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Sooner or later you will be
going through your finds that you have been "rat
holing" away for years and the thought will occur
"What's it worth." Or some spectacular find will
suddenly conjure up visions of instant retirement. But for
nothing else than plain old curiosity, you should know exactly
what your stuff is worth. Always be sure of the worth of
anything before subjecting yourself to the unforgiving,
merciless buyer's market.
You spent a lot of time, effort, and perhaps research looking
for this stuff so it's common sense to apply those same efforts
when you go to "cash in." People are fleeced daily and
the world is full of vultures who will pick you clean in a
minute if you are ignorant of the worth of what you are
attempting to peddle. But
you are much smarter than that ... aren't you?
The first thing to do is to
get acquainted with the appropriate value guides that relate to
your treasures. There are many collectable guides out there but
good ones to start with are A Guide Book To United States Coins
by Yeoman, better known as the "Red Book"; The Bottle
Pricing Guide by Cleveland; and Arrowheads and Projectile
Points, by Hothem. There are a host of other price guides out
there you should check into. Try your library or one of the
treasure book catalogs.
Guides list an average value or "ballpark" figure.
The true value of any item is what you can squeeze out of it at
point of sale, which usually can be dickered on. Flexibility is
the key word here and this is why it is imperative that you be
informed and on the ball. A
lot of items escape being listed in these guides as they are
uncommon and these should be checked out by an expert. You can
find this kind of expertise at auction houses in your city. The
better houses have people on hand to whip a free verbal,
"potential" value at sale on you.
Should your treasure turn out to be a "Lordy Mercy
Mabel", the auction house will sell it for you, charging a
commission , usually 10-15%.
At an auction house your prize will reach the most interested
audience and bring the highest price. If you know what the item
should bring you may request a minimum selling price called a
"reserve."
One important aspect to selling your goodie is its condition.
Aside from supply and demand setting prices, most collectables
should be in as excellent condition as possible. Any defects
such as scratches on coins, chips on bottles, or broken areas
will usually drop the value like a rock. Keep this in mind when
you are poking around in a hole recovering your find.
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