$26 at the thrift store

Rented Mule

Jr. Member
Apr 17, 2017
78
189
Detector(s) used
Minelab E-Trac,
Tesoro Tiger Shark
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Stopped by a local church affiliated thrift store today and spent $26. Was able to get the following:
IMG_0498.JPG
Monet necklace with a large pendant

IMG_0499.JPG IMG_0501.JPG
Bonetta charm watch. Ran fine with a new battery

IMG_0503.JPG
Sterling tie clip. 4 grams

IMG_0505.JPG
1/20 14k GF tie clip. 3.6 grams

IMG_0502.JPG
Napier clip earrings

IMG_0506.JPG
Crown Trifari clip earrings

IMG_0507.JPG
Trifari clip earrings

IMG_0508.JPG
Accessocraft NYC screw back earrings

IMG_0510.JPG IMG_0512.JPG
Robert Rose clip earrings

And the big win:
IMG_0514.JPG IMG_0515.JPG
Two sets of 14k clip earrings - one 4.6 grams and the other 5.2 grams
 

Spartcom5

Hero Member
Feb 2, 2015
808
936
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Those earrings should be an easy sell over melt! Nice pickup! Any maker marks?
 

JimDon

Silver Member
May 6, 2009
4,040
5,277
NC USA
🥇 Banner finds
1
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
5
Detector(s) used
Minelab Etrac, Minelab Excalibur, White's MXT
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Do you have luck selling Trifari? I struggle to sell sterling jewelry for good money and can't imagine trying to sell non-precious metal items. Just curious.
 

OP
OP
R

Rented Mule

Jr. Member
Apr 17, 2017
78
189
Detector(s) used
Minelab E-Trac,
Tesoro Tiger Shark
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Do you have luck selling Trifari? I struggle to sell sterling jewelry for good money and can't imagine trying to sell non-precious metal items. Just curious.

In all honesty Ive been acquiring stuff at thrift shops the last 12 months and I am just starting to sell some stuff off on eBay. Right now I am selling cheap things like key rings that came in jewelry jars for whatever they go for so I can build my seller rating. But looking at the sold listings I think I might get $5 a pair for the Trifari at least. I paid around $1 for each pair so I should make a small profit as I continue to build up my seller's rating so I can finally flip some of the valuable things I have picked up over the last year.
 

trdhrdr007

Bronze Member
Nov 1, 2009
1,427
1,332
Do you have luck selling Trifari? I struggle to sell sterling jewelry for good money and can't imagine trying to sell non-precious metal items. Just curious.

I'm with JimDon. Unless it was sold as a lot I wouldn't have picked up anything besides the 14k earrings. I've got a shoe box about half full of sterling jewelry that won't sell for enough over melt to make it worth listing. I sell an 11" x 7" x 5" box of costume jewelry a few times a year from left over lots. Would love to make enough on those kind of things to make it worth the time involved with selling.
 

OP
OP
R

Rented Mule

Jr. Member
Apr 17, 2017
78
189
Detector(s) used
Minelab E-Trac,
Tesoro Tiger Shark
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I'm with JimDon. Unless it was sold as a lot I wouldn't have picked up anything besides the 14k earrings. I've got a shoe box about half full of sterling jewelry that won't sell for enough over melt to make it worth listing. I sell an 11" x 7" x 5" box of costume jewelry a few times a year from left over lots. Would love to make enough on those kind of things to make it worth the time involved with selling.

The earrings were in bags of 2 or 3 pairs for $2 so some if it I got just to get the 14k ones. But my main reason was to get some things I felt I could sell on eBay for a small profit or at worst break even. I am just starting to sell on eBay and I want to build up my seller rating before I start flipping some of the better things I have picked up.
 

WoodnHead

Full Member
Mar 29, 2017
168
309
Pennsylvania
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Not all sterling is created equally in terms of desirability over melt. Vintage Native American especially w/turquoise and Mid-Century Scandinavian both tend to do well - David Andersen enameled pieces, and Georg Jensen for example.

Some non-precious metals will sell well, but then it's often about name. There's a good thread on here about non-precious metal costume that sells well. If you've really got a lot of misc. non-precious metal jewelry it sometimes pays to list it as a box-lot. Cram as much as you can in a flat rate box.
 

btripp6

Sr. Member
Jul 6, 2015
327
619
Grovetown, GA
Detector(s) used
CTX 3030, Equinox 800, Garrett Pro Pointer AT, XP MI-6 Pinpointer
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Looks like I need to start hitting up my thrift stores a little harder. Congrats on the finds!
 

Jayers

Full Member
Jun 28, 2014
103
66
Michigan
Detector(s) used
Just starting out with a BH
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Do you have luck selling Trifari? I struggle to sell sterling jewelry for good money and can't imagine trying to sell non-precious metal items. Just curious.


To make any money on sterling I either buy mexican or brand name (Silpada, Pandora, Avery, etc...).. If I can't sell it for at least $1 to $1.30 per gram I pass. That includes Not buying Chinese, Siam, Italian, and unmarked. Heavier Mexican pieces like bracelets and heavy link necklaces can go for over $2 or $3 per gram.

I've still yet to crack the code on costume.
 

Top Member Reactions

Users who are viewing this thread

Latest Discussions

Top