A $5 Gem?

[Jerekson]

Today I remembered why I like the Goodwill store.

I hadn't been in a long, long time, figuring my luck was run out since I haven't found anything worth noting in almost a year. But today I decide to randomly stop in and take a look around.

I find an unassuming, dirty old cowboy hat thrown onto a shelf, and when I pick it up and feel the felt I realize it's a keeper! It's an old Stetson - not sure how old, maybe from the 80's? The felt quality is really good. Stiff, but ultra velvety. The lining is intact without any major stains, and the sweatband! Oh, what a supple, soft, smooth, luscious piece of leather.
Fits me great too! A size too big by tag, but I guess it shrunk.

I'm not a Stetson fan by any means, but I would have been an idiot to pass up this hat at $5.

Guess I'll set to work restoring it. I think I'll keep it cowboy style, for once.

 

[Jerekson]

Always remember to check under the sweatbands, my friends...

You never know what might surprise you.

 

[HatsEnough]

Well, now we know that a 4X was going for over $100 sometime after the 1970s, eh?

 

[I Adore Film Noir]

Wow, just wow.

 

[randooch]

Nice find. I aver that your stop was not random at all: your bargain radar must have detected that hat!

 

[fedoralover]

I too have seen these type of western hats here in Eugene at the Goodwills, but they usually want more than $5.00 so I haven't ever bought one. You got a good deal, they can be fun to play with and you don't have to worry about messing it up.

fedoralover

 

[Sam Craig]

Having purchased Stetson western felts since 1974, I can tell you that hat wouldn't have reached $100 until the late 80s at least.
Looking at the price, the sweat and the liner art, it's more likely to be from the 90s.
Nevertheless, that is a honey of a deal, since the hat should clean up nicely and looks to have enough body for just about anything ... say making into a great dressy fedora for this winter?

Just thinking,

Sam