Junkers

[Piledriver]

Incident--I spot a couple small gold-colored studs inside a little plastic package labeled "18K gold". The studs were junk. Somebody thinks they are clever.

Incident--I buy a chain-pendant combination because the chain is silver.....of course, the pendant is not. Somebody is cannibalizing stuff. A LOT of somebodies.

Incident--Woman refuses to discuss an offer on a sterling chain attached to a huge ugly clunky silver-colored piece of pot-metal.

Incident X10--I get to sale, ask about "costume jewelry, broken jewelry" and am told that several others got there first and grabbed it ALL up. The only reason these junkers want the whole pile is so that they can cannibalize the stuff and resell.

Such is the game. Anybody been there?
Keep on Rollin'

 

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[Beachkid23]

I usually buy the whole box as well. If I can. Buy it all! Then get all the good stuff. Take the rest to Salvation Army. Or a junk lot auction on eBay.

 

[diggummup]

Yeah, I'm with you. It's usually the buyers though not the sellers. I've seen some real pigs in action and think to myself, "If I ever get like that someone please shoot me and put me out of my misery". I just can't fathom myself acting the fool while trying to buy something at a sale. The way I see it is, if I was meant to have it, I will. Jewelry (in any form) is one of the most sought after items at the sales which is why I hardly ever get any. Anything worthwhile is usually gone after the first customer or two in this neck of the woods. I think I'm going to start flashing a wad of $100 bills at people and asking for all their gold and silver. Seems to work for some of my competition.

 

[Piledriver]

I guess I did paint with a wide brush here.
Hopefully it won't cost too much to get educated.

and Diggum, X 2.

Persistence and consistent attendance to the sales will eventually succeed.

As it is, I am very much under the radar.
My best buys come from 50 cent to a couple dollars.

 

[billjustbill]

But remember, two things: #1. The old metal detecting slogan: "Nobody gets it all." and #2.: Karma will even things out....

I've got a lady that makes it a point to buy everything in one swoop....everywhere she goes. She will drive 30 miles from her home, passing many other garage sales, to come over into the neighborhoods closest to where we live, just to get the jewelry before we get there. She does it For Spite, I think, or she has some type of Phobic personality defect way beyond a "Type A" personality. Probably a mix of both... ;>)

Then, about once a year, she gets her adult daughter to bag up all the junk in "Snack Size" Baggies, and sells them in a large garage sale for $1 a bag. So, we realized what's going on and I remember the daughter's address from year to year. Last summer, in her sale, my wife did find some nice Rhinestone pieces, and after going through what I picked out, I found 2 grams of 14kt for $2, SHE MISSED....

KARMA works....

Bill

 

[OldSowBreath]

Saturday I had a guy literally muscle in front of me as a yard sale opened to get to the jewelry. I was first in line and a little p.o.ed. He went right to the good pieces, even took a loop to them. When told the prices were $1.00, $1.50 and $2.00, he balked, and said he always paid less than that, and left (?!). I picked up a marked and hallmarked 14kt thick gold choker that he put down for $2.00, along with some 14kt gold earrings for $1.50. Go figure.

 

[mugsisme]

My theory is, we all get what we are supposed to get. I don't sweat it. Now, I can't do garage sales, so I don't have the same stuff you have. There is this one horribly nasty guy who goes around here and will just be rude. Grabs stuff, looks through it, and then tosses it, not caring where it lands. I figured out his schedule, and don't go to the stores when he does. Works for me.
A few months ago, I bumped into a different guy I see a lot. I had been debating about jars. There were 3 of them. As I said, I'm going to be greedy and take them all, I see him. So I handed him a jar, and said, HERE, look at this. Do you want it? He kept saying no. I handed him a second jar, and he also declined. I kept trying to pawn one off on him, so he wouldn't feel bad or feel left out, like he missed something. In the end, he didn't take any and I took all three.
Do I need to tell you that I found an 18K gold bracelet that I sold for over $500 scrap? (Which then sold for almost $800, if I remember correctly, right Beach?) Anyway. We all get what we are supposed to get, and you can't get what you aren't supposed to get, no matter how hard you try.

ps-- I got had with a 10K gold bracelet that I bought for only $30. When I got home, I found out it was gold filled. I was really upset, but it was my fault for not pulling out the loop and checking the hallmark. I just took the guys word for it. Of course, store with no returns.