Woman Buys $3 Thrift Art, Then Learns Its Actual Value: 'You Won't Believe'

A Cincinnati woman was left "in disbelief" after discovering how much the painting she purchased from a thrift store was worth.

Thrift stores are a popular option for today's discerning American shopper. According to research from bank holding company Capital One, around 16 to 18 percent of U.S. adults shop at thrift stores annually.

A few more might be tempted to head to their local thrift store after hearing about Marisa Macy's experience at her local Goodwill and the discovery of what she's described as the "most insane thrift find ever."

"You won't believe what I found in Goodwill," she says at the start of the video. It quickly turns out she's 100 percent correct on that front.

It all started when a painting at her local thrift store caught her eye. Or rather, the frame it came in did. "I actually had plans to take the painting out and just use the frame in our photography studio," Macy told Newsweek.

As she carried it over to the cash register, however, Macy took a closer look at the painting inside. "I quickly realized this was an original painting and not some kind of high-quality print," she said.

Even then, she wasn't fully convinced it would be worth anything. "I come across a lot of original paintings but typically they are from local artists or someone's crafty grandma from the 1970s," she said.

However, when she got out to her car, she noticed the artist's name, Johann Berthelsen, on the frame and decided to Google it. That was the first moment she realized she suspected she might have nabbed herself an absolute bargain.

"I was honestly in disbelief and immediately doubted it was real," she said.

Macy decided to do a little more research into the piece by the American impressionist, which depicted St Patrick's Church in New York. She posted a photo of the painting to an art appraisal page on Facebook, where it was authenticated.

From there, Macy was able to set up a meeting with Caza Sikes, an art appraisal business and auctioneers. They confirmed the veracity of the piece and agreed to put it up for sale at auction.

It ended up selling for $2,300, with Macy and her fiancé pocketing a little under $2,000 from the sale. An incredible sum considering she had originally paid $2.99 for the piece.

It's a remarkable turn of events and one that Macy is doubtful she will ever replicate again, describing the painting as a "once-in-a-lifetime find."

She would still suggest that anyone eager to emulate her success head down to their local thrift store, because there are bargains to be had.

"Visiting thrift stores regularly can be rewarding, as you never know what valuable items might be donated," she said. "Even if an item doesn't align with your personal taste, it's worth researching as some objects may be surprisingly valuable!"

In the meantime, she has revealed that the money they made off of the painting is already being put to good use. "We plan to put the money we get for the painting towards our wedding," Macy said.