2 days ago
Aussie man's amazing op shop discovery which made '$500 in 30 minutes'
Sifting through charity shops to uncover hidden gems is a popular Australian pastime. And while many shoppers have recently decried the rising cost of items sold at op shops across the country, those who have the patience to meticulously dig up treasure have even managed to turn the practice into a lucrative business endeavour.
One such person is professional thrifter Mat, who recently revealed the incredible "niche" find that made him $500 in just 30 minutes after listing the item for sale online.
Mat Carpenter, who runs Flip Weekly, a newsletter and podcast teaching Aussies how to flip undervalued products found in op shops, told Yahoo News that he was wandering around a Savers thrift store when he came across a unique-looking mug priced at $7.49.
Mat had heard that pottery mugs made by Australia's oldest rum distillery, Beenleigh Rum, in the 1950s are now highly sought after and went "on the lookout for anything that combines alcohol and pottery."
What's the story behind the $500 mug?
The brown ceramic jug depicts the caricatured face of "Bosun Bill". According to Beenliegh Artisan Distillers, the character comes from the legend of 'The Bosun', who operated a floating sugar mill along the Albert and Logan Rivers.
"He soon found a productive use for the excess molasses he produced- making Rum on the sly," the distillery's website states.
When the floating sugar mill, the SS Walrus, washed ashore in 1984 onto the land of the distillery, all that was found was the Bosun's Copper Pot, inspiring its creation.
The mugs were created as memorabilia for the rum brand, and now the collectible items sell for top dollar online.
"I couldn't tell you the detailed history of Bosun Bill or Beenleigh Rum, all I know is that collectors pay a ridiculous amount of money for their items," said Mat. "Fancy paying $500 for a rum jug that doesn't contain any rum," he joked.
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Flipper's advice for making lucrative discoveries in op shops
While Mat admits that the find is incredibly niche, he advised that Aussies looking to make cash by flipping items from charity shops can easily replicate his efforts. First, they "need to know what they're looking for," he said.
The Sydneysider previously shared with Yahoo Finance that he is earning $4,000 a month by turning one man's trash into another's treasure. He has since now flipped hundreds of items, including books, toys, DVDs and CDs, and collectable clothes, and shares advice in his weekly newsletter.
"My background is finding unusual ways to make money," he said. "There's nothing more unusual than picking up a mug in a thrift store for $7.50 and selling it 30 minutes later for $500."
Mat is able to identify exactly what is valuable, but also what's not. Last month, he called out Vinnies for selling relatively common books for as much as $1,000, advertising them behind the counter as rare and hard to find.
The books — Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince — were listed for $500 and $1,000, respectively. The books were labelled as rare first editions, but Mat argued they actually "far from it".
After Yahoo News approached St Vincent de Paul Society (Vinnies), the charity shop confirmed the two items were pulled from the shelves, admitting that the advertised pricing was made in error.
Fellow Aussies cashing in on charity shop finds
And Matt isn't the only Aussie who's found incredible treasure on the shelves of his local op shops.
One thrifter last year stumbled upon her "best ever find" in a Queensland Vinnies store when she realised a $2 pair of opal earrings could be worth up to $1,000.
Another man, Tom purchased a Seiko watch for "less than the cost of a meal". It turned out that a small detail on the dial — the words "Australian Bureau of Statistics" — made it an incredibly valuable find. The government agency previously recognised long-standing staff by gifting them a watch.
After receiving "a lot of offers to buy it" he decided to list it on eBay, where on Tuesday he sold it for over $500.
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