught his eye and alerted him to the fact it could be something special.
"As soon as I saw the silver handle, I knew it was either really old or a replica," he said. "I snatched it off the shelf, saw the patina of the silver, and knew it was really old."
Alexander’s initial reaction was "oh, my wife’s going to love this." "I was excited for her to be excited, which she was," he said.
However, when Alexander inspected the mirror more closely, he realized it was worth far more than the $9.99 it was being sold for.
A simple engraving indicating it was "Webster Sterling" silver, coupled with the fact it had the date '1953' on it, were the biggest hints that this was no ordinary mirror.
Sure enough, on closer examination, it was confirmed that the mirror was made from Webster Sterling silver and, based on online listings and previous auction prices, is potentially worth anywhere between $75 and $200.
"It is the real deal, sterling silver," Alexander said. "I’d guess it’s worth around $200 depending on a few things."
All of which adds up to a memorable day of thrifting. However, it must be noted that Alexander is in no rush to sell the mirror just yet. In fact, he has already handed it over to his wife, who is planning on hanging it up in pride of place at work.
"I’m going to polish it up and either have it for customers to look at their hair in my wife's salon or have it hang on the wall at my wife's salon," Alexander said.
...
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines