We came across this incredible story recently and just had to share it with you. The story basically begins with an anonymous donation to the Goodwill Store in Manassas, VA. Employee Maria Rivera had a feeling upon investigating the painting of a woman drinking tea that they had stumbled upon something quite valuable. And it just so happened that her hunch was correct. The painting, it turned out, was actually a rare piece by Italian 19th century painter Giovanni Battista Tortilla, and was worth about $12,000.

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So, what can we learn from this story?

1. Trust your instincts!
2. Before you determine that something is worthy of recycling, first determine its worth.
3. You can find amazing things at the Goodwill Store, and this story gives a whole new meaning to the phrase “trash to treasure.”
4. Can we say it again? Trust. Your. Instincts. If it feels like something is valuable in some way, it probably is. When in doubt, do your research!

Read the full story over at Huffington Post’s Rare Italian Painting Worth $12,000 Found in Goodwill Donation Bin in Virginia.