posted on November 16, 2008 10:12:03 AM new
We haven't had a fun thread in awhile. Here is one lucky seller:
http://www.autoblog.com/2008/11/10/ebay-find-of-the-day-1963-lemans-tempest-sells-for-226-521/
The eBay auction for this 1963 Pontiac LeMans Tempest started out innocently enough. Obtained after owner died. Appears to have original interior but no motor, no transmission. Body has a little rust and some dents. There's stuff in the trunk, but no key to open it. Opening bid nine days ago was a mere $500. After one week, eBay seller 123ecklin will pocket $226,521 before auction fees. What happened between Day 1 and Day 9 is an amazing story....
posted on November 16, 2008 10:31:50 AM new
Wow, what a great story. I have never found a car at a rummage sale. My 2 best finds this year were free! One was a book of Shakespeare. Book itself is nothing much, but the 30+ illustrations are worth selling. I am still trying to decide whether to sell the whole book or just the illustrations. As I was leaving a rummage sale, there were 2 boxes of books for free. I tried to lift one, and it was too heavy, so I picked up the second one, and I when I got home this book was in it.
The second was a vintage book of sewing patterns that I found in a box of sewing patterns that I bought for a couple of dollars, I am going to list it soon, but they are selling on eBay for $60-$70.
posted on November 16, 2008 01:17:08 PM new
Welllllll, for me, it was that duffle bag full of Christmas cards sent in mid-century from Hollywood celebrities that I paid $20 for. Made maybe three thousand since then, and I'm still selling them. Also, a large attache case of matchbook covers for $50; I'm up to $1,000+ already and haven't finished selling them all.
For me, it's almost always ephemera, and it turns my last hair white to think of how much of that gets thrown away when people are clearing out a house.
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posted on November 16, 2008 01:24:44 PM new
Great auction. Better than the $15,000 plate auction from years back. I love the way that the sellers always keep adding more and more to the description. I really love how he went from paypal to a "DUFFLE BAG FULL OF THE GREEN STUFF" One way to get around saying cash.
My best find is still the sterling flatware that I got for $80 and sold for $4000 in January, but I'll keep looking to top that.
posted on November 17, 2008 02:47:46 AM new
Amber, good find on the book!
I stopped at a yard sale a few years ago and the neighbor was hauling her trash to the curb. I noticed what looked like a wooden crate and pulled it from the bottom of the pile to hold some other things I had bought. It had the Captain Morgan logo on the lid and I sold it on ebay for $65.
Lady, good for you on the flatware. In my younger days I missed a very large set for $100 because at the time I did not know the difference between Sterling and plate.
Roadsmith, I feel the same way about ephemera. I used to have a lot of fun selling bits and pieces of paper history in my shop.
posted on November 17, 2008 10:42:54 AM new
My best was a William Tolliver print. It was an Artist Proof and signed by Tolliver. It was rolled, and in prestine condition, paid $1 for it.
posted on November 17, 2008 11:57:43 AM new
Wow, that's great bluefalcon. My husband can never understand why I enjoy rummage sales, "rummaging through peoples old rubbish". He has to take me because I am disabled, but unless he sees golf clubs, he sits in the car. I think it's a bit like the people who pan for gold, you have to throw out a lot of garbage before you find that nugget!
posted on November 17, 2008 03:35:38 PM new
Everytime I rummage through yard sale stuff I think, I've thrown away better than this.
I did buy a used book by Jamie & Betsy Wyeth called The Stray. On the front two blank cover pages Jamie Wyeth hand drew one of the pictures in the book. Above the drawing it said To Lynch & signed by both. Listed it on eBay when it reached 3000.00 I cancelled the auction. Paid 200.00 for it. Still have it & still don't know what it's really worth.
Reason I pulled the auction: someone emailed me & told me to take it to Sotheby's. Never did.
posted on November 18, 2008 08:21:29 AM new
Here are some of my goodies:
Old IMac that didn't work for $1.00. Sold it for $125.
Late 1960's SUNN 75 Watt Tube Amp for $20. Sold it for $600.
Same day I found the Sunn amp, I also found a Polytone Jazz amp at a different sale for $20 which sold for $350.
Bought a teak dresser for $40, sold it for $500. Dining table with 6 chairs for $125. sold it for $900.
Found a Game Worn Miami Hurricane jersey for Bert Reed from their most recent Championship season, paid $7.00-sold $450.
Pink Floyd Meddle - Original Master Recording CD. Paid $1.00- Sold for $125.
Set of 8 Arne Vodder Teak Dining Chairs for $200- Sold for $3000.
When I lost my job in September 2002 (after 9/11), I had $750 to my name. I went out and spent $300 for Sports Memorabilia for Joey Harrington, QB Univ. Oregon. He was drafted by the Detroit Lions that year and everyone was going nuts about the guy. I would buy each piece for $15. I sold so many of them, that by December I had $10,000 in the bank. I was selling these for as much as $200 a piece in bidding wars. It was absolutely crazy. A few years later, and Harrington has played for 3 or 4 different teams and you can't even give away the items I sold. Needless to say, I built my whole business on Joey Harrington! Thanks Joey.
posted on November 18, 2008 09:44:39 AM new
I always find it amusing how friends and family tell me that I have an eye for these things...
Well, just like with anything else, an eye comes with great practice, including making many many stupid mistakes. For all of the great treasures we find, how many times have we all fallen flat on our face and took a loss?
I've always been a sports collectibles dealer, and used to actually promote sports memorabilia shows when I was in college at Florida State. I still dabble in it, but not as much as I used to. I've moved on to greater and "greener" pastures beyond sports collectibles.
Recently, I caught myself in a moment of self loathing, wondering if I made the right choice in opening our retail store. Truthfully, it has been the biggest headache, and I always feel tied down to my store. Our last real vacation was two weeks before we opened our doors over 5 years ago. We go on short trips, but nothing that really gets you away from it all.
Suddenly, I realized that if I hadn't opened my store, I wouldn't have the knowledge and experience that has paid off quite well in smaller victories. We don't pay ourselves alot of money on a weekly basis, but it is the bonuses we get when we find that special treasure. We have 2 years left on our lease, with a 5 year option.
At the moment, I couldn't imagine going another 5 years. There would have to be some drastic changes needed for something like that to happen. However, we own the oldest store in Portland specializing in our type of business, and that alone says something. In the next few months, we are talking about beginning the process of selling the business in hopes of getting something out of it other than closing it.
These discussions are recent, and may change as the economy changes as well... but I simply cannot imagine being tied down to our store for another 5 years. It is too restrictive to our life, and we can easily sell many of our items online without keeping regular store hours, the high overhead, and the burden of paying employment taxes for our employee.
I guess you begin to look at things differently after your business partner and long time girlfriend goes through chemotherapy and you have to deal with other health and financial issues along the way. 5 years ago, running a business seemed quite exciting and fun, but now it has grown into a monster of responsibility. I love the challenge, I love the connection with our customers, and I love finding those treasures, but the paperwork, the time, the overhead, and the responsibility of being tied down is tiresome.
posted on November 18, 2008 11:43:05 AM new
My best find was a box full of Wallpaper borders from Trimz I paid a buck for over 700 rolls that were still taped closed and in the original boxes. When I opened them up they turned out to be from the early 50's Nursery Rhymes, Mickey Mouse and other Disney critters it was unreal. Made over $5000.
Then there was the two boxes I bought at an auction for 10 bucks each they were full of 1926 Boy Scout World Jamboree stuff that I made well over $4,000 on. I didn't bid on a third box because it went up to $15 it was too rich for my blood. Started selling the stuff out of the first two boxes I realized there was a patch in the third box worth $750 bucks LOL!
posted on November 19, 2008 02:21:12 PM new
Bought a 1st edition, 7th printing AA book at a bookstore for $135 expecting to double my money. Put it on Wed night and came in Thursday morning and had a BIN offer for $5000. Apparently this is the rarest printing. This was in June. Then on July 4th weekend I went to a yard sale and found a 1st ed, 15th printing AA book in a box for $1. Haven't sold it yet, but it should go for $600 or more. I love those kind of finds.
posted on November 19, 2008 02:59:55 PM new
I found this photo of another good GS find(sorry don't mean to hog the post but I just love this pin). I got this for $3.00 and sold it for $640.00. I think it's from the 20's or 30's - Bakelite head and wood body with moving parts. It looked like it was made last week. The winner love it too.
posted on November 19, 2008 04:10:22 PM new
Gah! I just saw something almost exactly like that pin at the flea market this past weekend. I thought it was an atrocity! Just goes to show, there's always more to learn.
posted on November 19, 2008 08:41:38 PM new
Great stories everyone.
Drgah, I was just wondering the other day if AA books were still bringing in the bucks. Good to hear you've done well.
LadyJ, that fox pin is definitely atrocious. Not sure I would have wasted the .35 to list it even if I had found it in a box lot. Goes to show there is still hidden gold in our junk piles.
I have a ton of things from my antiqe shop that I still need to go through. They've now been stored for over 10 years! Anyone want to come list them and split the gold with me?
I am pretty much burned out on writing listings. I don't mind the packing and shipping but even thinking of writing listings makes me tired.
posted on November 20, 2008 05:29:26 PM new
wow.... you guys put me to shame ,my best this year was a conn sax ,paid 35.00 sold for 995.00 and he paid with a money order.
posted on November 27, 2008 05:07:35 AM new
Several years ago, I went to a "city wide" sale and I guess a woman decided to put a few things out at the end of her driveway because everybody was going past her house anyway. There was an Edison talking machine with morning glory style horn for $5. It needed some work but still sold on Ebay for $250. My husband hates yard sales but this summer he went with me one day, the very first sale we stopped at he bought a Cincinnati Reds team signed baseball from the early '70s for $10. Right after that it started storming, so I didn't get to buy anything and we went home. He was so excited, I said, "See why I go to yard sales!!!"
