From junk to jackpot! 10 most valuable second-hand finds
One person’s junk is another person’s life-changing payday. That is definitely true when it comes to car boot sales, charity shops and dusty second-hand stalls. From overlooked antiques to accidental masterpieces, these finds prove that a sharp eye (and a bit of luck) can turn pocket change into a small fortune.
To celebrate the brand-new season of Junk & Disorderly, starting Tuesday, 3rd February exclusively on BLAZE, we count down some of the most valuable real-life finds ever discovered where nobody expected them.
1. The £3,000 designer dress for £20
A bargain hunter browsing the racks of a London charity shop spotted a simple black dress tucked away behind more mundane items. Liking the look of it, she grabbed it for £20. Later, a careful check of the label revealed it was an original Gucci dress worth over £3,000.
Not bad for a quick browse on a sunny Saturday afternoon!
2. The £34 painting that wasn’t 'Just a print'
A woman on holiday in Amiens in France, visited the local flea market, one of the biggest in Europe. After a while browsing, she spotted a picture lying on the ground and, liking the style, she bought it.
It wasn’t until she got home to England that she realised it was painted by 20th-century British artist Patrick Heron. Putting it up for auction, she was astounded when the painting sold for £6,800. That’s a pretty good souvenir to bring home!
3. The charity shop piano with a secret
An ordinary-looking upright piano once revealed an incredible secret: a hidden hoard of gold coins, thought to have been stashed there within the last century. Made in 1906 by Broadwood and Sons, the piano belonged to a family in Shropshire.
Experts were completely astounded by the discovery, calling it a 'stunning assemblage'. An official inquest was launched and the treasure eventually went to the Crown, which meant it could be displayed in museums.
Even for seasoned archaeologists, it’s an incredible example of hidden treasure turning up in the most unexpected places.
4. The van Gogh hiding on a nursery wall
A painting that once hung in a family nursery has turned into one of the most painful bargain-hunting stories of all time. Painted by Vincent van Gogh in 1885, Peasant Woman in front of a Farmhouse was accepted as part payment by a farmer in 1929 and later sold for just £4 in 1967.
A year later, Luigi Grosso spotted it in a London antique shop. He paid £45 for it, suspecting it might be something special. X-rays taken later confirmed it was an authentic Van Gogh, even revealing another hidden painting beneath the surface.
The painting sold for £45,000 in 1970 and eventually fetched nearly £13.5 million in 2020.
5. The ‘fake’ vase actually worth £53 million
In the 1970s, a British couple took their Chinese porcelain vase from the Qing dynasty to a BBC antiques show. When it was dismissed as a 'very clever reproduction' by experts, the couple took it home and stored it in their attic, forgotten for decades.
When relatives finally discovered it and brought it to be valued years later, its true value was realised, and it went for £53 million at auction! What was once a forgotten attic ornament turned out to be one of the most remarkable second-hand treasures ever sold.
6. From charity shop shelf to £6,000 treasure
This is one book find that truly lived up to its hype. In 2018, a rare first-edition copy of The Hobbit was found in an Oxfam in Chipping Norton, England. After arriving in a delivery of 30 unassuming boxes, the shop manager spotted it immediately.
Thanks to that bit of luck, Oxfam auctioned the novel for an impressive £6,000. Proving that sometimes the greatest adventures really do begin on a charity shop shelf.
7. From toy to treasure: The £32,000 brooch
What started as a sweet little toy for her toddler turned into a jaw-dropping treasure for Thea Jourdan. She bought what she thought was a sparkly costume brooch for £20 and gave it to her daughter to play with.
But when Thea took her engagement ring in for an insurance check, the expert’s eyes spotted the brooch. She explained that it was part of her daughter’s toy collection.
The expert was astounded as he told her it wasn’t a toy at all. It was a Russian royal brooch worth a staggering £32,000! Thea sent the brooch off to auction and put the money in a trust fund for her daughter’s education.
8. The charity shop bible that sold for £56,000
Charity shop staff in Chelmsford spotted a donated Bible that seemed very rare. Dating back to 1815, it was believed to be the first Bible ever written in Chinese and the staff put it immediately up for auction. Expecting around £800, they were utterly stunned when it sold for an astonishing £56,280.
So, what started as an ordinary donation became one of the most extraordinary charity shop finds ever.
9. The bric-a-brac buy that made £20 million
An absolutely incredible find, a savvy scrap metal dealer discovered an extravagant Faberge Easter Egg at a bric-a-brac market.
Decorated with diamonds and sapphires, he paid £8,000 for it. A seemingly huge amount for something found at a market, but the dealer had the last laugh when it made £20 million at auction. Originally crafted in 1887 for the Russian Imperial Family, it had survived the Russian Revolution and even travelled to America before being discovered.
10. The Oxfam find worth a small fortune
A rare £100 bank note was found in an Oxfam shop in Brentwood, Essex. Volunteer Paul Wyman spotted the unusual note among a box of donations and sent it to auction instead of putting it on the shelves.
Experts then identified it as a 1927 Palestine pound, which was used by high-ranking officials during the British Mandate. It’s extremely rare, being one of fewer than ten known to exist.
The bank note went under the hammer at Spink auction house in London and bidders drove the price far past the initial £30,000 estimate to an incredible £140,000.
Happily, the money raised went to support Oxfam’s charitable work.
Why these stories never get old
Stumbling upon great finds like these keep us coming back to car boots, charity shops and watching great TV like Junk & Disorderly.
Why? Because finding a treasure could happen to anyone. You don’t need expert knowledge. Just curiosity, patience and the willingness to dig through the ordinary to find the extraordinary.
So next time you’re flicking through boxes of old junk? Take a second look. A small fortune might be staring right back at you.
Find out why Junk & Disorderly continues to charm audiences with its warmth, wit and wonderfully honest restorations when the brand-new series returns. Tune in from Tuesday, 3rd February for more laughs, banter and brilliant shed-based escapism.