Woman finds pretty mug in thrift store, soon realizes she's hit the jackpot

A woman in England walked into her local thrift store looking for something interesting and walked out with a major find. Lisa Davies, a mom of twin boys from Northampton, England, spotted a pretty mug on a shelf that stopped her in her tracks. She soon discovered it was part of a rare collection of valuable pottery — and she had paid almost nothing for it.

Davies first got into thrifting around Christmas 2024. She was going through a tough time and found that browsing charity shops helped her feel better. 'That's when I was having a tough time mentally, and I found that a rummage in a charity shop was so good for me,' she told Newsweek. It quickly became her favorite hobby, and she now visits her local shop about once a week.

She is not the only person who finds comfort in collecting things. Neuroscientist Shirley M. Mueller wrote in Psychology Today that collecting can help improve mental health. She explained that it can lower stress, sharpen focus, boost brain function, and give people a sense of purpose. It can also help people build friendships with others who share the same interest.

On one of her regular visits, Davies spotted a mug that caught her eye right away. She knew it was something special the moment she saw it. 'I saw one of the mugs first and couldn't believe my eyes, then it was like a dream, piece after piece kept appearing before me,' she said. It turned out that someone had recently donated a whole set of Emma Bridgewater pottery — 11 pieces in total.

Emma Bridgewater pottery is well known and highly collectible in England. Each piece is handmade and hand-decorated in Stoke-on-Trent, England, using traditional techniques. The brand is famous for its fun patterns, like Polka Dot and Pink Hearts. Some limited-edition designs are especially prized by collectors and can sell for a lot of money.

Davies paid just £13.75 — about $18 — for all 11 pieces. She estimated that she could resell them for between £150 and £200, roughly $200 to $270. Buying the same pieces brand new would cost far more. 'The mugs alone are £25 [$34] each new,' she said, adding that an Easter set still had its original price labels attached.

Finding so much Emma Bridgewater pottery in one place felt like a dream come true for Davies. She is a longtime fan of the brand and always keeps an eye out for it at thrift stores. 'Finding so many pieces together, at those prices, genuinely felt like the charity shop haul of dreams,' she said. She now shares her thrift-store finds on Instagram under the handle @theoldbag.

For anyone who wants to try thrifting, Davies has some simple but helpful advice. She says the most important thing is to be consistent and return to the same shops regularly. Getting to know the staff can help, since they may set things aside for you. She also suggests doing a second lap around the store before you leave, because you might spot something you missed the first time.