What are your favorite finds of 2013?

[Iron Patch]

I've recently had deals where I flipped an item and made $300 and $600, but I wasn't really interested in posting those, so didn't. That left me without an answer... until yesterday.

The best thing I've found this year I did it the old fashion way, I dug it! Even though the value has come down it's probably still worth more than my other two deals combined, but it used to be worth a lot more than that. I have no plans to sell.

Rev War officer button.

 

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[dejapooh]

My best buy of the year was a table loaded with Toner cartridges for $700. I sold an easy $3000 in the next week on Amazon. I still have one or two left (I donated all of the No Name "Compatible" Carts, They are more trouble than they are worth). My favorite buy was a Tiffany Necklace with the name "Tiffany" Engraved on the back. Very heavy, about 80 Grams of Silver. I paid $40. It came with the bag, but not the box. According to my father (who used to make jewelry as a hobby), the engraving is very light and can be easily buffed out. It can use a cleaning, but all in all, a very nice find for less than melt. My favorite sale was an estate sale. I bought a vintage Stetson hat for $40 (sold it for $250), found about 25 or 30 oz of sterling ($200), and found several items for my wife (birthday, wedding anniversary, and Christmas taken care of with two HUGE smiles so far, $10 total).

 

[Fushek]

Favorite find was a couple of 1960's army men/board games that I found at a local store in the bargain bin for .50 cents each. Ended up selling both for over $1,100 on eBay. I posted about them http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/garage-sale-finds/371442-helen-toy.html.

 

[Baltimore]

Best (so far): Picked up a mountain bike from a local guy who was moving and desperate to get rid of it, paid $150. Brought it back to my home state where mountain biking is huge, had multiple offers of $800-$1000. I haven't sold it yet, I'm waiting for next spring when everyone will be looking to upgrade.

Most Fun: This crazy estate sale that is run buy a guy who does house & garage & attic clean-outs, foreclosures, etc. He was a furniture guy, so all the small stuff he just put in a million boxes and put on the floor of this huge garage/warehouse where he sold and stored his stuff. It was crazy, truly digging for treasure. Anyone on this forum would have been in heaven. I had him text me before every sale, and over the course of the summer probably picked multiple thousands worth of stuff for maybe $300 total. Still haven't sold a lot of it.

 

[Rodbuster209]

My favorite find would have to be the 200+ year old Sterling spoon that I bought for $1.00, It was fun to be able to successfully research the hallmarks and identify where it came from and so on.

 

[inspectorgadget]

I liked this deal a lot! A set of antique English sterling silver Victorian fish servers with what I believe are faux ivory handles in the original fitted case from 1885. Paid $50 (that's what I'd expect to pay for plated ones of this style, age & condition). I put these up & wouldn't even consider selling them for a penny under $500. They are Sheffield England, 1885, Queen Victoria I (1838-1890), .925 silver collars & bodies, Harrison Bros & Howson. I have yet to see another set like these anywhere! They are like a cross of different eras, the handles look art deco"ish" yet they are clearly Victorian era with a hint of art nouveau. The handles have small little cracks in them, hairline type cracks & the color is darker around these cracks which screams to me they are faux ivory. I think they look more like old ivory items look than what old bone items look like but for now till I know otherwise I'll call them faux ivory handles. BTW the pictures do them no justice, they look unused & in mint condition in person but not so much in the pictures.


**** UPDATE**** Doing a little research I now believe these are indeed ivory or faux ivory handles not bone! As a matter of fact I have ruled out bone as they are much to smooth, no pock marks or pits & they have a grain so they pretty much have to be ivory or else well made faux ivory & they fit the description of antique ivory pretty well. I'm scared to do the hot needle test on them.

Yikes these from 1885 with faux handles went for $1791.33 http://www.ebay.com/itm/ANTIQUE-19thC-VICTORIAN-SOLID-SILVER-faux-IVORY-CASED-FISH-SERVING-SET-c-1885-/141032639964?pt=UK_Antiques_Silverware_RL&hash=item20d6334ddc&nma=true&si=l7Dkz4kCoqAUaXnYiULYocV%252BVAA%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557