Finders Keepers. Our Top 7 Exciting Vintage Finds
In our line of vintage clothing business, it is quite often that we find something left in the pockets by the previous owners. When people donate their unwanted clothing, they tend to forget something from their everyday lives. Sometimes it is a bus or train ticket from 90ties or earlier with a price in a local pre-Euro currency, sometimes it's the currency itself: German marks, Dutch guilders, Austrian schillings etc.
However, the most frequent finds are used napkin tissues tucked inside the inner pocket of a fine designer blazer or somewhere in the deep pockets of cold weather parkas. Needless to say that these are not among our crew's favorite finds as they lack any historic, sentimental or monetary value.
There is a sigh of disappointment when something promising to the touch reveals to be just another shriveled tissue with decades-old DNA of dubious origin. However, for the more valuable stuff, we have our special jewel box where we keep our most precious finds and in this article, we will open it for you to see.
7. Receipts and a Hospital Document in German
These were found in a vintage 90's cashmere wool winter coat allowing us to assume that this was a man of class who liked to keep his financial records in order. While the quality of his coat and financial documents signals a life of splendor, the beige paper that among other German words says "Krankenschein", may hold a sad twist.
You don't have to know German to understand that krank is for no good. Maybe it's just a dentist's card, but might as well be a chemotherapy appointment – we'll never know because we don't want to ruin the mystery by doing a simple google translation.
We honestly hope that this man is doing fine and has a happy life with a wardrobe full of amazing wool coats and his "Krankenschein" health problems are a thing of the past.
6. Four German Caramels in Colorful wraps
Some may wonder why these candies are on the list because it's hard to place any value on stale 90s sweets that are probably a health hazard by now. That may be the truth, but the point here is the lingering sentiment for those that have been born on the under-privileged side of the Iron curtain. These candies are a symbol of the capitalist happy place that was the West for us Eastern Europeans during the 90s.
It was only on special occasions we as kids got to taste Western sweets similar to the ones in the picture so this find is a throwback to the past when Western Europe was an example for the Eastern Bloc. We found them in a 70s sheepskin coat so it probably belonged to a senior citizen who needed his daily boost of carbohydrates.
The Northern Grip team hopes that he did not overdose on sugar candies and his insulin levels were in check because now we all know that cardiovascular risks are linked to excessive sugar consumption. If by a sad twist of fate he fell a victim to high blood sugar levels, then maybe our candy guy in a suede coat and the one with the krank issues are the same people.
5. Reflective Gear From Various Countries
Let's be honest, we don't want to die just yet. The Grim Reaper by the name of Covid-19 is killing people as I write but that is just one of the ways how to never see another sunrise again. Along with the risk of dying from Covid, there is a chance of being hit by a car, bus, or any other vehicle.
Even a guy on a bicycle with Asian food in his delivery box can kill you dead. The risk is there, so you must protect yourself as these people did who forgot their reflective gear in pockets. We have a reason to think that they were not hit by a car since all those amazing vintage jackets and coats were in pristine condition without any signs of heavy impact or serious blood loss. It means that they work and we all should have one during the dim hours.
4. A Roll Bandage
This amazing retro roll bandage comes from a black vintage 90's leather jacket with nice faded edges and a badass side zip fastening. The owner probably had it in a pocket in case he happens to be in another turf war among rival biker gangs. This, however, was intact so maybe he decided that enough is enough and left the bikers scene for good.
Or maybe our leather jacket guy on his bike hit a careless pedestrian who had cool vintage Levis 501 jeans and a bomber jacket without any reflective plastic on it? That might be the case so here's the moral of the story: no matter how cool you look in your trendy ankle pants, beanie hat and a 90's Aztec jacket, don't be afraid to use some reflective gear along with it. Think about all the cool Youtube videos, Tik Toks and Instagram posts you won't be able to make when you're dead.
3. A Wallet With 300 Austrian Schillings
Schillings were Austria's national currency until 2002 when the country joined Eurozone. 300 hundred schillings would be worth around 23 Euros in the '90s which is not bad considering the inflation. Unfortunately, now they are worth precisely nothing apart from the fun fact that you have some schillings lying around.
The wallet was left in a youthful 90' denim jacket so probably a rebellious Austrian teenager was desperate to find out that his weed money went with the jean jacket he donated for charity. I am sure that now he is a conservative family man with an unbearable teenage daughter who spends too much time on Tik Tok and argues with her father about social justice issues.
Who knows, maybe if he did not lose those 300 his life would be completely different – he'd got that bag of weed, met some new friends and started a successful rock band. You never know.
2. A Pair of Plastic Combs
These did not come as a lot but were found separately (who would need two combs, right?). One was a vintage 80's black smart casual blazer with an impeccable satin lining and the other - a navy blue 70's peacoat. Nowadays men with a comb in their pocket are practically an extinct species apart from a few hipsters with anachronic facial hair, but that's another story.
Our number one combs are made of smooth and dense vintage plastic that feels different to the touch compared to modern equivalents. These combs are from the time when having one in the pocket was as organic as having a hat in the 20ties or cane in the 19th century. Unfortunately, those times are gone, but we can have solace in having these combs as a reminder of this great era of men's fashion.
1. Cash - 200 Euros
This was an exceptional find in a bold 90's women's windbreaker jacket. It seemed that someone withdrew their money from an ATM and just forgot the bills in the pocket. This discovery brought immense joy to the Northern Grip crew and it was immediately agreed upon that these funds will be invested in alcoholic beverages and a massive BBQ party – some sort of a feast in time of Covid-19 plague.
Oh, and what a party it was – a bacchanalian carnival that culminated into a gender-bending performance with ritualistic elements. After this hedonistic carnage, it was unanimously decided that what happened in the "200 euros party" stays there for the sake of the moral integrity of all involved parties.
We can't promise that you will find something like we did in our vintage gems, but you can try here.