I've had too many to single out one. Here's a short list, a Singer treadle sewing machine missing only the wheel belt for $5. A $200 Consolidated vase for 50 cents and a surveyor's set with an oak tripod and oak accessory case for $5.

I bought a purse at a thrift shop once (it was big and would hold a small laptop)... before I ran it through the wash, I turned all the pockets inside-out to empty them and found a $100 bill rolled up in the lining of one of the pockets. I'm sure it was somebody's "emergency" money...

No way to trace the owner....so, nice little present for me.

I also found a rare depression glass vase at a yard sale once for $1 and sold it on Ebay for $70.

I got 17 Limoges porcelain boxes at a yard sale about 6 years ago for $3 each...I KNEW what they were and how much they were worth, but the lady selling them inherited them from her aunt and had no clue. She wanted $5 each for them, I told her I'd take them all for $3 each and she sold them to me. I still have them.
Most of them are worth about $150-$200 each.
I still have them. In a box.
I need to sell them.
Thanks for the reminder! LOL

My daughter got me a Ted Baker shirt for 40p at a jumble sale. Give you some idea how much these are worth. You won't get one retail for less than £160

Do charity shops count? A 1970's polyester suit - flared trousers, wide lapels, fine turquoise and yellow check on a white background with a turquoise satin lining. So loud it causes industrial deafness. Had it for 25 years, have worn it to everything from weddings to Slayer gigs. No matter what the venue, everyone says 'love the suit, mate'.

I did manage to pick up a pair of Beats Audio Bluetooth headphones for a quid the other week, that was pretty impressive. But the best stuff has to be virtually everything my wife and kid wear. They are both inveterate rummagers and come back with bags full of cool, distinctive stuff that can't be bought anywhere else, and all for pennies.

Me, I wear stuff until it falls apart.

Not my purchase personally, but my family used to have a pet pig that we got from a flea market. She was raised like a dog and acted just like one. Her favorite treat was vanilla wafers.

A tie between two items:

• A beautiful piece of old pottery with a black-and-white toile print. Never seen anything like it since.
• A second-hand but otherwise perfect copy of Buckingham Nicks, the only album that Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks made together before joining Fleetwood Mac. The album is out of print and never released as a CD, except on some awful bootlegs.

Idk what a boot sale is, and I've never been to a flea market, but I got a really awesome brand new still in bag leather couch that was originally 1200 for 400 at an auction

An electric sewing machine. I use it all the time. I once made curtains from bed sheets and, with our take-it-or leave-it I am always hemming pants and just finished making short sleeves from a long sleeved shirt. I bought the thing over 20 years ago.

My first acoustic guitar for 25 bucks. I've upgraded since, but I'll always miss that one.

Bamboo back scratchers. I always break any other kind.

Good BOB where do I begin? For most of my early bargain sales, it was books that couldn't be given away, but someone (me) will eventually buy. Lately, it's older brass bells. (The neighbors not on crack know to knock then smack the bells.)

Our local Barnes and Noble was closing years ago.
I snagged a set of four chairs, a wood bookshelf, and a narrow metal book shelf.

A Jules Racine pocket watch with a partially clear crystal front. it has a gold chain with a Knights Templar fob. The fob has ruby and diamond chips. I had it checked out by a jeweler. It's of Timex quality and keeps excellent time. I paid ONE DOLLAR.

Brand new cast aluminum Dutch oven with long legs for camping. $15. What was amazing was that a camping trip was in the works & were were wishing we could afford one...new ones that size were $100 & up.

My husband was a philatelist and stamp dealer and we went to car boot sales regularly. He was the expert not me and could look through a stamp album and instantly recognise something of value. We once bought three albums for £5 and there was one stamp amongst the hundreds that we sold for £400.

For the life of me, I cannot recall the best purchase I made. But, I can recall the best purchase I didn't make; it was a stuffed weasel. I was going to buy the damned thing but I walked off and told myself I ought to think about it (because of what I intended to do with it). So, I walked around the swapmeet a little longer and went back to get it-couldn't find it. Which, ultimately, was a good thing. At the time, I was working in aerospace, and I was going to display the weasel on my desk with a plaque/label saying, "Manager Of The Year." That could have put severe limitations on my career, such as it was.

I bought an old moving dolly for $1. Small, solid wheels. Indestructible. Bought it 20 years ago. Still have it.

Last week in a Goodwill store 27 diagonal inch Monitor... after my military/senior discount $19.99 total price paid.

The Meters’ legendary New Orleans funk album Rejuvenation 1974 original pressing in mint as fuck condition for 20 bucks a few weeks ago. Honkies round here wouldn’t know an integral piece of funk history if it bit em in the ass. Shit is airtight ? worth 4-5 times that easy.