here's an answer

[calimac]

A rare Revolutionary War-era newspaper wound up in a New Jersey Goodwill. Nobody knows how it got there.

I have a suggestion.

It was owned by somebody who died, and that person's heirs didn't know it was among the possessions. The heirs hired one of those firms that clean out the deceased's belongings - not a "haul away the junk" firm, but a boutique company that beguiles you with stories of how much your loved one's belongings will sell for in online auctions and promises of how hard they will work to make it so.

Then, after a few desultory attempts at online auctions don't generate any takers - turns out they don't know the market for bricabrac collectables after all - they just haul everything non-trashable to Goodwill.

How do I know this kind of thing happens? Let's just say that I do.

Comments

[cmcmck]

It does.

We also know!