13 Ways Experts Find the Most Valuable Items at Thrift Stores (2024)

There’s nothing quite like the thrill of thrift shopping—that moment you lay eyes on a Murano mushroom lamp you’ve been searching for or stumble upon gorgeous glassware you've been coveting makes all the failed shopping trips worth it. While some love the hunt for hidden treasures to decorate their home, others have turned thrifting into a lucrative side hustle, or even a full-time job, with their secondhand shops reselling desirable found items. Looking to level up your thrifting skills to collect or score even more good stuff this year? Here are 13 signs of high-quality items to look for the next time you hit up a yard or estate sale or venture into your local thrift shop, with input from plenty of verified experts in the field.

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Solid wood? Sold! “A solid wood table, dresser, or credenza will be heavy,” said vintage expert Annette Vartanian of A Vintage Splendor. “You want to try to pick it up to get a sense of the weight, try to shake it to see if it’s stable, and give it a careful look to ensure there are no cracks in the wood or damage on the bottom.” She prefers patina on wood furniture, “as it gives it character and shows the true beauty of the wood.” Even if the wood is scuffed or scratched, she says solid wood can be sanded and re-finished without compromising its quality.

If a piece of furniture has drawers, such as a dresser or buffet, Jennifer Prince, owner of It’s Found Vintage, recommended pulling out the drawers to see how the piece is constructed. “Dovetailing—the way the joints are put together—can tell a lot about a piece, and its presence is typically a sign of quality, as opposed to nailed or glued drawers,” she noted. “It's also a good way to tell the age of a piece. Handmade dovetailing is usually a little uneven due to older construction processes, and newer dovetailed pieces have cleaner edges. Pin and cove dovetailing, which has curvy edges, was only popular for a short time and usually denotes a piece made in the late 1800s.”

Next time you’re in a thrift shop or yard sale, pick up those bookends or candlesticks you’re eyeing and feel how heavy they are. According to Prince, the weight of an item can tell you a lot about its quality. “There's no real science to this, but if it feels heavy, it could be a good piece to add to a collection. For example, a lightweight bookend is most likely hollow, whereas one with weight is probably solid or at least typically better crafted,” she explained. “Lighter, hollow pieces are more for mass production, but heavier pieces show that the maker or company cared more about the quality of their pieces.”

If you spot a burl wood piece, Vartanian recommended buying it immediately during our chat. “I like to say there’s wood, and then there’s burl wood! Not only is it beautiful to look at, but it’s entirely unique, as no two pieces of burl will ever be the same. Burl wood is made from tree burls, and the wood is available in different natural shapes and designs and isn’t man-made. Because of its scarcity and unique character, it’s in high demand,” she shared.

No, not like the whiskey. “Just like clothing tags, a maker's mark—signature, stamp, or label—can show the quality of an item,” said Prince. “Furniture can have anything from a paper label or wood-burned name to a freehand signature on older pieces. And, of course, you could stumble upon a familiar brand like Royal Copenhagen or Haeger Pottery, whose name denotes quality.”

When it comes to artwork or even pottery, Vartanian said that signed pieces tend to be more valuable, which can mean the work is either original or part of a limited series. “While the signature may be that of an amateur art student, it’s likely one-of-a-kind, which lends value (and character) to the piece. A signature is also a great indicator of a piece’s potential worth. I typically search the name right there on the spot using Google Lens to get more information about the artist,” she added.

If you love searching for dining sets, small dishes, or figurines, Prince said the name Limoges can be a sign of quality as long as it's truly from the city of Limoges, France, known for its clay. “Because these pieces are hand painted, you’ll often find two marks, one denoting the company and the other telling who decorated the piece.” However, Limoges is often copied and reproduced, so she suggested tips for finding the real thing, like looking for intricate hand painting, signs of age (such as patina, but never crazing), and markings. “You can also hold it up to the light to see if it's translucent or tap it to see if it produces a nice ring, which is also a way to tell if your Limoges piece is genuine,” she shared.

One of the top items on Vartanian’s thrift list? Italian Midcentury Glassware. To check for quality and authenticity, she suggested looking out for slight imperfections. “This may seem counterintuitive, but authentic Murano glass often has small imperfections and an irregular shape due to the freeform creation process. The imperfections are part of what makes their glassware collectibles.”

“For home decor and kitchenware, this can include materials like stainless steel, cast iron, porcelain, and real leather,” noted Phillip Nakov, a lifelong collector, former antique store owner, and successful eBay vendor. To see what an item is made of, he advises looking for labels or stamps indicating the material used, but a few telltale signs stick out depending on the material. “For example, genuine leather will have a distinct texture and patina, while stainless steel will resist rust and corrosion. Sometimes, the marks are difficult to find, but always turn the items over. Look at the base of any glass, crystal, or metal items. The manufacturer's stamp or seal will be etched or engraved on the underside. It may be very difficult to see in low light and if you have a loop or magnifying glass, use it.”

“High-quality items often feature timeless designs that remain stylish regardless of trends,” Nakov said during our interview. “These pieces can blend seamlessly with various decor styles and stand the test of time. If it looks like it came from your grandmother’s house, it’s probably an antique and something worth more than an item that looks like it came from a hotel or furniture store.” He recommended looking for classic shapes and neutral colors and researching designs that have been popular across different eras.

Functional details can indicate a high-quality item, especially in kitchenware, Nakov pointed out. “This includes ergonomic handles, balanced weight distribution, and practical features. Test the functionality—handles should feel comfortable and secure, lids should fit snugly, and items should balance well when in use,” he said.

For Nakov, the newest way to tell what’s what and what he likes to call his “secret weapon” is Google Lens and AI. “This is a part of the Google app available on most mobile devices. Made for both Android and iOS (Apple phones), this is a free tool that allows you to snap a photo of an item and get information about it in seconds! I have tested Google Lens on random objects in my own home and on dozens of items found on thrifting trips, and the results are incredible and typically spot on," Nakov said. "The information provided often includes who made it, when and where it was made, the approximate age or date of manufacturer and maybe most importantly, what the item is currently selling for or sold for.”