15 Thrift Store Finds That Look More Like a Joke
Thrift stores are full of surprises, but some discoveries raise more questions than answers. You might walk in looking for a decent coffee mug and leave wondering why someone manufactured a lobster-shaped clock. Then there’s the clothing, the unusual artwork, and the decorative objects that seem to exist purely to confuse people. The best part is that somebody once paid full price for these things, and somebody else eventually decided to donate them. Luckily, a few shoppers had their cameras ready when they spotted these wonderfully questionable treasures. Here are 15 thrift store finds that could easily pass for elaborate practical jokes.
A Hot Dog Worth Its Weight in Gold
Someone found a ring shaped like a hot dog, complete with a bun and toppings, and apparently decided this tiny piece of jewelry deserved a place in their collection.
The Chicken Has Entered the Handbag Business
A Goodwill shopper discovered a handbag shaped like a chicken, complete with a head and beak, and somehow managed to leave it behind.
A Lobster That Tells Time
Two thrift shoppers brought home a plastic lobster clock with surprisingly realistic legs, turning an ordinary wall accessory into something nobody could reasonably ignore.
Dinner Is at Six, Apparently
A shopper discovered a macaroni and cheese clock, giving one of America’s favorite comfort foods the additional responsibility of keeping track of time.
An Extremely Specific Birthday Mug
One thrift store offered a coffee mug celebrating turning 50 with a cartoon horse doing some remarkably enthusiastic pole dancing.
The Most Unexpected Coffee Break
A shopper found two promotional Prozac mugs from the 1990s at a Deseret Industries thrift store and kept one as a particularly unusual souvenir.
An Elephant With Storage Space
A thrift shopper spotted a bright red elephant-shaped handbag among an assortment of unusual secondhand items, complete with a trunk and unmistakable animal silhouette.
A Fish Lamp, Because Why Not?
One shopper brought home a fish-shaped lamp and a separate novelty light shaped like a computer’s Alt key during the same thrift store visit.
Meet Yummy Yummy
A clown enthusiast discovered a secondhand piece of clown artwork featuring a character apparently named Yummy Yummy, then added it to their gallery wall.
A Frog With Absolutely No Space Issues
A thrift shopper found an enormous green Build-A-Bear frog for just $10, proving that sometimes the stuffed animal section has no interest in reasonable proportions.
Tea Time With a Suspicious Cat
A London charity shop had a black ceramic teapot shaped like a cat, complete with an expression that seems oddly judgmental for kitchenware.
Timekeeping Gets a Little Strange
Someone discovered two unusual decorative clocks at separate thrift stores, including a design featuring a unicorn.
The Shirt That Keeps Coming Back
A shopper found another version of the patterned shirt that became a recurring joke among thrift store enthusiasts, this time in an especially bright color.
Even the Toilet Got Miniaturized
A Goodwill shopper paid three dollars for a tiny bathroom-themed set, including a miniature toilet with visible glue.
Two Cats and a Very Specific Vibe
A framed print shows a black cat and a white cat with long necks, pointed ears, and matching creepy smirks.