Lower commodity prices= more finds?

[Beachkid23]

Just wondering on your thoughts on this over the last five years when the prices have hit $1900 an ounce for gold and also $50 an ounce for silver vs now of $1090 gold and $14.50 silver, for you Who have been doing this longer. Did the commodity prices really play a role in how much you find that yard sales and thrift stores at lower prices versus higher?

I think I found more precious metals this year than I did back in 2008 and 2009. But I don't know if it's because I'm More looking for that stuff over other things.

I did learn a good lesson on to why you don't buy gold and silver when the prices shoot up.

Just a random thought of the night.

 

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[jerseyben]

Just wondering on your thoughts on this over the last five years when the prices have hit $1900 an ounce for gold and also $50 an ounce for silver vs now of $1090 gold and $14.50 silver, for you Who have been doing this longer. Did the commodity prices really play a role in how much you find that yard sales and thrift stores at lower prices versus higher?

I think I found more precious metals this year than I did back in 2008 and 2009. But I don't know if it's because I'm More looking for that stuff over other things.

I did learn a good lesson on to why you don't buy gold and silver when the prices shoot up.

Just a random thought of the night.

I have personally found that the competition has sharply decreased with the lower market prices. I am finding more silver items than ever. I used to find silver once in a blue moon and even then it was overpriced.

 

[diggummup]

Hasn't changed a thing down here in the third world. People still want retail or more with the exception of an occasional 1 or 2 run of the mill pieces found at yard sales. Dealers still attacking jewelry like rats on cheese whenever they see it, costume included. Complete savagery I tell ya. I found more a few years ago than I have this past couple years. I haven't seen a decent jewelry score myself for a long time. I find it one piece at a time.

 

[Beachkid23]

It seems like a lot of people here are going back to work so there's not as many people out at the yard sales. The community sales have been very slow as far as competition goes over here. Some of them I have gotten too early but the other ones have not had the same volume of people I feel. I mean you still have the dealers but I think there's been so many yard sales the last couple weekends that they can't get to all of them. The yard sale app has consistently had 180 yard sales every Saturday and that's not including all the houses inside of the community sales.

Two weekends ago the last house I went to at 1:30 had sitting on the counter a 110 g sterling silver heart bracelet set for $5. Then inside the jewelry box there was seven or eight pairs of silver earrings and a couple rings for $.50 apiece.

This may change one season is in full swing and all of the snowbirds are back here though.

 

[captain flintlock]

We've actually found more of our better sterling pieces 2-3 years ago when the market price was higher! We've picked up several lesser pieces this past year but I'm saving all the scrap for that "rainy day" when the price goes up. I think it's a lot of just being at the right place at the right time regardless of market price here in Ct.
We are seeing more dealers and other pickers and collectors like myself than ever before. And everyone is an expert now too!! They watch two episodes of American Pickers and an episode of Antiques Roadshow and they know everything!! Drives me nuts!!

 

[trdhrdr007]

I'm seeing about the same amount of gold & silver that I always have. With spot prices down I'm not able to buy as much because intrinsic value is perceived as being more than spot value. I'm still buying gold from my regular estate sale & dealer contacts. Unfortunately I'm also still working on a relatively thin margin in order to beat the higher paying gold buying places. My percentages haven't moved much but x% of $1100 is a lot less than x% of $1800.

 

[trdhrdr007]

I'll also go on record as saying we won't see that "rainy day" when prices go up significantly any time soon. PM prices were stable for many years with the exception of late 1979-1980. In 2004 prices started climbing due to what I believe was a number of conditions aligning & staying that way long enough for people to jump on board which created even more unsustainable price growth. At some point prices will stabilize at a new "normal" and will stay that way for an extended period of time. I'm not going to pretend I know what the new normal will be.....but will say I expect it to be equal to or lower than current prices.

 

[Beachkid23]

We've actually found more of our better sterling pieces 2-3 years ago when the market price was higher! We've picked up several lesser pieces this past year but I'm saving all the scrap for that "rainy day" when the price goes up. I think it's a lot of just being at the right place at the right time regardless of market price here in Ct.
We are seeing more dealers and other pickers and collectors like myself than ever before. And everyone is an expert now too!! They watch two episodes of American Pickers and an episode of Antiques Roadshow and they know everything!! Drives me nuts!!

Don't you always love the yard sales that have eBay printouts or the thrift stores as well? I always turn walk away when I see them.

 

[mugsisme]

Here, people are not cleaning their houses as much, or at least, not donating. Several of my GW stores and the TS have commented to me about it.
I found a lot of stuff in Jan, when people are cleaning out their houses for New year resolutions.

 

[JimDon]

I believe it's a simple matter of demographics. The baby boomers are passing on. It seems every estate sale I've been to recently there has been either a World War II or Korean air uniform. Over the next 10 years unfortunately there's going to be a lot of them passing on.

 

[captain flintlock]

Don't you always love the yard sales that have eBay printouts or the thrift stores as well? I always turn walk away when I see them.

Yes I do hate those. It's very annoying but we don't see a whole lot of that here. I just laugh and walk away too!! Most of the time when I see the printouts, it's for something that I'm not really interested in.

 

[Rodbuster209]

Here where I live I am not finding as much, I think it is for two reasons, one: there is a lot more work and people are not having as many sales. Two: there is way more competition, I see the same people as before and many more new faces snatching up all the jewelry, costume,real, it doesn't matter. I'm ready for a super score! Good Luck!

 

[captain flintlock]

I'll also go on record as saying we won't see that "rainy day" when prices go up significantly any time soon. PM prices were stable for many years with the exception of late 1979-1980. In 2004 prices started climbing due to what I believe was a number of conditions aligning & staying that way long enough for people to jump on board which created even more unsustainable price growth. At some point prices will stabilize at a new "normal" and will stay that way for an extended period of time. I'm not going to pretend I know what the new normal will be.....but will say I expect it to be equal to or lower than current prices.

I know what you mean! I don't expect anything much to happen with silver. My rainy day might be " oh crap, I need a new thingamajig and it's not in the budget ". So it's a way to create a little extra $$.

 

[dejapooh]

Don't you always love the yard sales that have eBay printouts or the thrift stores as well? I always turn walk away when I see them.

My favorite is when the put Buy It Now prices, not sold auction prices. Was at a garage sale and they wanted $50 for a video game, saying it was ebay for $200. I looked it up, New in sealed box, 2 days left on a buy it now, $199.99. Sold for used, no box or instructions, $20. They were not happy with my $5 offer... When I explained it, Showed them the REAL price, they brought their rare game inside... NOT FOR SALE!

SIGH.