A man named Zach, who did not disclose his last name, shared an incredible find on Reddit that has captivated users. He stumbled upon an aircraft engine part at a thrift store in Washington state, which he later discovered could be worth more than $223,000. The post, made under the username u/Akuda in the r/ThriftStoreHauls subreddit, garnered 4,800 upvotes since it was shared on February 18. Zach mentioned that he bought the part for $30 at a Goodwill store despite not having its trace documents or FAA form 8130.
The find comes at a time when thrifting is growing in popularity, driven by a rising interest in sustainable shopping and budget-friendly alternatives. Thrift store revenue has been on the rise, with a compound annual growth rate of 4.5 percent, reaching $14.2 billion, according to a report by Research and Markets. Zach, who runs a successful eBay business with his wife, shared that he found the part while browsing a Goodwill store in central Washington state. As an experienced reseller, he enjoys digging for treasures in thrift stores and yard sales on a regular basis. When he first found the aircraft engine part, he wasn’t entirely sure of its origins but recognized the logo of Honeywell International stamped on it, a well-known aerospace manufacturer.
After sharing images of the part on Reddit, Zach received information from a fellow Redditor who claimed to work in the aviation industry. The part was identified as belonging to an Airbus A330, a large commercial aircraft used by airlines worldwide. He then conducted further research and discovered that the part he purchased matched the unit price listed on Aeroval’s website, amounting to $223,520. However, he found out that the part number referred to one section of the component and the piece actually contained multiple parts with varying prices, ranging from $8,000 to $223,000.
Despite the high pricing he uncovered, Zach remains realistic about the potential value he could receive for the item. He acknowledged that obtaining anything close to the listed prices might be challenging and emphasized the incredible nature of someone discarding hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of commercial aviation parts. Reddit users were amazed by the find, with some commenting on the poster’s great eye for spotting valuable items. Some suggested potential ways to sell the part, with one user speculating that service centers might be interested in purchasing it. Zach’s discovery has sparked interest in the thrifting community and serves as a testament to the hidden treasures that can be found in unexpected places.
