Check Grandma's Pantry: This Rare Pyrex Dish Is Worth Thousands

If you grew up on casseroles at Grandma's house, you may want to go visit her and raid her cupboards, as it's possible that she served you dinner in a vintage Pyrex dish that's worth thousands of dollars. Specifically, you're looking for the "Lucky in Love" dish, a round, covered, one-quart casserole dish that was released in 1959 (pictured below), with grass, four-leaf clovers, and hearts printed on it.

Although the exact history of this dish is hazy, chances are that very few were made. One theory about this is that because the green of the grass runs over the pink of the hearts, it was effectively flawed and likely wouldn't have passed through into mass production. Indeed, it may never have been sold and was possibly only kept or given away by employees at the glassworks where it was made. Pyrex has since described it to Country Living as the most "desirable" pattern out there.

The prices that this dish commands reflect its rarity: In 2015, one of them sold for $4,000 in an online auction. In 2017, a New York state Goodwill store found one hiding in a box of donations and put it up for auction, where it went for just under $6,000. Then in 2022, one was posted on eBay and drew a bid over $20,000. That bid was later retracted and was probably excessive, as a professional appraiser told Parade that a shopper could expect to pay around $4,000 to $10,000 for one.

Don't be disheartened if you can't find a Lucky in Love design, as it's certainly not the only rare Pyrex dish out there. For decades up to the '90s, the company was known for putting out dishes with limited edition patterns or designs, and rare ones beyond Lucky in Love can also be worth three- or four-figure sums. (It's worth noting that older Pyrex glass items are also sometimes valued for their shatter-resistant qualities, since they were made from a different glass formula, but it seems to be unique patterns that earn the big bucks, not dishes that simply feature this kind of glass). A few that have drawn over $1,000 are the Golden Sunflower Daisy set of two casserole dishes, the Atomic Starburst casserole dish (in various colors), and the Bluebelle Delphite mixing bowl.

If you want to go out hunting for a valuable Pyrex design, you may need a bit (or a lot) of luck: Collectors actively look for these rare pieces, and collecting them has become a lot more popular in recent years, so your chances of stumbling on one for a dollar or two at a thrift store aren't great. Watch out for damage and defects, too, as anything like a faded pattern or even small chips can wipe off a lot of the value. The same goes for incomplete items or sets, like a baking dish that's missing its lid. If you have one, be careful to wash it by hand and not put it in the dishwasher.