Americans bought a watch and a painting in a commission shop for next to nothing, but sold it for thousands of dollars

A Goodwill shopper made a huge profit after a $3 painting he bought at a thrift store turned out to be almost 2500 times more expensive, reports TheSun.

Photo: IStock

Brian who runs the channel RedDirtPicker on YouTube, told how he discovered an incredible piece of art that ended up valued at $7400 at his local Goodwill store.

“As you guys can see, this is my second biggest find of all time,” he declares at the beginning of the YouTube video.

Once inside the store, Brian tells viewers about the manufacturers and prices of smaller finds such as a coffee grinder, a paperweight, and a fairly new ice maker.

On the subject: Across seas and glaciers to the White House: the story of the table in the Oval Office

He then shows a vibrant watercolor painting by John Clark, valued at $2,92. Brian said the colors in the painting caught his attention.
At first he thought that the painting was an ordinary print due to the unattractive frame. Holding it up to the light, Brian noticed that it was in fact a real professional watercolor.

Artist's masterpiece

Because the painting was original, he assumed it was highly valued.

“I've seen this artist's name before, but they were paintings from Europe. This story is from the Cayman Islands,” he said.
During his research, Brian found that the cost of paintings by John Clark since 2015 is about $7000.

So Brian contacted the artist directly. Clarke confirmed via email that the painting Brian found at Goodwill was painted between 1999 and 2001, making it over 20 years old.

He was told that the painting's artistic value was $7400.

“I had to pinch myself,” he said. “I’m so excited, but I’m very, very grateful to have these stores near me that have these items.”

Brian said he had no plans to sell or put the painting up for sale. The painting will be added to the art collection he and his wife are building.

“I'm shocked. It’s crazy that people are just putting these things in donation piles,” he said.

Brian isn't the only customer lucky enough to find something of value at Goodwill.

Like the article? Support ForumDaily!?

Zach Norris, a collector who lived in Arizona in 2015, received $35 for a watch bought cheaply from Goodwill at the time, reports TheSun.

He originally went to Goodwill looking for a golf cart, but accidentally stumbled upon a rare item in the watch department. It was a 1959 Jaeger-LeCoultre diving watch that cost only $5,99, and Zach's eyes lit up.

“I didn’t even want to give them to the seller to scan,” he said. “I figured he could scan them in my hand if he wanted.” I just didn't want to let them go."

How much is the watch?

Auction house Phillips values ​​a Jaeger-LeCoultre watch at $120. But, as with all collectibles, the value depends on the class and condition.

Zach claimed that his sample watch was sold for about $35 on the watch collector website Hodinkee to a San Francisco resident.
According to Zach, only 900 1959 Jaeger-LeCoultre watches were made.

“Sometimes they just overlook it. They don't know what they're selling,” he said of Goodwill, which put the watch on the cheap.

But keep in mind that this counts as income, and you could get a surprise bill from the IRS if you don't keep track of the money you make from part-time jobs.

While it may not be realistic to make thousands of dollars on every purchase, you can do it with special items.

For example, an influencer named Stephen Ryken makes $17 a month buying cheap books from thrift stores including Goodwill and then reselling them.

He uses the Amazon Seller app to scan books to see how much they cost.

“Books are very cheap,” said Stephen. “Most people think they are outdated and junk, so they give them away for free or for a couple of pennies to thrift stores. I sell a lot of books for $20, $30, $40, $50.”

How to shop at Goodwill

For Goodwill buyers, there are a few tips to keep in mind. This includes the best time to shop which is during the middle of the week.

It is better to avoid Saturday because the store is very busy on this day and you may not get the best products. And, like most retailers, Goodwill makes sense to buy clothes out of season.

You may be interested in: top New York news, stories of our immigrants, and helpful tips about life in the Big Apple - read it all on ForumDaily New Y.

This is because stores are looking to get rid of items they failed to sell in the previous season and may be able to discount them heavily as they sit on the shelves for a while.

For example, right now at Goodwill is the best time to shop for next summer, given that most shoppers mostly want to shop for winter clothes.

Read also on ForumDaily:

Banksy's identity may have been revealed: he may be a member of the popular band Massive Attack

Nine cities in Florida, where life is best

Five Tips for Returning Unwanted Christmas Gifts

Do you want more important and interesting news about life in the USA and immigration to America? — support us donate! Also subscribe to our page Facebook. Select the “Priority in display” option and read us first. Also, don't forget to subscribe to our РєР ° РЅР ° Р »РІ Telegram  and Instagram- there is a lot of interesting things there. And join thousands of readers ForumDaily New York — there you will find a lot of interesting and positive information about life in the metropolis.