We Found Incredible Vintage Deals at This Market

What turns up at a Monday mercado in Mexico when most shoppers are walking right past the vintage treasures?

Just over the border in Playas de Tijuana, Mexico, I’m braving this weekly street market on my own for the first time. Tables and spaces overflow with clothes, housewares, furniture, and everyday goods, but scattered among them are vintage collectibles that make the hunt worthwhile. With fewer antique resellers competing for the same finds, I’m testing my pidgin Spanish and negotiating skills while searching for costume jewelry, brass decor, and unexpected vintage pieces from the U.S. and around the world.

The surprises start quickly with a pair of Russian lacquer boxes, a U.S.-flag Zippo lighter, and a Kosta glass owl from Sweden for just $40 U.S. Around the corner, we meet a fellow YouTuber from south of the border who sells us an unusual 1950s flour jar and a golden rose jewel box from the 1960s. The variety keeps growing as we find old cameras, fishing reels, colorful 1970s fashion jewelry, Israeli brass adornments, a bronze plaque, and a Baltic sterling and amber pin that is too good to resist at just $30.

What makes this mercado memorable is more than the prices. The fun comes from never knowing what appears next and from connecting with vintage sellers who share the same appreciation for old things, even when language and currency make the experience more challenging. We leave Mexico with wonderful pieces for our collectors, along with a reminder that the love of antiques, vintage treasures, and the stories behind them reaches far beyond international boundaries.

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