‘The only thought was yes’: Woman finds ‘masterpiece’ at thrift store for $30, then discovers what it’s really worth

A woman from South Carolina was left amazed when she found an incredible oil painting at her local thrift store for just $30. Amanda Lee Smith from Greenville went shopping at a secondhand store right after Christmas ended. She told Newsweek that this is one of the best times to go thrift shopping because people clean out their homes after the holidays.

While walking through the home items section, Smith spotted a beautiful oil painting leaning against the wall. According to Newsweek, the artwork shows a bowl of fruit next to a shiny steel jug. She knew right away that she had to buy it. The painting came in a gold frame and measures about 104 centimeters tall and 147 centimeters wide.

Smith runs a business called Blush and Brass Co., where she finds secondhand items to help create what she calls “an ESO home” – one that is elevated, sustainable, and obtainable. She had no doubt about buying this painting and went straight to pay for it.

This thrift store find could be worth thousands

What surprised Smith the most was how good the condition of the painting was. She said it’s rare to find a painting at a thrift store with the fabric liner still intact, especially one that’s so light in color. The painting appears to be in almost perfect condition.

“There are some pieces that require you to imagine their potential, to picture how they might translate outside of the thrift store, and then there are pieces like this, which need very little thought,” Smith explained. “Really, the only thought was yes (well that and making sure it was in my hands and paid for as quickly as I could).”

Smith believes the painting was created sometime between the 1960s and 1980s, though she’s not completely sure how old it is. Based on its large size, gold frame, and excellent condition, she thinks it could be worth anywhere from $1,200 to $2,800. Not all shopping trips end this well – some travelers have discovered disgusting surprises with their belongings during their journeys.

She shared her amazing discovery on TikTok, and the video quickly went viral. Within just a few days, it got over 65,300 views and more than 2,300 likes. Getting the painting home wasn’t easy – Smith had to fold down her car seats and carefully fit it into the back of her SUV.

Now the painting hangs in Smith’s dining room. She said she knew exactly where it would go the moment she saw it at the store. She had just removed a gallery wall and added new furniture, which left empty wall space that turned out to be the perfect size for the painting.

Smith told Newsweek that the painting “really anchors the room.” She explained that its large size makes it look more like part of the room’s structure rather than just decoration. People on social media loved the find, with over 240 comments on her viral video. While Smith’s discovery brought joy, other viral stories have shocked viewers for very different reasons.