Keep or sell finds

[gerryk]

I am surious as to what most do. I understand many collect coins but what if you have multiples of the same coin do you sell it, trade it, keep it what? If you find Jewelry do you normally keep it or sell it.
If you sell the items, where do you sell them pawn shop, jewelry store, or one of those new gold and silver places that have popped up on every corner?

 

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[Frankn]

I sell almost everything. I do not collect coins. I do keep certain items such as a coin from a cache of coins or I sometimes mount things that strike my fancy, like this ax head. Frank

 

[CurlysGold]

There's nothing like a hobby that pays for itself.

 

[gerryk]

Where do you sell what you find?

 

[GrizLeeBear]

I had an argument with an IRS agent about valuing a donated item. I got them to agree that something is worth what it will sell for on eBay. She could not tell me my donated item was only worth $10 when I could show her three examples of the same thing selling on eBay for many times that amount. That is the basis of my answer.

All common coins I spend. All older coins that have some intrinsic value beyond face value I list on eBay. You will never get full value at a coin store. I once found a men's 18k gold ring. I took it to one of those stores along side the road with someone out front wagging a sign about "Buying Gold". I was offered $85 for the ring and they were highly insulted when I suggested the spot value for gold at that moment valued the ring at about $265. There was no argument about the weight of the ring or the 18k content. I went to a store like that up the street and asked to buy an ounce of gold. They did not sell it by the ounce, only by the gram, figuring that few people know that a gram was anyway. At there price gold would cost me about $3,500 per ounce. I gave up on such stores. (You want to find treasure? Open a Buying Gold store!) I listed the ring on eBay for a start of $150. I received 18 bids and it sold for $255 plus postage.

You can sell almost anything on eBay. But, you have to be creative in your thinking. It is not worth a grown man's time to buy or sell a 1960 silver dime. But a roll of them is doable. Yes, if I have an 1888 O silver dollar, I can sell that alone. But most coins from the 1900's I sell in rolls or some convenient quantity.

The direct answer to your question is that I spend or sell everything. The real hard part is in finding the correct value. I know that I can hold two diamond rings in my hand of equal apparent size and one is worth $200 and the other $600. I know it has to do with the quality of the diamond and the condition of the ring. I can clean and polish with the best of them, but I don't know one diamond from another. If I think I have something good I take it to a small jewelry store and get an insurance appraisal. That usually costs about $20.

I think it was the famous George Carlin who said, "A house is a place to keep your stuff while you are out buying more stuff." At some point in your life you will need to downsize. When that happens you will find nobody wants your "stuff". I knew a lady who own a collection of "Salts". These are small porcelain spoons used years back to put salt on a meal. When she passed no one wanted them. They wound up giving them away. You may have a nice trove of artifacts, but who, beyond you, wants them? Get what you can for them and move on to the next find.

I am retired and live in an RV full time. I have no place to store artifacts. That colors my perception. When I find a point here and there I give it to a niece or nephew. I gave several for Christmas this year. I don't miss them, the kids love them and I didn't have to spend any of my cash.

All that said, I have started to save silver dimes and quarters as a hedge against all the gloom and doom I see in financial circles. I don't know if that will help, but I don't think it will hurt.

Good luck with your finds.

 

[ironman]

I sell almost everything. I do not collect coins. I do keep certain items such as a coin from a cache of coins or I sometimes mount things that strike my fancy, like this ax head. Frank

<img src="http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=732300"/><img src="http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=732302"/>

That is cool can u share a few more finds u mounted

 

[Keppy]

I am like others i am not a collector..... I don't need thing's just setting around to look at.... So i sell most of my finds on Ebay..FOR ... I always get the best price on Ebay.....

 

[gerryk]

I like thise ideas. Mount certain things, give some away and sell the rest. I dont want to keep to much as it can add up then your to the point of it being overwhelming to go through all of it.
Sounds like ebay is where people have the best luck selling things. Do you sell it with your own account or go to one of thise ebay storoes?

 

[Iron Patch]

I've sold a lot, but the vast majority was junk or doubles, but I did do well because I had some pretty good doubles. I've also parted with a few items simply because the offers were great and I was fairly sure that would be the best price they would ever get.

 

[Iron Patch]

I like thise ideas. Mount certain things, give some away and sell the rest. I dont want to keep to much as it can add up then your to the point of it being overwhelming to go through all of it.
Sounds like ebay is where people have the best luck selling things. Do you sell it with your own account or go to one of thise ebay storoes?

If you are selling the type of items that usually get bids and go for what they are worth, then you can just auction the stuff. But if you have a lot that you want to hold out for the right buyer opening a store might be a good idea. Usually people who just start selling do not do the store thing right away.

 

[gerryk]

I have an ebay account but have only used ot to buy things. I have some stuff i want to sell but havent dontthat yet. I have a bunc of old ham radio stuff i purchased avoer the past ten years and need to sell it as i no longer use all of it. I have some old tube radios that i fixed and several oieces of test equipment that i no longer use. Mayne i will look for someone in my area to help me learn how to set up an account on ebay to sell stuff.

 

[Iron Patch]

I have an ebay account but have only used ot to buy things. I have some stuff i want to sell but havent dontthat yet. I have a bunc of old ham radio stuff i purchased avoer the past ten years and need to sell it as i no longer use all of it. I have some old tube radios that i fixed and several oieces of test equipment that i no longer use. Mayne i will look for someone in my area to help me learn how to set up an account on ebay to sell stuff.

Yeah it's fairly easy, you just click sell and follow the steps until everything is right and you have one listing on. You then click "sell similar" off that listing, basically using it as a template and only make the few changes that might need to happen.... usually the picture, title, description, category, price, and cost to send, but everything else stays the same. You'll see when you get going once you get your first on it's very easy from there.

 

[gerryk]

Yeah it's fairly easy, you just click sell and follow the steps until everything is right and you have one listing on. You then click "sell similar" off that listing, basically using it as a template and only make the few changes that might need to happen.... usually the picture, title, description, category, price, and cost to send, but everything else stays the same. You'll see when you get going once you get your first on it's very easy from there.

How do you know the shippng? Do you take the tem to the post office, fed ex or ups place before listing it. The problem i know i will have witht he old ham radio equipment is the weight. Sme of the old tube radios are over 60 poinds.

 

[Frankn]

Ironman, Here,s a few. Frank

Ambergris, mounted on black walnut. (whale barf)
Brass lock found in barn, Black walnut mount.
Narrow guage break shoe on black walnut
Plow found in my field on black walnut
This is something most would toss away. It is some type of lid found in a burned out building. I call it moon struck.
Spike found on an old section of Ma & Pa RR bed.
I call this Angel of the sea. I found it on the beach. I took it to a welding shop and a jeweler and neither could identify the metal. It was black on the surface, shined up nice, non magnetic, looked like AL but is harder.

I was looking for the Dents Run gold bars when I found it in the old RR bed. Got quite a stir until the jeweler ID'ed it as bronze. I think it was part of a clutch plate based on the circular grooves.

 

[Diggin-N-Dumps]

I personally Keep Most my finds....I would NEVER Sell any of my silver coins or old coins. I actually am a coin collector and I have 2 young boys who collect coins, so My thought is to pass it down to them.

As far as Jewlery, I only sell modern Gold or anythign that is sorta tacky looking. I have found several Old Gold rings from teh turn of the century up to the 30's, and those I keep.

I actually keep my wheat pennies, and plan this year to try and fill some books, sorta a new goal.

To me , its still facinating to see all of my old finds, I know most of the people on here probally could careless, but I can still look at all my finds, and remmeber exactly where i found them, and how i felt when i found it. Im still a big nerd i guess

 

[gerryk]

Ironman, Here,s a few. Frank

<img src="http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=732703"/>Ambergris, mounted on black walnut. (whale barf)
<img src="http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=732704"/>Brass lock found in barn, Black walnut mount.
<img src="http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=732705"/>Narrow guage break shoe on black walnut
<img src="http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=732706"/>Plow found in my field on black walnut
<img src="http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=732707"/>This is something most would toss away. It is some type of lid found in a burned out building. I call it moon struck.
<img src="http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=732708"/>Spike found on an old section of Ma & Pa RR bed.
<img src="http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=732709"/>I call this Angel of the sea. I found it on the beach. I took it to a welding shop and a jeweler and neither could identify the metal. It was black on the surface, shined up nice, non magnetic, looked like AL but is harder.

<img src="http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=732710"/> I was looking for the Dents Run gold bars when I found it in the old RR bed. Got quite a stir until the jeweler ID'ed it as bronze. I think it was part of a clutch plate based on the circular grooves.

Those all make interesting mounts, conversation pieces.

 

[s.c.shooter]

I have sold some of the costume jewelry I have found. The valuable things I'm hoarding. They will only increase in value. I've been tempted to sell but hope I don't reach the point where I have to sell.

 

[N.J.THer]

I spend the modern coins. I keep all the old stuff I find although I do give some away but have not sold anything. Wife keeps asking when I'm going to sell some. My plan was when I finally retire I will sell off the silver and gold then do some traveling. At least thats the plan as of right now...once my kids start hitting the college age that plan may change. I'm anticipating three college degrees and two weddings (the boy is on his own...lol) which maybe a game changer.

If gold hits $1800 an ounce again I may sell off some of my modern gold jewelery.


NJ

 

[Wormslayer]

Personally I only sell modern gold jewellery, which I sell on Ebay.

 

[dejapooh]

At some point in your life you will need to downsize. When that happens you will find nobody wants your "stuff".

I know that. My wife asked me what she should do with my sizable collection of Olympic Pins and Medals. I started to write down who she should contact about selling what, when I realized that I could spend the next 6 years and sell them one at a time, and hopefully make enough to pay my kids way through college (or at least a good part of the way).