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This IG Page Is Dedicated To Nostalgic Things Found In Thrift Stores, Here Are The 30 Best Ones
Interview With Author
Remember the thrill of unwrapping a new Barbie doll or the buzz of a Furby waking up? How about the joy of pressing play on your favorite cassette tape or completing a page in your sticker album? These precious childhood moments bring back so many memories for those of us who are adults now.
Luckily, ‘Tales From The Thrift’ on Instagram lets you relive them. This page collects vintage finds from thrift stores that bring back the feel of simpler times. We’ve sifted through their posts and rounded up some of the most nostalgic ones. Find them below and don’t miss our chat with the creator of ‘Tales From The Thrift,’ Stefany Kay.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
liz MacClain 1 year ago
I've got the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe series of books like this
Sapna Sarfare 1 year ago
A year or two back, i had found Little House on the Prairie series set for 700 RS. It is not easily found and costs more than 2000 RS.
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#2
Peppy 1 year ago
Gonzo was the best, who else could have portrayed Charles Dickens so convincingly!
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Traveling Lady Railfan 1 year ago
If it matters to you, this is the American version of the 1986 McDonald's happy meal Jim Hensons Muppet Babies Gonzo figure. You can tell because with the Canadian version, Gonzos head was slightly less round, the top feathers slightly longer and he wore no shoes (bare feet). The Baby Miss Piggy from this series also had a US /Canadian difference (Canadian version had a different bow on the back of her dress) but the baby Fozzie and baby Kermit figures did not show any difference between the two markets!
So many of our childhood favorites, from toys to clothes, now grace the shelves of thrift stores around the world. Many of us probably wouldn’t think about them often if it weren’t for people like Stefany Kay, the creator of ‘Tales From The Thrift,’ who is dedicated to finding and sharing these treasures from our collective past. Bored Panda spoke with Stefany to learn more about her unique passion.
“I’ve always loved thrifting and finding random, sometimes weird items,” she told us. “I started out documenting my wacky finds on Instagram and TikTok, and over time I realized the content people responded to most were the nostalgic pieces that reminded me and my followers of our childhoods. Whether it’s a doll you had growing up or a body spray bottle that’s 30 years old, there’s so much room for reflection in the things you find at thrift stores.”
#3
BookFanatic 1 year ago
With people's ashes?! (kidding--I've done it as well)
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#4
Vampiresscrow 1 year ago
I Loved this as a kid playing with it at Day Care. It always kept me amused.
Lily bloom 1 year ago
I was in a thrift store several years ago and the entire toy aisle was fisher price playsets. It was incredible
Griffy 1 year ago
I had the Sesame Street one and the hospital one. I played with this one at my babysitter's house back in the 70s. I'd love to find them again.
Traveling Lady Railfan 1 year ago
I have both vintage sesame Street (but the brownstone apartment is my favorite over the clubhouse) and I JUST got a complete hospital! It was just missing one nurse. Man, that was great!!
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#5
Mimi La Souris 1 year ago
still got mine ! 4 generations play with it ; the last one is 4 yo <3
Traveling Lady Railfan 1 year ago
Thermometer play part is almost ALWAYS really chewed up on the end (missing,here). The foam (inside the stethoscope) often is disintegrated.
Huddo's sister 1 year ago
We had a plastic doctor's set as kids, but I much preferred the real bandages, syringes (without needles), IV bags and tubes, dressings packs etc we had because my brothers were disabled and needed a lot of this stuff. My mum cleaned things that we could then play with. Plus when she became a qualified nurse, we could use her stethoscope too.
ZuriLovesYou 1 year ago
Ohhh, this takes me back! I remember getting a doctor's kit like that for Christmas one year. I loved that thing.
One of Stefany’s recent prized finds is a working Lil’ Miss Singing Mermaid doll from 1989. This toy was part of the mermaid craze that took off in the 90s following the success of Disney’s The Little Mermaid. With its adorable face, bushy blonde hair, and jeweled tail, it captured the hearts of many children. The doll was a particular hit because it sang a sweet tune when squeezed and even worked underwater—of course, Stefany was no exception to its charm.
#6
Traveling Lady Railfan 1 year ago
That's a recent remake. Not vintage ...but a vintage CHARACTER.
Corinna Weisz 1 year ago
I swear, I must be the only one to ever have watched Regina Regenbogen (The german version), since really really noone ever knows, what I'm talking about 😅😭
Bongokittycat 1 year ago
Omg, I'm so jealous, I still have my original rainbowbrite and her sprite!
James Neal 1 year ago
Cha Ching $$$$$$$$$ just do not open & keep it the way it's is so vintage
#7
DarkViolet 1 year ago
I just bought one online yesterday! I can't wait to collect the entire series!
Traveling Lady Railfan 1 year ago
I think this was from 1994. Sticker price ($14.99 or $19.99...cant read it) is about market value today.
CheshirePhrogg 1 year ago
It is charming enough that I don't even want to pick at historical accuracy
#8
HappyBink 1 year ago
I got this for my 9 year old on Amazon last year- she doesn't like the "older" style pictures and wants the newer ones 🙄
Lo Kindred 1 year ago
I had every single one of these books. Even the special editions. Wish I still had them!
Stefany remembers receiving the Lil’ Miss Singing Mermaid as a Christmas gift when she was a kid. “It was hands down my favorite toy,” she shared. A few months ago, Stefany posted an old photo on Instagram where she’s grinning with the unopened box of the doll in her hands.
So you can imagine how excited she was to stumble upon the same toy in a thrift store years later. “I could not believe the one I found still worked with fresh batteries!” she said. “It took me straight back in time when I heard her sing! I almost bought one online several times, but the thrill of the hunt is so satisfying when you finally do find it.” On eBay, these dolls retail for up to 400 dollars, but Stefany scored hers for the symbolic price of $3.99.
#9
Steve Hall 1 year ago
At first glance, I thought they had spelled cereal wrong.
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#10
Anony Mouse 1 year ago
Ugh. I worked at a hallmark in the early 90’s. Maxine wasn’t funny then. She’s not funny now. Like the comic strip Cathy got old and maintained the same non-sense of humor.
#11
Stephanie de Souza 1 year ago
OMG my heart. Midge was my favorite because she didn't look like other barbies. Plus the wedding dress, that changes into honeymoon clothes....amazing
Traveling Lady Railfan 1 year ago
Is that $13.99 for Alan and only $4.99 for Midge? Yeah, I'd get it. Her package damage only matters to some collectors.
For some, nostalgia can be a bittersweet feeling that leaves them longing for the past and feeling upset with the present. But for Stefany, it’s a source of joy. “I get nostalgic almost every day!” she says. “I try to keep it fun and light because it connects me to a time when life was more manageable and fun-focused. I use it therapeutically to deal with all the ‘unfun’ stuff adult life has to offer.”
#12
kelsischloe1986 1 year ago
I could be wrong, but I think this is the princess Diana edition beanie baby.
Agamemnon O'Neill 1 year ago
There's a common one and some kind of very special one, which has actual value. Literally everyone thinks they have a fortune on their hands. They don't.
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Michael Largey 1 year ago
Beanie Babies! My wife had hundreds and spent thousands. In the end, she donated them to the local police station to give to small children to comfort them when they were temporarily separated from their parents in any sort of legal procedure. I think she got her money's worth.
Lyoness 1 year ago
That's very sweet, both her donation and your comment.
Load More Replies... Historyharlot93 1 year ago
Ah, the Beanie Baby Bubble! So many hopes and dreams of riches before it collapsed under its own weight and popped! Now all that is left is dusty stuffed toys in boxes in peoples attics….
Bored Taco 1 year ago
It is the princess Diana bear, BUT only very few of them are actually worth a lot of money. Depends on all kinds of things. I have one, which is unfortunately not worth much at all :(
#13
DarkViolet 1 year ago
One of the good Barbies--twist-and-turn waist, snap-click legs, and can wear most Barbie clothes.
Traveling Lady Railfan 1 year ago
This is from year 2000. The "white" doll is worth about $10ish in this condition but the "black" doll was more scarce and forth oh...about $30ish today.
Beth Wheeler 1 year ago
Still in the box, if it's never been removed it's probably worth a lot of money.
#14
JuJu 1 year ago
Furbies are scary. During a sleepover two started talking to each other in the middle of the night.
mooshoflove 1 year ago
Add a furbies baby to the mix... The larger ones start teaching it things... Always in the middle of the night! 😶🌫️
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Nuku Nyara 1 year ago
Mine started making weird demented sounds in the closet when the batteries ran out
Steve Hall 1 year ago
My wife wouldn't let anyone bring one of these into the house. I can't quite see that price, but it doesn't look like a thrifty buy to me.
Nostalgia is not only a powerful emotion but also a very useful one. Psychologists have found that it can benefit our mental well-being, improve our mood, and help us connect with others.
“You dip in nostalgia, you dip into the past,” says Tim Wildschut, professor of psychology at the University of Southampton, “to motivate yourself, to pursue important goals, to imbue life with meaning, to feel connected. And then you go on and life takes over, you know, until the next time.”
#15
#16
Montanavanna 1 year ago
No, you are about to sit in the bath staring at this, wondering why you're not allowed to use it.
Traveling Lady Railfan 1 year ago
I was recently wondering the same thing?! Maybe too many slip n falls? I miss those bath oil beads
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Bored Taco 1 year ago
Did anyone ever use these? I feel like my grandma's & mom just had them around for decorations for some reason lol
#17
Lil Miss Hobbit 1 year ago
We never had the doll but we had all her books!
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ZuriLovesYou 1 year ago
I always wanted an American Girl doll growing up. Never got one though. 😔
What’s more, archaeological records suggest that even our prehistoric ancestors, living 300,000 to 500,000 years ago, might have experienced nostalgia. Instead of making new flint tools from scratch, they often refashioned old ones. Researchers believe these tools were kept as “memory objects,” holding emotional significance and connecting them to their predecessors.
#18
James Neal 1 year ago
💵💵💵💵💵a bills since it's vintage snag it & don't ever open keep it the way it is there mad collectors who would pay top $as for it
Carl Roberts 1 year ago
But....it's not vintage. It's a modern version sold at Walmart.
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Bex 1 year ago
My teenage self dreamed of owning one of these, and now my mid-40s self still hunts the shelves of thrift stores hoping to find one!
whineygingercat 1 year ago
If you REALLY want one, an ORIGINAL VINTAGE CABOODLE, they can be found on eBay.
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Michael Largey 1 year ago
Why does someone with "body confidence" get so much plastic surgery?
Alchemical Princess 1 year ago
My mum, my sister and I still swear by this, the step aerobics one is great for keeping in shape lol
Stephanie Chapman 1 year ago
Here is the video on YouTube. She is working out in lingerie: https://youtu.be/1WgFF1BAIYM?si=msALaL9g9gue9IzO
According to Krystine Batcho, a psychology professor at LeMoyne College and nostalgia researcher, reminiscing on our memories, even if they are not positive, has an evolutionary explanation. Nostalgia usually feels good because, over time, we tend to remember our past more fondly while the negative aspects fade away.
“Remembering things as better than they were serves an evolutionary purpose. If people were to remember things faithfully to the original, most women would never want to have more than one child,” Batcho says. “It’s a function of species survival that we can gloss over the bad portions of the past.”
#21
Traveling Lady Railfan 1 year ago
Oh geez, now THAT songs playing in my head!
Load More Replies... Traveling Lady Railfan 1 year ago
In this condition, worth about $10. People will try to sell for more but the market won't bear it.
James Neal 1 year ago
U def got the right stuff if only there was the rest of the crew Donny joey Jordan & Jon u could bank mad cream $$$$$$$$ total vintage don't open if u got it
#22
#23
Traveling Lady Railfan 1 year ago
Ah yes, that's from 1986. The red switch on the side let you change the lens colour from clear to red to green.
emma smith 1 year ago
i had this as a kid, didnt realise my mum kept hold of it and now my 3 year old loves playing with it
Beth Wheeler 1 year ago
Had that for my son, it might actually still be in the built-in toy box that was there when we bought the house.
Interestingly, nostalgia, an emotion centered around the past, also influences how we imagine our future and engage with the present. Psychologist Wing-Yee Cheung explains that knowing how good it feels to look back on our lives encourages us to consciously savor moments as they happen, building a “bigger positive memory bank.”
For example, a 2018 study by Wildschut, Cheung, and their team revealed that university students who savored their final year experiences were more likely to feel nostalgic about them four to nine months later.
#24
#25
The Other Guest 1 year ago
Presuming you are truly confused and not being a dickhead: they're barrettes aka hair clips.
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#26
Montanavanna 1 year ago
I have the vhs cover, those big plastic ones with the original artwork on the front, d**k spyre on the castle, and everything.
So if you find yourself reminiscing about the past, embrace it fully because it’s good for you. Or maybe even induce nostalgia yourself—listen to some music you loved in your teenage years, look through your old things, or, like Stefany, head to the nearest thrift store. You might just find a pleasant surprise and unlock some wonderful forgotten memories.
#27
DC 1 year ago
These are the creepiest ... yikesest ... cree ... they're creepy. And weird. And they have invented everything related to yikes (like, for example, bikes). They're ... they freak me out, those empty, yet filled-to-the-brim eyes ... staring, emptily so, right into everything, through everything, just everything. Stary, scary little pervs...
#28
TTorrest Author 1 year ago
Nothing seared the skin off your hands quite so purposefully as the plastic napalm of a freshly-cooked Creepy Crawly.
MaggieMay85 1 year ago
And where was the parental supervision? No where to be found because of the horrible smell.
Load More Replies... Traveling Lady Railfan 1 year ago
I can still hear the theme song from the commercial in my head!!!
K. Mike 1 year ago
This is the "EasyBake" oven, one with the light bulb. I had an original one from 1964 that had aluminum molds that you had to heat on a hotplate type thing and carefully cool them in a water bath. I still have the reminders on my hands and skin from not being careful and patient. They also had edible versions that were disgusting
#29
Lostnthewood 1 year ago
Me too. I read it like Jughead's laughter in an old Archie comics "yukyukyuk"
Load More Replies... kelsischloe1986 1 year ago
I know this was made before 9/11 but the twin towers with airplanes flying near by the buildings just doesn't feel right. I would definitely destroy it after what happened.
DC 1 year ago
Destroy it? I don't really get reactions like that. A dude I ... well, kind of know, somewhat ... had, once, dreamed something and then discovered he had a bunch of shirts with satanic stuff printed on. Burned them in his yard. After I asked him if he couldn't just wash till off, ignoring instructions meant to prevent that, he got really pissed at me. Anyway, why destroy it? Because it's an innocent picture that didn't predict the then-future? Bad picture. Rub it in debris instead, maybe it learns to behave, eh?
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#31
LonelyLittleLeafSheep 1 year ago
Those tiny accessories are worth more than some of the dolls!
#32
detective miller's hat 1 year ago
Still have my My Little Pony collection. It's worth like $2,000 at this point. :D
#34
SageHare37 1 year ago
Pretty sure Sky Dancers were discontinued due to injuries. It's almost like making toys with strong spinning propellers for kids wasn't a good idea. /s
#35
Lily bloom 1 year ago
Red pound puppies for me. It later stored my m.u.s.c.l.e.men
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#38
#39
#41
James Neal 1 year ago
If u got it do not open put it up on toy auction mad collectors out there
#49
Cynthia Kelly 1 year ago
I have the 1995 no underwear Teacher Barbie. Never opened. Had it since 1995, I was a teacher then and it was a gift for my birthday.
James Neal 1 year ago
Dyam! Total vintage def do not open $$$$$$$$ cop it put it up on a toy auction get mad cream 4 it
#50
#51
#53
#54
Daune Tullina 1 year ago
We took my then toddler to see the Big Comfy Couch when they did a mall tour. My kid was star struck! He slept with his molly dolly for years and passed it down to his brother who still has her
#55
Awkward Momma Panda 1 year ago
Core memory unlocked…as soon as I saw the picture, I could hear her terrible, tinny singing track in my head
#56
ZuriLovesYou 1 year ago
The Backyardigans was my entire world. I still listen to the songs on YouTube.
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#58
Ashley Harrold 1 year ago
That's one of the new ones that was in the adult happy meal. I have it with accessories
#61
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#67
James Neal 1 year ago
Can u say 💵💵💵a bills total vintage cop it don't open & put it up on a toy auction mad collectors out there
#68
#70
ƒιѕн 1 year ago
1998 Angel of Joy, first in the Timeless Sentiments Collection.
Load More Replies... James Neal 1 year ago
Cha Cha Ching get mad 🧀er 4 it cop it do not open! Put it up on toy auction lot of collectors out there pay top 💵a 4 it
#73
James Neal 1 year ago
Aaaaaaah animaniacs were sainy 2 the max they were in the animated series
#75
Shelley Rutledge 1 year ago
OMG I had a floor lamp with 5 colored tulip shades . I lost it in my house fire.
Lee Stone 1 year ago
Did it cause your house fire? I had the floor lamp version of this and it randomly melted one day while I was in the room (thankfully!).
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Rosemary 1 year ago
I'm honestly surprised "nurse" and "secretary" aren't there too. 🙄
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Susan Werber 1 year ago
OMG... I had that lunch box in pre-K and this 6th grader was harassing me on the bus, and it may have met his nose and may have broke it.
#78
#79
ZuriLovesYou 1 year ago
I still have my Magic Nursery dollin my closet. She's my favorite doll.
#80
Virgil Blue 1 year ago
Baby bunny? Must be. I really liked the Tiny Toon Adventures. They were a fun addition to the classic Toons.
#81
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#84
Pamela Castillo 1 year ago (edited)
So alot of these are the same woman, you, just different nail colors. All on the same thrift shop?
#85
James Neal 1 year ago
If only the box it's self wasn't taped 2gether & damaged could have gotten a hefty mount 4 it total vintage 💵💵💵a bills
#91
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What do you think ?
Settled for Infamy 1 year ago
Sometimes nostalgic items give me a depressed longing, but this list made me smile. Thank You
Auntriarch 1 year ago
Oh lordy I am old, none of this my nostalgia... Maybe the Peter rabbit book
Traveling Lady Railfan 1 year ago
This picture is mostly for kids who were born in the late 70s and 80s and grew up in the 80s 90s and early 00s. Don't feel bad ❤️ Beatrix Potter is the best!
Load More Replies... Carl Roberts 1 year ago
At first I was like " How is a Furby considered vintage", but then I realized they first hit the market 26 years ago.
Huddo's sister 1 year ago
I'm either too young or too Australian because I either never had or don't recognise most of these
Settled for Infamy 1 year ago
Sometimes nostalgic items give me a depressed longing, but this list made me smile. Thank You
Auntriarch 1 year ago
Oh lordy I am old, none of this my nostalgia... Maybe the Peter rabbit book
Traveling Lady Railfan 1 year ago
This picture is mostly for kids who were born in the late 70s and 80s and grew up in the 80s 90s and early 00s. Don't feel bad ❤️ Beatrix Potter is the best!
Load More Replies... Carl Roberts 1 year ago
At first I was like " How is a Furby considered vintage", but then I realized they first hit the market 26 years ago.
Huddo's sister 1 year ago
I'm either too young or too Australian because I either never had or don't recognise most of these
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