India, Feb. 4 -- A remarkable thrift store find in the US turned into a lucrative discovery for an Illinois man, John Carcerano, a carpet cleaner, who bought a plate for just $4.99 (about Rs.415), only to later learn it was a rare 18th-century Chinese artefact valued at over Rs.3.66 lakh, reported the New York Post.

Carcerano was browsing through items at a Goodwill store when he spotted the plate, which was initially hidden under a modern one. Using Google Lens, he quickly identified the item and realised its potential value. A similar plate had recently been sold for $4,400 (around Rs.3.66 lakh), prompting him to purchase it immediately.

"I knew within five minutes that I had something valuable," Carcerano told Newsweek. "Only two of ...