Allison Robertson articles

Whether it's a first edition, an author’s signature, or a famously banned text, some rare books can sell for $100,000 or more at auction.

A worn old book found in a Michigan State University donation bin turned out to be an incredibly rare 17th-century text worth tens of thousands.

A thrift-store manager in Scotland discovered a rare 1937 first-edition copy of The Hobbit while sorting donations. It sold for $13,000.

From classic American brands to rare European blades, these folding pocket knives are now worth hundreds—sometimes thousands.

A Virginia woman’s $3.99 Goodwill find turned out to be a rare Murano glass vase designed by Carlo Scarpa — selling at auction for over $100,000 and proving that thrift store treasures are still out there waiting to be found.

A New York family bought a small ceramic bowl for $3 at a yard sale, only to learn it was a 1,000-year-old Chinese artifact from the Song Dynasty that later sold at Sotheby’s for $2.2 million.

Cast iron skillets aren’t just kitchen workhorses—they’re hot collectibles. Vintage brands, rare sizes, and hard-to-find markings can drive skillet values way up.

With the return of analog audio and nostalgia for the '70s through '90s, some old-school tape decks are now selling for hundreds or even thousands.

An Ohio woman scored big after buying a $2.99 Goodwill painting that turned out to be an authentic Johann Berthelsen masterpiece worth nearly $3,000 — a true thrift store treasure story that proves hidden gems still exist.