Antiques Dealer

Antiques Dealer

bluetiger

antiquesville, NY

Male, 58

I have been buying and selling antiques (and some collectibles) for over 30 yrs. started out buying and selling to help pay for college. got a degree in business admin. and worked in managerial positions for 23 yrs. but, during this 23 yr. period I kept my sanity by continuing to sell antiques in my spare time. now that I am semi-retired, I still deal in antiques - it is in my blood. I am knowledgeable in auctioning, estate sales, online sales, direct sales, and appraisals.

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Last Answer on January 31, 2022

Best Rated

Giving my parents credit for being smarter than I'd thought is a lesson I'm only beginning to learn:) Follow-up: Is the value of coins derived mostly from their value as COLLECTIBLES, or because they can actually be melted down for their base metal?

Asked by delclose over 9 years ago

gold and silver coins basically have two values as you indicate in your question. ( the numismatic value and the bullion value.)  a common 1921 silver dollar, in circulated condition, may be worth more as scrap depending on the spot silver price on any given day.   a rarer date silver dollar in circulated condition however may have a numismatic value that exceeds its scrap value.  the key factors in determining value of gold and silver coins are: scarcity, condition, and spot bullion value of the precious metal in question.  in my opinion, most people start to accumulate coins for their collectible value.  but then, when the price of gold and silver go up dramatically, many collectors will sell their common and poor condition coins for their scrap value.  this is why, when gold and silver prices are high, you see all the "we buy your silver and gold" folks come out of the woodwork.   

How do you approach the best buyer for your antiques?

Asked by Paul Hinton over 9 years ago

depends on the item I am trying to sell.  if there is someone locally that I think may be interested in what I have, I will give them a call or text.  if it is an item with universal appeal, I will probably use an online auction site to sell it.  if it is a fairly generic item (say an old stoneware mixing bowl) i'll probably place it in a booth at an antiques mall, or run it through an auction house with other common items. 

As a pure investment, which collectibles are most likely to increase in value?

Asked by vizion over 9 years ago

tough question.  people who bought large quantities of star wars items, back in the 70's and early 80's, and stored them away (without opening the packaging) are now making a very tidy profit.  in my opinion, first edition character items are as good a bet as anything else for the long term - 20 to 30 years.  I have never had a good, quality character item that I could not sell.  as an example, I recently bought a large quantity of older smurfs at a yard sale.  a couple of my dealer friends thought I was nuts - the Japanese collector that I sold them to paid me 500 times more than I purchased them for.

1901Christmas ormnants trying to Find what the value of these

Asked by Elizabeth over 7 years ago

There are a few ways to determine if your ornaments have some value.  Check the online auction sites. these sites will give you an idea of the fair market value of your items.  there are also several good reference books about antique ornaments.  if you are looking to sell them quickly, take them to your nearest antiques mall or co-op.  the dealers there will be happy to make you an offer if they are of interest. keep in mind that condition, condition, condition is critical to the value of antiques and collectibles.

I have antique plates trimmed in gold American Indian Head plates would like to know where can I sell them or what

Asked by Ernest over 7 years ago

You may want to take them to your local antiques mall or antique shop and see if you get any offers. 

Hello, I have recently acquired a 1940s E.S Lowe Mystery Talking Board (Ouija Board) along with the original box both in good condition, I'm in the process of locating the planchette. Ultimately i was curious what something like this would be worth?

Asked by Devon Richart over 8 years ago

I sold one of these( mint in the box) a couple years ago for $55.00. 

I recently retired from the oil & gas industry and would like to start my 2nd career as an antique merchant. I'd like to stay within the triangle of Houston-San Antonio-Victoria in Texas. Any suggestions as to where a store would have the best chance

Asked by Barcrit over 8 years ago

I advise newcomers to the business to start out small.  before opening a shop, it may be wise to set up in an antiques mall or co-op.  I'm sure that there are some good ones in your area.