Things that I hunt for at garage sales / thrift stores

[Paleo_joe]

I am very happy to have found this thread!! Here are my contributions:
- Old Gillette adjustable razors from the 1960s are like $50 bills. You will know them when you pick them up, fine pieces of machinery, all metal. Find them for $3, use the date codes to identify them, boil them and maybe hit them with a toothbrush, and I have sold them for $45 an hour after I listed them.
- Vintage college sports stuff. This town is college football and basketball crazy, so there's a lot of stuff around, but hiding in it will be vintage stuff. Look for old logos, old fonts, successful coaches. I found an LP of fight songs from 1984 signed by the coach for $3, sold it for $75.

 

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[diggummup]

I am very happy to have found this thread!! Here are my contributions:
- Old Gillette adjustable razors from the 1960s are like $50 bills. You will know them when you pick them up, fine pieces of machinery, all metal. Find them for $3, use the date codes to identify them, boil them and maybe hit them with a toothbrush, and I have sold them for $45 an hour after I listed them.
- Vintage college sports stuff. This town is college football and basketball crazy, so there's a lot of stuff around, but hiding in it will be vintage stuff. Look for old logos, old fonts, successful coaches. I found an LP of fight songs from 1984 signed by the coach for $3, sold it for $75.

Thanks for the tip on the Gillettes. I just did a completed listings search and wow! I have a couple Rolls razors mint in the box but they aren't worth anything near some of those adjustable Gillettes.

On the vintage college stuff... I just sold an old Felt pennant from Temple U. for more than $40. It had moth holes and everything.

 

[Bassmaster96]

Alright guys, after reading some of your comments on stainless usa silverware, I bought some today. We'll see how it goes.

 

[centfladigger]

glad I read this today I was trying to research this Gillette I found in a house Friday, no serial numbers just pat number 3 ...also found this 1950`s-60`s? Shine Butler in the box all good looks unused. Found quite a bit in this house.

 

[Koffee]

There is some great information in here. Here are a few I look for that I did not remember seeing.

1. High End Vintage women shoes - These are great because this it is an underrated Item at estate sales. Also the return on these items is almost always better then 15:1 and these are usually easy pickings and can be grabbed fast without spending large amounts of time picking. ebay

2. Cigar and Pipe stuff is also a nice find and you run into this stuff quite a bit at thrift stores. ebay

3. Vintage hockey stuff which mentions the names of the old divisions before the change to the current system. ebay

4. Boxes of mason jars (you do not need the tops) - This may be local as I live in an area that does a lot of canning. I sell these on Craigslist.

5. Metal Tonka Toys. ebay

6. 80s items from TV and Movies are starting to become very hot and easily attainable. ebay

7. Motorcycle leathers mostly chaps and pants as for some reason they are much cheaper then jackets and the return rate is almost 3x what you can do on a jacket. Also jackets seem to be seasonal while chaps and pants are year round. ebay

Thanks again for all the useful information.

Cheers - Koffee

 

[tennessee digger]

Thanks so much for all of the information, I have learned a LOT from all of you. Here is my tips. Look for "Life is Good" and Abercrombie and Fitch caps/hats. I find them at yard sales and the Goodwill ($1.99) and they always sell good and are easy to ship. Also 1950's era lamps, the uglier the better.

 

[Butter Hat]

I really just look for fountain pens for personal use. Well, that and food service china, ditto. But now you've got me thinking!

 

[tennessee digger]

Most of you already know this tip but if you go to ebay, go to advanced search, then go to sold items only. This will give you a realistic look at the prices that items are selling for. If you see an item listed at say $19.99 starting price and you look at what the actual price on an item bought then you will have a little insight into buying and selling.

 

[Bassmaster96]

Well guys, I've got a set of monopoly items with some hotels and houses. They look pretty old, but I can't sell them. Any tips?

 

[Ursus]

Well guys, I've got a set of monopoly items with some hotels and houses. They look pretty old, but I can't sell them. Any tips?

Are they unique or special tokens, or are they the standard ones that come with the average game? People buy them generally because they lost tokens to a special edition or they want a more individual piece that sets them apart when they are playing.

 

[Eagle101]

I have been doing real good buying ink printer cartridges. I usually pay .10-$1 per box at yard sales and sell them for $8-$25. I bought 14 last Saturday yard sailing for $12 and 3 of them I have on ebay(and they will sell)for $20-$25. So just something for everyone to look for.

 

[Bassmaster96]

I don't think that they are special edition or anything, but you can tell that they are old. I think some of these were the discontinued pieces.

 

[Eagle101]

Oh I forgot to add I bought 5 HP cartridges a week ago for 10 cents each. So 50 cents total. I sold them as a lot on Ebay yesterday for $29.25

 

[Tallone]

I don't think that they are special edition or anything, but you can tell that they are old. I think some of these were the discontinued pieces.

My wife bought a very early (1930s I think) Monopoly game at auction a week ago. The token set had a couple of pieces I had never seen before that I thought might be worth something. A little eBay research indicated that Monopoly tokens (even very old ones) aren't worth much. Very disappointing.

 

[Bassmaster96]

Well, I saw where someone said they really sold well. I guess it is just the special edition ones. What about scrabble games? I bought one that was from 1989 I think, and it looks to be right at new. I can't sell it for nothing either.

 

[nathan104]

For the scrabble games, the wooden tiles are really the only thing you can get something for as people use them to spell things out and frame them. There are special editions of scrabble that are VERY nice with wooden frame board with drawers, etc that sell real well.Old monopoly games were a disappointment to me as well. I picked up a very early 1930's complete game with all the original pieces(all wooden houses and hotels game piece) thinking Id struck gold and come to find out, its not. There is a special edition of monopoly with gold game pieces in a wooden case with drawers that is high dollar.

 

[Bassmaster96]

Okay well, the box and everything were in great shape on that scrabble game. I may just end up re yardsaling it.

 

[OldSowBreath]

I have been doing real good buying ink printer cartridges. I usually pay .10-$1 per box at yard sales and sell them for $8-$25. I bought 14 last Saturday yard sailing for $12 and 3 of them I have on ebay(and they will sell)for $20-$25. So just something for everyone to look for.

I would point out that they need to be unopened in their original box. Are you finding any problem in selling them if they have an old expiration date?

 

[Eagle101]

No problem at all. I put the expiration date in the description + item description. I stay away from cartridges that are over 1 year expired. I have sold 100+ of them on ebay without 1 return or complaint. They are easy money as they usually sell within a week after I list them.

 

[Eagle101]

I buy + sell them unopened in original box or unopened in foil/plastic wrap also...