Five minutes into a thrift run, Kelsey Olive had already hit the jackpot: a pair of 10 karat gold stamped earrings marked just $3. “Finding gold like this as the first item is a great sign that there’s going to be a lot more in here,” she says.

Then came the twist. A piece stamped 14 karat nearly fooled her, and it turned out to be only toned. Her video on Kelsey Olive doubles as a crash course in not getting fooled at the thrift store.

10 Karat Gold Earrings For $3, Plus Real Pearls With A Sterling Clasp

The earrings carry faux pearls on a 10 karat setting, which tells her they are most likely vintage, from a time when gold was worth a bit less. Most of the tray was costume jewelry, she says, so she worked through every pair carefully.

Over at the jewelry rack, she found a strand of what she believes are real pearls, with a clasp bearing a sterling 925 stamp that is very easy to miss. It is not a huge-value item, but it can sell for $40 to $50, and she tossed it in the pile.

The Piece Stamped 14 Karat That Was Only Toned

Then came the one that “totally faked me out at first.” The lettering clearly read 14 karat gold. But when she lifted her thumb, the metal underneath was toned, which means there is no 14 karat gold in it at all.

“If you ever see that, avoid it,” she says. A stamp is not proof of what is under the surface, and a little wear on a thin plating can tell you the truth.

She also passed on a pair of earrings that looked like sterling until she flipped them over and found they were only plated. Pink quartz earrings are often made in alpaca silver, which has no real silver in it, so those went back as well.

A $1 Sterling Chain And A $1 Native American Ring

She thought one pendant might be carved bone, so she did a weight check and a smell test. Real bone has a distinct musty smell, and this had none. It was plastic. But a sterling chain tangled underneath had a 925 stamp on the clasp, and the whole thing cost $1.

She also grabbed a Native American sterling ring in a twisted cord style that has come back into fashion, and then another one popped out, again for $1. Right before she left, an employee brought out a new rack, and she grabbed sterling blue opal inlay droplet earrings, made in Mexico, for $15. “We can make an incredible profit off of these,” she says.

“Look For Off-Brand Local Nonprofit Thrift Stores”

Her big lesson of the day is about where to shop. The best finds are not at the big chain stores, she says, but at local community nonprofits that put out basically every donation instead of sending the good stuff to an online auction site. She spent $38 at the first one and left with plenty.

That store also sold antiques, including a Japanese nursing chair that collectors love, though the leather was beyond saving. As a business owner who ships a lot, she also loves buying her office supplies locally.

How To Spot Real Sterling In A Drawer Of Silver Plate

Silverware takes patience, she warns. She gives three quick tips. First, avoid anything with a brassy undertone, because solid sterling and solid gold have a consistent color all the way through. Second, once you recognize a plated pattern, skip it. Third, remember that sterling is malleable, so a gentle bend test can help you rule out plated pieces that will not give at all.

That patience paid off with a big antique monogrammed spoon with a solid sterling stamp. At the second store, run by a local church, teaspoons were $2 each, and most were plated. But she found a piece with an 800 stamp, meaning 80% silver, which usually comes from Europe, and a handle stamped 835.

She also found an Aztec calendar piece stamped Mexico 925, and a set of five unmarked spoons. She researched them and learned that such spoons were often made of coin silver from the 1930s to the 1960s and sold to tourists unstamped. She tested them at home, and they are silver.

Uranium Glass And A UV Light Trick

The second store also had a set of six Vaseline uranium glass plates in mint condition, with no knife marks or chips. She says people often overlook the bright neon yellow color. Her tip: bring a UV flashlight to shops and garage sales, because uranium glass glows immediately under it.

She also found ironstone plates at $4 each, which she thinks could do well with Thanksgiving coming up.

What To Take To The Thrift Store

The shopping list for her method is simple. Bring a magnet, a UV flashlight and a phone for quick research. Look closely at stamps, since numbers like 925, 800 and 835 are hallmarks of metal purity, not product codes.

Check the color and weight, try the gentle bend test on silverware, and do not be fooled by a pretty stamp. A “14K” mark that wears off under your thumb is a warning, not a win. Spend a little, check everything, and keep your shopping local when you can.

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