15 Vintage Photos Discovered at Yard Sales and Thrift Stores

Written by Erin Kuschner on
Four men in blue work shirts and jeans stand on a ship's deck, smiling and posing for the camera, with water and docked ships visible in the background.
u/museumoflostmemories via Reddit.com

There are true treasures to be found at yard sales and thrift store — valuable glassware, vintage Pyrex bowls, and weathered books that collectors would pay big money for. But sometimes the so-called “worthless collectibles” hold a special place in our hearts. We’re looking at you, vintage photos. Whether you discover them scattered in a box for 5 cents per print or neatly curated in a photo album with dates printed on the back, these snapshots give us a meaningful glimpse into decades past. Here are some of our favorite photos that Redditors found at yard sales and thrift stores over the years.

1. A Family Portrait Found in the 1970s

A sepia-toned photo of three men and four women in formal Victorian-era clothing, posing outdoors among gravestones, with trees and shrubbery in the background. Two people are seated while the others stand.
u/BrokenString123 via Reddit.com
u/BrokenString123 via Reddit.com

2. A Disneyland Adventure in 1964

A hand holds a vintage photo slide showing a yellow monorail passing above a parking lot filled with classic cars under a blue sky with clouds.
u/Gene_Forsaken via Reddit.com
u/Gene_Forsaken via Reddit.com

3. Aeroplanes at Fort Bliss

Black-and-white photo of three biplanes flying low over a dirt airstrip, with mountains in the background. Text at the bottom reads, “Aeroplanes at Fort Bliss.”
u/laolao72 via Reddit.com
u/laolao72 via Reddit.com

4. Pug Love

A black and white photo booth collage shows a woman with long hair posing with a pug. In each frame, she holds the pug in different playful poses, both facing the camera and appearing joyful.
u/[deleted] via Reddit.com
u/[deleted] via Reddit.com

5. A Day at the Ranch

Two women stand in a sandy outdoor arena with a brown horse, one smiling as she holds the reins and the other affectionately leaning her face against the horse’s head. Trees and a blue sky are in the background.
u/MotoristCrushSigns via Reddit.com
u/MotoristCrushSigns via Reddit.com

6. A ‘Cabinet Card’ From a Yard Sale in Connecticut

A sepia-toned vintage photograph of a baby in a white gown sitting in a wooden rocking chair, with potted plants nearby. The photo is bordered and labeled “Cottage Studio, New Britain, Conn.”
u/briang71 via Reddit.com
u/briang71 via Reddit.com

7. Mysterious Photo From the 1800s

Sepia-toned vintage portrait of an older man with a long white beard, mustache, and short hair, wearing a buttoned coat. The photo rests on a textured white cloth and wooden surface.
u/Front-Return-7280 via Reddit.com
u/Front-Return-7280 via Reddit.com

8. Late ’80s/Early ’90s Toys ‘R’ Us

A person in a red jacket stands in a parking lot in front of a vintage Toys "R" Us store with colorful striped walls, surrounded by several parked cars.
u/SufficientPainter250 via Reddit.com
u/SufficientPainter250 via Reddit.com

9. Where Do We Look?

A vintage black-and-white photo of six women and two men outdoors, dressed in early 20th-century clothing and hats, standing together in front of a leafy tree on a sunny day. One woman sits in the front.
u/That_Will_Be_Fine via Reddit.com
u/That_Will_Be_Fine via Reddit.com

10. A Blessed Christmas

Vintage black-and-white Christmas card showing two young boys with glasses and bow ties, smiling and sitting together. Text reads “A Blessed Christmas” with a star and palm tree illustration and handwritten signatures.
u/That_Will_Be_Fine via Reddit.com
u/That_Will_Be_Fine via Reddit.com

11. Cheerio!

Two men in white shirts and dark trousers stand side by side outside a brick house with ivy on the wall and a porch with decorative woodwork. The scene appears to be from the early 1900s.
u/That_Will_Be_Fine via Reddit.com
u/That_Will_Be_Fine via Reddit.com

12. A Very 1970’s Moment

A man in a dark blazer and white pants sits beside a woman in a patterned dress and hat. They are on an outdoor terrace with white columns and large potted plants, sharing a drink and talking.
u/hugginpugs via Reddit.com
u/hugginpugs via Reddit.com

13. Look at Those ’80s Hairstyles!

A large group of people poses for a photo in front of the Acropolis in Athens, Greece, on a sunny day. Most are smiling and wearing casual clothes, with ancient ruins visible in the background.
u/hexafIexa via Reddit.com
u/hexafIexa via Reddit.com

14. A Navy Photo From 1966

Three young men in white t-shirts pose on a ship deck with the ocean and sky in the background. One man wears his cap sideways, and all appear relaxed and smiling under bright sunlight.
u/museumoflostmemories via Reddit.com
u/museumoflostmemories via Reddit.com

15. Beam Me Up!

A vintage photograph of a wooded area with tall trees and bushes. In the sky, a disc-shaped object, resembling a classic UFO, hovers in the center of the image above the treetops.
u/saintsix6 via Reddit.com
u/saintsix6 via Reddit.com
Author
Erin Kuschner

Erin Kuschner has spent the past decade as a writer and editor for both digital and print publications. Prior to joining Wealth Gang, she was a reporter and editor at Boston.com, Time Out Austin, and Time Out Los Angeles, and has written for the Los Angeles Times, the Boston Globe, Eater, and other publications.