A giant Sonic the Hedgehog plush was sitting on a shelf at Goodwill with a $6.99 price tag, and reseller @FlippingJunk, who goes by Wick, did not hesitate. He says jumbo Sonic plush in that size can go for as much as $800 when they are in top shape. His was not the best one he has seen, and it was not the worst, but at under seven dollars he was thrilled to take it home.
That one purchase set the tone for a full day of thrifting, garage sales and a rummage sale, and Wick walked through all of it. Some finds turned into easy profit. Others he left on the shelf, and the reasons why are worth a look if you ever want to turn your own thrifting into a little side money.
Wick says he looks at the whole cart, not just the obvious items. He checked bags of shoes, an Easter basket and a jewelry box, and he reminds shoppers that certain characters in Easter baskets can bring a nice return for just a few dollars. At a rummage sale he picked up a Harley-Davidson shirt for 50 cents and figures it could sell for eight to 10 bucks on a resale app.
The Brass Horses That Surprised Him
At a garage sale he found brass rocking horses for a dollar apiece. He grabbed them mostly for the brass, since he sometimes buys cheap brass and holds onto it. Then he looked them up and was surprised. He says the larger horse sold for around $40 to $48, and lots of three or four horses were selling for about $50.
His plan is to list them together as one lot for $40 to $50. He admits that brass animals have not always been easy for him, and he has had one unicorn priced at $10 for about two years. He is not chasing a huge profit here, only a nice return on a few dollars.
At the same garage sale he bought a pile of cassettes and storage trays for $15 total. He says he mostly wanted the trays, which he expects to sell for $60 plus shipping. The cassettes themselves are mostly not valuable, but he figures the sorted lot might bring about $40, and the leftovers will go to a church sale.
Goodwill Finds That Made The Cut
Back at Goodwill, Wick found a vintage iced tea maker, new in the box, for $8. He says he has found about four of these new this year. The last one he listed sold within 24 hours for around $100, so he plans to price this one at $125 plus shipping.
He also bought Tony Lama boots that were not marked up, and he expects to price them at $70 or $80 with no cleaning needed. Two vintage Cleveland Browns metal trash cans, found at two different Goodwills about 20 minutes apart, also came home with him. He says the tall one is worth about $40 and the small one, which cost $4, around $25 to $30. A 49ers version he got for 50 cents at a garage sale is currently listed at $40, and he says some of these cans can top $100 depending on the team.
A four-slice industrial toaster for $10 is on his list too. He could not find that exact model, but similar ones had sold for $140 to $180, so he plans to ask about $70. He also grabbed a vintage Radio Shack Armatron robot arm for $1. Working ones sell for $30 to $50, and a complete one with box and manual can reach $80 to $100.
Smaller scores included a vintage Bauer Brothers holster for $2.99, a sealed Bohnanza card game for $4 that he says sells for $30 to $35, a Fire-King cup set for a dollar, and a Minion inflatable for $8 that he hopes to sell for $50 to $60 with Halloween coming. He also remembers once making $1,000 on a rare jadeite Fire-King set, though he says most Fire-King is not worth much.
What He Left Behind
Smart thrifting means knowing when to walk away. Wick passed on a West Bend bread maker marked $4.99, a model he says can sell for around $50, because it was dirty and smelled of smoke. He also skipped a bulky vintage Sears camping cot, a Santa decoration with a hole in it, a sticky pile of toys and a batch of nice-feeling hand planes that were not Stanley and did not seem to sell for enough to bother.
He had one more reality check. A garage sale advertised vintage Little People and Monster High toys, but the photos turned out to be from the sale the year before and everything was already gone.
Tips You Can Use
- Check the comps before you buy. Wick looks up what items have actually sold for, and he says prices on plush and collectibles can swing widely, so one high sale does not guarantee the next one.
- Use image search on your phone to identify unfamiliar items quickly.
- Do not spend time on items that need heavy cleaning or are too big and awkward to ship.
- Look for toys and characters that collectors chase. Wick says Shadow the Hedgehog plush at the giant size can sell for $500 to $600.
As for the Sonic plush that started it all, Wick says a 48-inch version is generally worth between $100 and $200. His has some stuck-on hair that he will have to work off, but with only $6.99 invested, it is the kind of gamble that makes thrifting fun. His advice is simple: know what you are looking for, because big money can hide on a crowded plush shelf.
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