Jade Stibbs had been sitting on a valuable item for 20 years waiting for the right time to use it to make an investment – but when the time came to sell, it was nowhere to be seen
A woman has admitted her devastation after she appeared to accidentally make a “£1,000 donation” to charity. Jade Stibbs took to TikTok to explain how the mistake occurred, explaining that it felt like she had been “punched in the gut”.
“I’m feeling properly gutted right now… I’ve done something really stupid,” she began in a video. With finances tight, Jade revealed that for the past two decades she’s been “sitting” on a possession she knew was highly valuable, safe in the knowledge that one day it could be used to make a significant investment. However, that all changed upon her realisation the item was no longer in her home.
Jade elaborated: “A family friend around 20 years ago gave me a 24 carat gold wrist bangle with two little frogs on it and every day for the last 20 years or so I’ve known exactly where that bangle is… close to hand in my bedroom.”
She continued, adding that she deliberately saved it, knowing one day the price of gold would be sufficient enough to convince her the time was right to sell it on.
“Today I had a conversation with a friend who told me the price of gold is now very good, so I thought now I can sell it and give the money to my grandad as a start to pay back the money he loaned me to extend the lease on my flat,” Jade said.
However, her generous thoughts soon turned to despair upon her realisation the bangle was nowhere to be seen.
“I came home to weigh the bangle and we can’t find it anywhere,” she cursed. “Since we moved house it has been on the bedroom window sill so I went to go and get it – but no.”
Jade went on to exclaim there was only one place it could now be. “Four months ago we took bags of clothes to the charity shop… you see where this is going. Well… not even a charity shop – it was the charity bins down at the tip.”
Prior to the donation, three cardboard boxes had been sitting directly under the window sill, full of items Jade had yet to decide whether or not to keep. “We just left them there for a year, but then this summer we thought enough was enough and decided to get rid of them,” she continued.
“All I can think that has happened is it has fallen off the window sill into one of those boxes and the real kicker is it was worth a minimum of £1,000. Quite possibly £2,000.”
Jade closed by conceding: “I don’t know what to do. I mean, there is nothing to do. I always knew where it was. It was safe… but not anymore!”
Writing in response, one TikTok user sympathised: “Ugh! I can’t imagine how you feel. Just think, that’s your good deed for the next 10 years done.” To which Jade acknowledged: “Yes at least if this is what has happened I will have done some good!”
A second person queried: “Have you had any workmen in the house? Or anyone you don’t know or trust?” Jade confirmed in reply: “No not at all and even if I had there’s no way anyone would have know it was valuable to take it.”
Meanwhile, a third individual shared a similar experience, which thankfully ended happily. “A pair of earrings were made for my birthday using stones from my nan’s wedding ring, I donated them to Oxfam by accident,” they shared.
“I found them in a Cash Converters totally by chance about five years later. I know they were mine because they had my initials on them. I RAN home to get my bag and when I got back someone was buying them. He was nice enough to let me buy them but I was seriously considering snatching them and running.”
