Editor’s note: This is the third installment of local author and art dealer Aaron LaPedis’ four-part column series. Coming next week: Navigating storage-unit auctions
The PBS hit “Antiques Road Show” is a waste of time.
I know that sounds heretical, but I think too many people watch life pass by one television show at a time. Instead of wishing you had the item on television, why not become a treasure hunter yourself? All you need is time, a computer and a desire to make money.
Thousands of treasures are donated daily to Goodwill, Salvation Army and other thrift stores. When someone moves into a nursing home, cleans out the garage or passes away, their belongings often go to a charity that will resell them. Chances are that no one really took the time to go through the goods to see what was of value. With this comes opportunity to make lots of money. Here’s how:
Have a plan. Thrift store-hopping takes time and patience. Don’t expect to hit it big on your first outing. Visit these stores frequently since they get new items every day. And here’s a tip: The better the neighborhood, the better the treasures you’ll find. If you take your time to do some basic research on items that stand out, this could be the best treasure hunt you’ve ever been on.
Know what to bring. To make sure this venture is a profitable one, you will need to bring a few items with you. The first item on your list should be a smart phone with Internet capability. Being able to search the Internet while you are in the store will help you place a value on the item. For example, you find a book that looks interesting. After you take note of the title and the edition of the book, search for it on eBay. Put the title and edition in the search bar and see what comes up. Now, you can see the current bid price of the book. But let’s go a little deeper. Click on the link, “Completed Items” on the left-hand side of the Web page. This area of eBay provides the date of the sale and the selling price.
Along with your phone, a few additional items you need to bring on your hunt for second- hand treasures are a magnet to check if items are real sterling silver (if they stick to the magnet they are not); a blacklight flashlight (shop for one online) to locate repairs made to china or animal stains on rugs; and a magnifying glass to inspect markings on different collectibles. The marking provides valuable information for researching whether your find is trash or a treasure.
What to look for. Some great items to search for are first-edition books, signed books, antiques, art, china, sterling silver anything, baseball cards and old comic books.
When you start evaluating the items you purchased, remember to take your time doing research on the piece. Always use several sources to determine the correct value. Don’t use eBay as your only source; find other websites selling the same item.
So many people make the same mistake. They think everything listed on eBay is accurate. I’m here to tell you one third of everything listed on eBay has something incorrect in its description.
Being a treasure hunter who searches for that rare collectible just around the next corner is a lot of fun. Just keep in mind that the people who do their research are the ones who end up having the most fun.
Aaron LaPedis is an experienced collector and author of “The Garage Sale Millionaire.” Information at . Do you have a question for LaPedis about buying and selling antiques and collectibles? E-mail it to living@denverpost.com.
