Pa. woman finds necklace worth $3000 at thrift store

A Pennsylvania woman was thrifting when she came across a priceless find.

Jess Smith, 23, was at a thrift shop in Pittsburgh that she often visits, reported Insider.

She began digging through necklaces, when a neon, translucent pendant with a “70’s vibe” caught her eye.

Smith took a closer look and noticed an inscription on the pendant. She couldn’t quite make out the name, but she could read the date. It read 1973.

The necklace was only $1.99, so Smith figured she may as well get it, she told Insider.

Out of interest, Smith used the tool Google Lens, an app that brings up relevant information related to a specific object, on the necklace.

Smith quickly came across the work of late Pittsburgh artist Aaronel deRoy Gruber, a sculptor who is famous in the area for her 3D plexiglass pieces, reported Insider.

After looking through photos of Gruber’s pieces, Smith had a feeling she had found one of them, she posted on Tiktok.

To confirm her suspicion, Smith reached out to the Irving and Aaronel deRoy Gruber Foundation on Instagram, a page dedicated to the work of the late artist.

12 hours later, Brittany Reilly, the foundation’s director, responded to the message, asking Smith if she would give her a call.

A post shared by deRoy Gruber Foundation (@aaronelderoygruber)

Reilly immediately confirmed that the piece was an original Aaronel deRoy Gruber. Reilly said she didn’t even have to see it in person, she knew it was real.

Reilly also told Smith that each necklace made by Gruber is completely original. The necklace was confirmed to have value between $2,800 and $3,200 — probably on the higher end thanks to its high quality, reported Insider.

Smith was then given the option to have the foundation connect her with private sellers who would likely pay over $3000 for the piece.

Although Smith is unsure about what exactly she will do with the necklace, for now, she has decided to loan the piece to the foundation's gallery for a year, so that the necklace can be appreciated by others.

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