katiyana
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posted on May 30, 2001 10:34:36 AM new
I've had a couple of nice ones this year so far.
Some Pokemon cards cost $.11 each sold for $35-$50 each
Pokemon toys sold for over $20 each - cost $3 each. 8)
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ihula
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posted on May 30, 2001 10:46:55 AM new
Wow, I thought Pokemon cards were "out" as far as selling potential. My kids have a ton of them that they don't play with, and I was going to get rid of them, but found that they weren't selling. Which ones did you have that sold so well? We even have the infamous foil Charizard.
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dschulma
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posted on May 30, 2001 11:30:12 AM new
Nice one a a couple of months ago...bought a player concertina (aka, player accordian, german made) for $35 and sold on eBay for $560. Haven't found one like it since!
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katiyana
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posted on May 30, 2001 12:19:32 PM new
They weren't from the Wizards set of Pokemon cards - they were from the TOPPS Trading Cards series. TOPPS just released a set of Johto Series 1 - with the NEO Pokemon. The rarest of the cards is the Hologram cards, found 1:36 packs. I put several up on Ebay and got for the most part $30-$50 per card.
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gravid
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posted on May 30, 2001 01:18:32 PM new
Last year I picked an engraving machine up off of the pavement beside the dumpster where I have a storage locker and sold it on eBay for $610.00. The same week some one threw away a 3 axis desktop CNC with driver board, collets, tooling instruction manual and software which I still have and am using. I had to buy a $100 power supply for the stepper motors was all. Ahbout $3k of stuff free.
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rachelsmom
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posted on May 30, 2001 02:11:56 PM new
Very interesting thread! I have yet to come upon one of those great finds ~ I sell mostly children's clothes so haunt those kind of stores....but am itching to go garage saleing after hearing all your stories! My best sale was an outfit for $30, sold for $88.
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BJGrolle
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posted on May 30, 2001 05:23:01 PM new
I bought an encyclopedia set for $25 and sold it for just over $300 last year.
http://bjgrolle.freehomepage.com
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paislydaisy
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posted on May 30, 2001 05:35:54 PM new
Hey,
I bought a set of Encyclopedias at a church garage sale last weekend for $5.00 expecting to make a good profit......
If anyone knows where I can get a good deal on an "M" from a 1985 Workd Book set please let me know.
The box was all taped up and I just assumed they were all there.
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anthro1966
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posted on May 30, 2001 05:37:37 PM new
I just had to jump in with my good ones for this month. I paid $35 for an 1895 atlas that was coming apart - sold the individual maps for a total of $600.
Paid $1.50 for an 1889 book on the Baptists that was in pieces - sold the engravings from it for a total of $130.
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anthro1966
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posted on May 30, 2001 05:38:50 PM new
Deleted multiple post
[ edited by anthro1966 on May 30, 2001 05:55 PM ]
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anthro1966
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posted on May 30, 2001 05:40:14 PM new
[ edited by anthro1966 on May 30, 2001 05:56 PM ]
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sborchert
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posted on May 30, 2001 05:49:22 PM new
Old, dirty lure box found in basement: Cost, $0, sold for $250.
Frank Sinatra sheet music: Cost, $0, sold for $365.
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upriver
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posted on May 30, 2001 06:08:28 PM new
HOW COME no one mentions their loss margins?
I bought a book for $20 & ended up selling it for $1 on eBay.
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upriver
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posted on May 30, 2001 06:08:57 PM new
(deleting durn dubble post!)
[ edited by upriver on May 31, 2001 10:21 AM ]
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goldpanner3
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posted on May 30, 2001 06:34:43 PM new
Bought 23 five gallon buckets full of rock. Got my $200 out of the first 1 and 1/2 buckets and still going strong.
But....A LOT of work.
For strictly easy margin, it's hard to beat yard sale books, in my case anyway.
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anthro1966
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posted on May 30, 2001 06:38:23 PM new
I haven't taken a loss on a purchase yet. I've just broken even a few times, but never a loss. Knock on Wood!
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jadejim
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posted on May 30, 2001 06:39:38 PM new
ihula--you are in a picker's heaven just outside Milwaukee! What you need to do is educate yourself. Try two or three types of items and study everything you can find out about them. Look at ebay completed auctions, books at the library, talk to people with similar interests. THEN go to every estate sale you can find in the area. They are in the classifieds of the Milwaukee papers. Call the auctioneers (find em in the yellow pages) and get on their mailing lists or ask where they advertise sales.
You might also pick up any local shopper newspapers in the grocery store--I find a lot of stuff using them.
$1.00 bronze stirrup=$375
Free toy=$147
$3.00 book $425
$11.00 Nippon Vase=$450
$1.99 Nike shoes=$86
$4.00 Tablecloth=$165
First 4 came from estate auctions, next one from Goodwill and last one from a church rummage sale. I hit as many garage sales as I feel like doing each week.
There is VERY LITTLE I won't sell and less I can't sell. Seems the only thing not moving for some time now is vintage costume jewelry--unless I want to give it away.
The list above is just a sample. I hit two or three of the really great ones every month and consistently get a return of 3 to 5 times my cost.
And I am in Wisconsin!
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MrsSantaClaus
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posted on May 30, 2001 10:29:40 PM new
American Girl clothes by the Pleasant Company will bring a nice profit for those who sell children's clothing. 
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ihula
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posted on May 31, 2001 05:05:47 AM new
Thanks for the info Jadejim. We kind of did that, but we need to broaden our horizons. My passion is Hawaiiana - so I know a lot about that (but you don't find it much here), and my husband knows golf clubs. I tried an estate sale once, and decided they were too overpriced (of course I really didn't know what I was looking at). I will look into trying new things besides the ordinary things that you find at Goodwill, and trying new venues.
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jadejim
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posted on May 31, 2001 07:00:56 AM new
Ihula--you are very welcome. I do find a bit of Hawaii stuff in neighborhoods where the residents are 60 plus years old. They traveled. And it does not seem to matter that the houses are middle to lower value--those folks paid off the mortgages, stayed, traveled and accumulated great stuff. Look for neighborhoods where attics are common!
Estate tag sales can be very discouraging if you try to buy the same stuff everyone else wants. I buy the unusual yet appealing and get great prices. Not even the estate sale gurus know everything about everything. The last one I was at a couple weeks ago looked like the staff ran out of time. A lot of things in the basement were not tagged. Got a hand quilted fan quilt for $50 cause in the mad rush they didn't look too close.
My biggest problem with tag sales is the rush--I really do not like to get in classic shopping battles with two of us holding an end of an item and both pulling for all we are worth!! I prefer auctions. I have time to really examine items and have a fair chance at anything I might want.
At any rate, what has worked for me is the decision that I will sell almost anything. (I used to be a confirmed antique dealer so that took some doing!) Variety keeps the profits coming in!
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