15+ “Worthless” Items That Turned Out to Be an Invaluable Treasure

Sometimes we don’t even suspect what treasures might be gathering dust in our own home. One person might consider an old safe as just scrap metal, while another sees it as an antique worth a lot of money. This is exactly what happened to these people, who decided to find out the value of certain items and were pleasantly surprised.

Found an old safe at my grandma’s place. I wonder how much it’s worth?

• Wow! Contact an auction house — that’s $10,000, I guess. © tinman91320 / Reddit

The ring was left by the previous owners of the house. Mom thought it was fake and was planning to give it to her grandchildren, but then she took it to the jeweler.

It turned out to be gold with diamonds. 2 large diamonds, each weighing a carat.

Just bought a house built in 1913, and it had boxes of spare tiles. Are they worth anything?

• The boxes are worth some money alone, better yet with the tile. © DUALKITTY / Reddit

I found this vase in the house i just bought.

• This is approximately the year 1900, Bohemia. © mwants / Reddit

My wife thinks it’s a useless thing. My father thinks it’s a valuable antique. I have no idea who is right.

• This is a mahogany coffee table in the Edwardian style, circa 1905. © Medical_Bath6290 / Reddit

These earrings in our family were called “horseshoes of happiness.” Our distant ancestor-merchant gave them to his daughter.

• Amazing earrings! Collectors would snatch them up in an instant. But if I were you, I wouldn’t sell them. © Linia07 / Pikabu

My dad gave me this glass. He says it’s valuable, passed down to him from my grandfather. Does anyone know what it is?

• Looks like a Fabergé glass. If it is, it may have value, but like all antique glass, its worth has significantly dropped in the last 10 years. © cassandrafair / Reddit

We found this vintage cash register in an elevator shaft in an old hotel in Ireland. Is it worth anything?

• I restore old cash registers as a hobby! In such a condition, it is worth a couple of hundred dollars. A fully restored one usually sells for $700-900, depending on how well it has been cleaned. © ElbowDeepinanImgur / Reddit

My grandfather bought this item in the late 70s and kept it for many years. And now it’s mine.

• Martin Brothers pieces are incredibly valuable to collectors, and yours is in good condition. Be sure to have it appraised at a reputable auction house. © cat-Detective7276 / Reddit

I found this chest at my grandma’s place in the south of France, near Toulouse.

• The chest resembles a German piece from the 16th century, unless it’s a replica. © Brilliant_Solid_5636 / Reddit

Does anyone know anything about this box I inherited? It has been in my family for at least 75 years.

• Perhaps its author is Gustav Gurschner, a great artist and sculptor of the Art Nouveau era. © Bonka*****s / Reddit

We bought this painting at a thrift store, and inside was a hidden portrait. It has some illegible writing and the number 46 appears twice.

• The portrait likely dates back to the second half of the 19th century, around 1850–1880. It appears to be a salt print. People definitely buy and collect these, especially collectors of antique photography. It seems to be in quite good condition! Great find. © mistertickertape / Reddit

Recently I inherited this chair. It was reupholstered about 20 years ago. Originally, it belonged to my great-grandmother.

• That looks like Thomas Brooks Bishop’s chair! The similar one is displayed at the Metropolitan Museum. © Royal_Factor_6103 / Reddit

My sister asked me to find out about the pocket watch her husband inherited from his grandfather.

• An Internet search showed that they cost around €500. © kj140977 / Reddit

This rocking chair has been in our family for many years. It holds great sentimental value, but I would love to know its age and place of manufacture.

• This is a mid-19th century Boston rocking chair. I think the paint is old, possibly original. The decor resembles the style of 19th-century tableware. It’s either original or painted by someone who faithfully reproduced this style. © Extreme_Collection46 / Reddit

This clock was passed down to me from my grandmother. It sat on her mantelpiece, and as a child, I played with it. The clock is heavy, and the regulator seems to be filled with mercury.

• It is outstanding! If the clock wasn’t inherited by you, I’m sure it would have cost you a good deal of money. © 111ArcherAve / Reddit

The armchair was inherited along with a few other items. I would be very grateful for any information!

• 30 years ago, a chair like this could have fetched $160 at auction, but now they’re being sold off all over the place. Personally, I’ve always liked these chairs, but you need to handle them with care, especially considering that it’s a lady’s chair. © Different_Ad7655 / Reddit

This is truly where the principle “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure” works like a charm! What unusual finds have you come across? Share your photos and stories about old “junk” that unexpectedly turned out to be valuable in the comments below.

And these antiques got a second life thanks to the creativity of their craftsmen.