1958 Leica M3 Double Stroke and Elmar M 5cm f/2.8 Goodwill find of a lifetime.

LeicaFan said:
He has nothing to be ashamed about. Your reasoning makes no sense.
Click to expand...

+1.
Especially since, in the last several years, "Goodwill" has turned into a money-making entity.
Ya, ya, I know it is for a good cause, but it also doesnt necessarily give back to the local community shppers when,
Eg. either 1) not selling the generous donations at the store, but instead posting them on eBay, and
2) absurdly jacking up prices: it is no longer a "thrift" store, but prices often rival and exceed those of consignment shops,
at least on the California coast. I see many prices of used items that is similar or same as new prices. And have seen several $70
Polaroids for sale. What a bargain!!??
 
N.delaRua said:
OP Please Please tell me you are leaving the goodwill sticker on the camera?
Click to expand...

Haha no. I did stick it to the reciept and I plan to frame it with a nice photo of the camera and hang it on my wall.

I did however leave the $2.99 pricetag on the Leica Z2X I found last year.
 
fotomeow said:
it is no longer a "thrift" store
Click to expand...

I agree with that comment.

I always looked at Goodwill as...

1.) A place to give a second life to unwanted items rather than burying them in the ground.

2.) A place where people can get good prices because of #1.

3.) A place where the proceeds from a sale benefit needy people.

Well done OP. We ALL wish we had found it.
 
i deleted the original rude comment and then anything attached to it.

first one to continue in this vein gets banned...

let's just enjoy the op's good luck!
 
Bummer... I would have left the sticker on as a badge of honor. If someone tried to steal it you could just yell, "Chill out man, its only worth $12... "
 
This is a shocker for Goodwill. They never put anything in their stores which are of value. They were the first to go online with auction sales. They list everything as working to the best of their knowledge. I purchased a few items from their auction site. Nothing from them worked out of the box and several items went from the mail to the garbage. You are very lucky.
 
Just as a note, not all Goodwill stores participate on the ShopGoodwill.com site. I've never seen anything on there from my local stores. So every once in a while, I do find a nice camera there. If some idiot kid hasn't been messing with it, that is. Saw one trying to dismantle a flashbar one day.

PF
 
hamradio said:
Seems like the dirtier grungier goodwills (ie, the ones that sell partial bottles of shampoo, broken open cases of Depends, condoms, etc) have better stuff. The nicer cleaner stores post their stuff up for auction or put it in the display case.
Click to expand...

You're from my neck of the woods...which Goodwill is that?

;)
 
I can't be bothered to stick with it and keep checking. All I've ever found in Goodwill is some old SLRs, and a lot of crummy P&S cameras. Nothing worth writing home about.

THIS is the find of the century. Congrats mate, you're a legend now!
 
As for me, I'm biking to Goodwill for lunch. Then St Vinnie's.

Hopeful illusions spring eternal. When I find a Goodwill M3, it will have a $500 bill wrapped round the takeup spool.
 
The more I think about the possibility of finding an M3 in a Goodwill for $12.99 the more I realize I can't wrap my head around what must have gone through yours when you saw it sitting there. Find of a lifetime, congratulations, "OMG," way to go. So happy for you!
 
You, Sir, have my deepest respect. As an inveterate dumpster-diver and haunter of thrifts, my hat is off to you. I'm still waiting on that big score. Close as I've come is a Lefever G grade double shotgun in 16 ga. with original 26" barrels for $129.00 (valued at about $1000.00 these days) and of course, that was NOT found at a Goodwill!
 
Report from lunch visit to St Vinnie's: 1 Rollei 35 flash missing battery cover, $3.99.

Great for you, though! Enjoy the camera!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top