Thrift Store Find: Milwaukee Mother Discovers Hidden $100 Bill in Wallet

For Bonnie Mata, a mother of seven from Milwaukee, an unexpected find brought both surprise and financial relief. While shopping at a local thrift store, Mata’s attention was caught by a unique snakeskin wallet. Although initially hesitant, she decided to purchase it, unaware of the secret it contained.

Thrifting Trends

Thrift shopping continues to gain popularity. In 2024, Savers Value Village, Inc. reported that nearly 90 percent of North American consumers had engaged with thrift stores, up from 83 percent in 2022. The trend favoring in-person shopping persists, with secondhand shoppers spending significantly more in physical stores compared to online.

Forty-one-year-old Mata understands the value of in-person thrifting for her large family, including 18-month-old twins. During one of her visits to a Milwaukee thrift store, she found a snakeskin wallet that intrigued her, leading her to take it home.

Unexpected Discovery

Initially, Mata set the wallet aside, only revisiting it later to assess if it was worth selling online. Upon a closer inspection, she discovered something tucked in a slot—an old hundred-dollar bill from 1985, the year she was born.

Mata expressed her desire to keep the bill as a keepsake, but financial needs led her to spend it. However, the discovery was memorable and marked her best find, encouraging her to continue checking secondhand items more thoroughly.

The Reality of Hidden Treasures

According to Reyne Hirsch, a former Antiques Roadshow appraiser, finding hidden money in thrift store items is common, especially among older generations who preferred to keep money on hand.

Hirsch notes that valuable items often end up in thrift stores when properties are cleared out without thoroughly checking bags or pockets. Estate professionals may overlook hidden money while focusing on apparent valuables.

Hirsch suggests considering “finders keepers” unless large sums of money are involved. In such cases, contacting the store to trace the item’s origin might be appropriate, though many remain unaware of missing items.