what would you say they are worth?

[GatorBoy]

I've not given much time or thought into how many little paper rectangles someone would be willing to trade for any of my priceless to me artifacts.
I'm no archaeologist but feel much more akin to one than a vendor that's for sure.
Just as an experiment as to what appeals more to who.. I would like to post a few items and ask what any of you thought a fair market value would be.
This is strickly opinion so I have zero bias one way or the other... please toss out a number.

#1 hardstone celt 5" in length, flawless bit on this one. No damage.







#2... 3" Newman nipple tip..2" in width no damage thorough flaking on both sides ..the viens of light gray and blue display nicely.

 

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[GatorBoy]

#3. .. a 3 5/8" Florida Cypress Creek point. No damage... thin... Made of white chert.

 

[GatorBoy]

#4..... 2 5/8" agatized coral Marion.
Clearly visible polyps on this one. This point is made of raw agatized coral..very thin and translucent honey color.

 

[GatorBoy]

#5 this is a rare heavy duty bone blade handle made from the upper femur of a white tailed deer.

 

[Brandiwine]

If any one of those were in my collection...only an obscene amount of money would make me part with them. Even then, it would probably have to benefit my children or solve some major problem in my life for me to even contemplate that decision.
I can't begin to speculate on the real value artifacts like those would bring in...but I like the object of the post. I've only ran into one "hunter" strictly looking for one reason - to make a buck. I had to imagine "nice" things - like him finding a fake thunderbird or slicing his hand on a piece of slate or "red dawg", maybe falling in the creek and so on...in order to not basically rip him a new a$$hole as I wasn't prepared with the 40cal that day...

p.s red dog was a alternative to gravel and free for the mining companies to use for roads in WV - it's nothing but burned slate from refuse/dump piles. It would combust when exposed to too much sunlight. Back in the day piles would burn for years on end and coal camps reeked of the smell. The process has since been banned and slate refuse is handled differently - they just throw it in a pond and leech the chemicals in water instead of the air. Good times. In a state that's constantly been raped of its natural resources there's a good change the grounds been disturbed. In my area, finding areas where earth has been moved is common place and therefore changes the scope of hunting...thankfully red dog is a tell tell sign of a mining operation. A piece of WV history for ya...btw, no charge. I threw it in for free).

 

[GatorBoy]

If any one of those were in my collection...only an obscene amount of money would make me part with them. Even then, it would probably have to benefit my children or solve some major problem in my life for me to even contemplate that decision.
I can't begin to speculate on the real value artifacts like those would bring in...but I like the object of the post. I've only ran into one "hunter" strictly looking for one reason - to make a buck. I had to imagine "nice" things - like him finding a fake thunderbird or slicing his hand on a piece of slate or "red dawg", maybe falling in the creek and so on...in order to not basically rip him a new a$$hole as I wasn't prepared with the 40cal that day...

p.s red dog was a alternative to gravel and free for the mining companies to use for roads in WV - it's nothing but burned slate from refuse/dump piles. It would combust when exposed to too much sunlight. Back in the day piles would burn for years on end and coal camps reeked of the smell. The process has since been banned and slate refuse is handled differently - they just throw it in a pond and leech the chemicals in water instead of the air. Good times. In a state that's constantly been raped of its natural resources there's a good change the grounds been disturbed. In my area, finding areas where earth has been moved is common place and therefore changes the scope of hunting...thankfully red dog is a tell tell sign of a mining operation. A piece of WV history for ya...btw, no charge. I threw it in for free).

I love it! ... are you female? If so.. will you Marry me? LOL.. Thank you so much for your reply.

 

[Brandiwine]

And I said that before the coral or bone handle - it would take both kids college tuitions for me to sell. And grad school included - a girl can dream can't she? Not of the money...that both of my kids will finish grad school and not major in beer drinking like their mother did...

 

[rock]

The Handle if you could prove it is what you think it is......would be worth the most. I saw a Celt in a antique store last week found local to my area for $50 and it was a nice one and real. Your Coral points could be worth quite a bit if they had real nice color like red or blue and or yellow. Pale colors are ok but not the best as in value. I hope this helps you

 

[GatorBoy]

And I said that before the coral or bone handle - it would take both kids college tuitions for me to sell. And grad school included - a girl can dream can't she? Not of the money...that both of my kids will finish grad school and not major in beer drinking like their mother did...

That's it! Where have you been my whole life??

 

[GatorBoy]

The Handle if you could prove it is what you think it is......would be worth the most. I saw a Celt in a antique store last week found local to my area for $50 and it was a nice one and real. Your Coral points could be worth quite a bit if they had real nice color like red or blue and or yellow. Pale colors are ok but not the best as in value. I hope this helps you

OK thanks Rock

 

[Brandiwine]

Haha...yes married. If I weren't I would totally use this forum for online dating...lol. In fact, its my anniversary today - I so love beer that I chose to get married on Saint Patty's day.

All though I did almost cross the line and tried to get out of dinner and a movie with the family to go hunting today...

As soon as I mentioned it 2 kids and a husband gave me the death glare and my son says "the house is filled with rocks, I'm tired of going to the farm to watch you bend over and complain your back hurts, get dressed and lets go". He's 6. So I had a shot of Jameson to kill the edge of not hunting on a perfect rainy day...after a plowing by god and took my happy a$$ to the movies. I'm so calling into work tomorrow.

 

[GatorBoy]

 

[The Grim Reaper]

#1 Celt - Very nice Celt and probably in the $75 to $100 range. At auction, probably a little less. I have seen some killer Celts go for $35 to $50 at auctions. For some reason they just don't bring a lot of money.

#2 Newman - $35 to $50 Nice Point, but I believe a common Florida type.

#3 Cypress Creek - $50 to $75 Nice big Point, but material brings down the price

#4 Marion - $50 to $75 Not the best looking Point, but the great material will get a better price. If common material about a $30 Point

#5 Bone Handle - $100 to $150 Rare Bone Handle in great shape and might actually bring more at auction to the right collector.

These are all just what I would be willing pay and they could for more or less depending on how badly someone wanted them.

Great looking pieces though Gatorboy.

 

[GatorBoy]

Thank you very much for the well written reply... I do have one question.. does the price you would pay at auction.. reflect a difference that you would expect to make a profit on in the retail market?

 

[rock]

Ive never done a auction setting before. I feel they just dont sell very well that way unless you have a nice quality piece and have many interested in it. Otherwise you just wont get close to the value of your artifact.

 

[GatorBoy]

The word auction.. just brings up the thought of wholesale to me... like the buyers would try to buy low then sell high. In most cases auction and retail are two different animals.. unless of course there's a bidding war.

 

[The Grim Reaper]

If you get the right collectors at an auction that are interested in certain items then prices can really skyrocket quickly. I have seen things go for prices way beyond what I thought they were worth or what they would go for just because a couple of people really wanted them. I once saw two Serrated Triangles that were around 4 inches long go for $810 which was about double what I thought they were worth. I know the guy that bought them and he admitted he paid way to much for them and would have to keep them because he would never get his money back on them.

I have also seen pieces go for a lot less than what they were worth because people just weren't interested. I once got a box with several nice Hematite pieces in it really cheap because the people there were more interested in Flint than Hardstone.

 

[rock]

I like to buy from antique stores cause you can usually haggle the prices more. Most of what you see in those stores are asking prices. You just have to have a good eye and make sure they are real. Reproductions are every where.

 

[GatorBoy]

I'm learning a lot here guys. I've never bought a single artifact. I doubt that I ever will... but I don't like being clueless about anything so this is a good learning experience for me.
With the highs and lows at auctions it sounds like it should give you a pretty good average baseline to work with.

 

[rock]

I find when you pull a artifact with your own hands from the ground they are worth more than any amount of $. At least that is how I feel. I do buy once in a while but it isnt the same. Just wanted to add that. Thanks, rock