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I started thrifting in college because it was the only place I could afford proper winter jackets for the brutal northern European cold. The first time I walked into a thrift shop, it felt like I was part of a treasure hunt. After that, it became a ritual.

I still go to second-hand shops now, and sometimes I’ll pick up a cool lamp or a book I’ve been meaning to read (I once found the entire Game of Thrones series just sitting there waiting for me).

But more often than not, thrift stores also stock things I wouldn’t dare take home, even for free — and that’s exactly why I love them.

Bored Panda has rounded up some of the most unhinged charity store finds people have stumbled upon. There’s a vomit clock and a fish-shaped teapot, even a packet of doll parts labeled “property of Jeffrey Dahmer.”

There’s also a panda chair that’s so bizarre that if we’d seen it first, it might already be sitting in our office.

We also spoke to Augsburg College Associate Professor Nancy Fischer, who has done a sociological analysis of the second-hand and vintage clothing industry.

Click here & follow us for more lists, facts, and stories.

#1

Could Not Leave Bernie At The Thrift Store

Could Not Leave Bernie At The Thrift Store

TeaTimeAtThree Report

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    #2

    Found This Today At Value Village

    Found This Today At Value Village

    thriftstorecat Report

    #3

    Today’s Catch And Release

    Today’s Catch And Release

    Different-Ad-3657 Report

    #4

    Passed Up This Gem Recently

    Passed Up This Gem Recently

    In a pile of decorative plates but this one was the clear standout.

    Ok-Worldliness-8055 Report

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    #5

    My Mom Got This At A Thrift Store And Thinks It's Cute. I Dunno, I Don't Like It

    My Mom Got This At A Thrift Store And Thinks It's Cute. I Dunno, I Don't Like It

    User Report

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    #6

    This Old Lady Was Selling Her Painted Baby Dolls At The Flea Market And Nobody Had Bought Any

    This Old Lady Was Selling Her Painted Baby Dolls At The Flea Market And Nobody Had Bought Any

    It was $20 but I couldn’t find it in me to haggle her down. She told me she made the suit by hand. My new fav office decoration!

    User Report

    #7

    I Think About This Lamp Often. Found At A Goodwill Near Indy

    I Think About This Lamp Often. Found At A Goodwill Near Indy

    User Report

    #8

    Saw In Burgaw, NC

    Saw In Burgaw, NC

    Laura Lukas Report

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    #9

    Found This At An Antique Flea Market , I Should Have Bought It

    Found This At An Antique Flea Market , I Should Have Bought It

    max_bruh Report

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    #10

    There’s So Much To Take In. The Animal Print, The Rhinestones, The Google Product Placement

    There’s So Much To Take In. The Animal Print, The Rhinestones, The Google Product Placement

    Charlie Atkins Report

    #11

    Found This At A Thrift Store Once Back In The Day

    Found This At A Thrift Store Once Back In The Day

    uh_im_dj Report

    #12

    Found A Cursed Tiger Painting. If My House Burns Down, This Is Why

    Found A Cursed Tiger Painting. If My House Burns Down, This Is Why

    reddit.com Report

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    #13

    My Most Cursed Find To Date

    My Most Cursed Find To Date

    RaaRaa101 Report

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    #14

    My New 25 Cent Dental Guard Holder

    My New 25 Cent Dental Guard Holder

    I cannot stop laughing. I got this thing at Opp Shop for 25 cents and decided it's the perfect night guard holder. Supposedly it's made for milk and cookies or tea bags.

    loveandcrafting Report

    #15

    Did I Get The $7 Fish Teapot On Sale For $6.01? Yes. Did I Need The Fish Teapot? Also Yes

    Did I Get The $7 Fish Teapot On Sale For $6.01? Yes. Did I Need The Fish Teapot? Also Yes

    DrywallAnchor Report

    Never miss a story that brings joy to the world. Add us on Google

    #16

    GW Hand Candle Holders

    GW Hand Candle Holders

    Picked up these creep candle holders for a buddy and his wife.

    grinman12 Report

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    #17

    Found Waiting For A New Home At A Goodwill Thrift Shop I

    Found Waiting For A New Home At A Goodwill Thrift Shop I

    I don’t find many dolls creepy, but two elderly, gray faced dolls plus a black eyed, bow-legged girl had me avoiding that section.

    blueskysunny1 Report

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    #18

    Found This Bill Clinton Gargoyle At Savers In Massachusetts For $2.99. Have Put It In A Strategic Location In My House To Creep Out My Family

    Found This Bill Clinton Gargoyle At Savers In Massachusetts For $2.99. Have Put It In A Strategic Location In My House To Creep Out My Family

    stealthanie Report

    #19

    You Gotta Be Kidding Me

    You Gotta Be Kidding Me

    Just a chunk of granite for $5

    Thehiddenink98 Report

    #20

    Uhh… Merry Christmas?

    Uhh… Merry Christmas?

    reddit.com Report

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    #21

    Anyone In The Market

    Anyone In The Market

    For a TFIFENY & CO. NEW YORK SINCE 1837 deflated basketball for....checks tag $34.99?!

    Ok-Handle-8546 Report

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    #22

    Stopped At A Thrift Store And Told My Daughter She Can Pick 1 Thing Out Of The Store. She Chose His. We Got Home And Now She Doesn’t Want It And Either Do I

    Stopped At A Thrift Store And Told My Daughter She Can Pick 1 Thing Out Of The Store. She Chose His. We Got Home And Now She Doesn’t Want It And Either Do I

    Nowak Kasia Report

    #23

    I Don’t Even Have Words To Describe This. Dear Gods. Forgive Me My Sins. What Did I Do To Deserve Seeing This With My Own Eyeballs?

    I Don’t Even Have Words To Describe This. Dear Gods. Forgive Me My Sins. What Did I Do To Deserve Seeing This With My Own Eyeballs?

    Kat_Smeow Report

    #24

    Catch And Release At $249.99

    Catch And Release At $249.99

    User Report

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    #25

    Fiancee And I Are Collecting Books With Weird Titles - $2 At Local Book Resale

    Fiancee And I Are Collecting Books With Weird Titles - $2 At Local Book Resale

    Foxien Report

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    #26

    I Did It! I Went Back And Found The Other Thing!

    I Did It! I Went Back And Found The Other Thing!

    BrokenPickle7 Report

    #27

    Still Thinking About This Dress

    Still Thinking About This Dress

    rhinestonecowgrl Report

    #28

    Weird Grass Flip-Flops Found At Thrift Store

    Weird Grass Flip-Flops Found At Thrift Store

    imgur.com Report

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    #29

    Ohio Valley Antique Mall Has Been Invaded

    Ohio Valley Antique Mall Has Been Invaded

    Travis Walden Report

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    #30

    Take A Good Look At This Weird One. It's A Little Strange. I Couldn't Not Buy It

    Take A Good Look At This Weird One. It's A Little Strange. I Couldn't Not Buy It

    Tyler Davenport Report

    #31

    Homemade Stool For Sale $15.99

    Homemade Stool For Sale $15.99

    Ughhelp_ Report

    #32

    Cashier Said It Was Creepy, Which Is Why I Was Drawn To It. My Husband Asked Why, I Said Cause It's Probably Haunted

    Cashier Said It Was Creepy, Which Is Why I Was Drawn To It. My Husband Asked Why, I Said Cause It's Probably Haunted

    User Report

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    #33

    Found At A Thrift Store Today. Was Told You All Would Enjoy This Creepy Plate

    Found At A Thrift Store Today. Was Told You All Would Enjoy This Creepy Plate

    need1more Report

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    #34

    This Has Been At My Location For Weeks. You’re Telling Me No One Wants To Store Weed And Snacks In Here? I Should

    This Has Been At My Location For Weeks. You’re Telling Me No One Wants To Store Weed And Snacks In Here? I Should

    Also you know it’s sad and you’re a regular when you’re recognizing stock thats not been turned over lol.

    Top-Matter8226 Report

    #35

    H**l Nah They Put Santa In The Renal Failure Urine Snow Globe

    H**l Nah They Put Santa In The Renal Failure Urine Snow Globe

    i know it’s supposed to be coca-cola (i hope so at least).

    User Report

    #36

    The Shop Owner Was Weirder Than The Items In The Store. Left With Nothing

    The Shop Owner Was Weirder Than The Items In The Store. Left With Nothing

    Alex Serna Report

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    #37

    When The Local Second-Hand Shop Gets Creative

    When The Local Second-Hand Shop Gets Creative

    Tom Evans Report

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    #38

    Found This Little Figure At The Thrift Store

    Found This Little Figure At The Thrift Store

    User Report

    #39

    Those Smaller Carrots Are Suspiciously Placed

    Those Smaller Carrots Are Suspiciously Placed

    Inevitable-Plant-475 Report

    #40

    I Found This While Browsing A Local Thrift Store. To Bad It's 300$

    I Found This While Browsing A Local Thrift Store. To Bad It's 300$

    User Report

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    #41

    Someone Obviously Put A Lot Of Work Into This "Humpty Dumpty" But The Eyes Are Spooky. It Remains For Sale At A Local Pet Save Second Hand Shop

    Someone Obviously Put A Lot Of Work Into This "Humpty Dumpty" But The Eyes Are Spooky. It Remains For Sale At A Local Pet Save Second Hand Shop

    Lisa Schroer Report

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    #42

    Found A Vomit Clock In The Wild

    Found A Vomit Clock In The Wild

    Kellie Parker Report

    #43

    Found These Fake Jordans At The Thrift Store

    Found These Fake Jordans At The Thrift Store

    reddit.com Report

    #44

    You May Enjoy Garbage Trucks, But Do You Love Them This Much?

    You May Enjoy Garbage Trucks, But Do You Love Them This Much?

    Found at the thrift store. Who would need this? Was it for an event? Or did someone just wanted to wear their love of garbage trucks all over their body?

    angeltay Report

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    #45

    Don't Be Creepy... And Creepy It Is

    Don't Be Creepy... And Creepy It Is

    phixer00 Report

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    #46

    Two-Headed Dog Found With The Yard Sculptures At Just Thriftin In Capitola

    Two-Headed Dog Found With The Yard Sculptures At Just Thriftin In Capitola

    David James Keaton Report

    #47

    Left For Another Lucky Thrifter At The Goodwill Outside Of Denver

    Left For Another Lucky Thrifter At The Goodwill Outside Of Denver

    Hailey McSpadden Report

    #48

    Inside Had Slight White Powdery Residue

    Inside Had Slight White Powdery Residue

    Rachael Stanziani-Fazio Report

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    #49

    Just Went To The St. Vincent Depaul In Sun Prairie, WI And Came Across This Doll For $75. It Did Not Come Home With Me

    Just Went To The St. Vincent Depaul In Sun Prairie, WI And Came Across This Doll For $75. It Did Not Come Home With Me

    Kati Lidstrom Report

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    #50

    Catch & Release

    Catch & Release

    User Report

    #51

    These Bunnies From A Thrift Store

    These Bunnies From A Thrift Store

    User Report

    #52

    Cursed Winnie The Pooh Blanket

    Cursed Winnie The Pooh Blanket

    snowblind1972 Report

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    #53

    Found This Doll At The Thrift Store. Those Teeth

    Found This Doll At The Thrift Store. Those Teeth

    miauccellino Report

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    #54

    They Were Literally Crunchy

    They Were Literally Crunchy

    Sufficient_Theory975 Report

    #55

    Found This Painting In A Thrift Store

    Found This Painting In A Thrift Store

    okayokie Report

    #56

    Mickey Mouse I Found In A Thrift Store

    Mickey Mouse I Found In A Thrift Store

    Didn't buy because he looked haunted.

    User Report

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