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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[Get-the-point]

Buying artifacts takes a trained eye. I have spoken to many collectors across the country with regards to collecting and purchasing and they all replied the same way. They all loved hunting but there are pieces out there that they love but would never find them in there area and sometimes in order to get that piece they would have to purchase it to have it in there collection. Then there are those going for the museum style collection from all over. That was me ten yrs ago before the theft of my collection. I use to purchase collections from all across the US. Going for the grand museum style collection that one day i could exhibit to the public. Held many different points, some of my favorites were Cody points, Clovis, Folsom, hernandos, agate basins, and perkiomen blades and orient fishtails from my area. I had a passion for it, hunting daily and building some nice displays. I don't care who you are photo log all of your artifacts. Because that theft of my collection took the hunt out of me. I do still try to get out and hunt but i don't buy anymore.
Reap is spot on with the pricing. That is what i would expect to pay. If the Celt and bone handle were papered they would fetch about $25 to $50 more..........

 

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[GatorBoy]

Thank you and... I'm sorry to hear that... words fail me on that one.

 

[GatorBoy]

I just read through this thread again... I have to say this definitely backed up my personal dislike of buying and selling artifacts.
Those little dollar amounts attached to such important and non replaceable evidence of the history of our own Humanity... look like a very sad commentary of our culture. " people would pay more for a pair of sneakers."
I'm not saying I dislike people who buy and sell artifacts... we're way beyond that.. I guess I just don't like certain things looked at as short term potential profit..." the devil is in the details"
I also believe that is exactly why the laws in our country regarding artifact collecting are the way they are now...... I'll go hug a tree now... or maybe there's a whale that needs saving... thank you for all the replies.

 

[rock]

Sorry yours werent worth more. I know mine arent worth allot either. But that doesnt stop me from hunting them because they are worth more to me than $ amount. And if you count the hours it takes me to find one whole artifact even if I did try to sell my personal collection I would be in the hole in value. But needless to say they arent for sale. No insult was intended on your personal finds by any of us I am sure.

 

[GatorBoy]

Don't be sorry... I don't care what dollars they're worth. In a perfect world they would be worth 0.
That would be the best thing that ever happened to my hobby.
My point was.... how ridiculous a dollar sign next to them looks to me.

 

[NC field hunter]

I have talked to an auctioneer that specializes in Native American artifacts. It's been years since we last spoke, but I do remember him mentioning universities sending guys out to bid on artifacts. He said if universities are interested in a collection, it's likely to be high dollar bids, and definite authentic pieces on the block. I can't remember that dudes name for the life of me. He also appraised artifacts and had heard my dad and I had some nice stuff. For awhile he was a regular in our factory. I guess he figured out no matter how much cheese he ate, the artifacts weren't for sale. Lol!! Great guy though, really knew what he was looking at while holding a piece. I'm glad you added this thread. I need to find that guy. I have some things I need a knowledgable eye put on. Pics on here just can't do the job for a couple of things that I have. By the way, not in any way am I trying to discard Reaper's value on your Celt. However, it seems like a low value considering where this Celt was found. What did he say, $50.00? That's why I don't even try to find out the $$ involved. I had to move my display out of my business due to word of mouth. People were coming in literally on a daily basis to look, study, buy, sell, ask my advice on this or that. None of which I could help. Well, the ones that just came in to look, I guess they got some insight out of me. The others, burdens. In a nutshell... They are priceless. $50.00 offer on that Celt, you better be ready to fight me. Lol!

 

[GatorBoy]

Good post NC.

 

[NC field hunter]

Buying artifacts takes a trained eye. I have spoken to many collectors across the country with regards to collecting and purchasing and they all replied the same way. They all loved hunting but there are pieces out there that they love but would never find them in there area and sometimes in order to get that piece they would have to purchase it to have it in there collection. Then there are those going for the museum style collection from all over. That was me ten yrs ago before the theft of my collection. I use to purchase collections from all across the US. Going for the grand museum style collection that one day i could exhibit to the public. Held many different points, some of my favorites were Cody points, Clovis, Folsom, hernandos, agate basins, and perkiomen blades and orient fishtails from my area. I had a passion for it, hunting daily and building some nice displays. I don't care who you are photo log all of your artifacts. Because that theft of my collection took the hunt out of me. I do still try to get out and hunt but i don't buy anymore.
Reap is spot on with the pricing. That is what i would expect to pay. If the Celt and bone handle were papered they would fetch about $25 to $50 more..........

Sorry about the theft. When you say a collection, do you mean a frame or literally everything? That would send me out for blood. I had a nice grooved axe, native elbow pipe and some points stolen from me. I allowed them to display my stuff at my elementary school. (Actually my dads pipe, and my uncle's axe) when the display was handed back, the significant pieces were not there. I have, in recent years, found out who has my artifacts over their fire place. I doubt I ever confront my old TEACHER. But I have had a taste of what you have. It does make you feel as if you are in bad company. I hope some of your stuff is recovered. Keep an eye on the net. That is, if you have no clue who got them.

 

[trevmma]

im not for putting a price on artifact objects , thats what is going to kill our hobby, we did not make them nor did we put time in to find the flint . what they should only be worth is the fun we get by seeing them. putting a price on them is is disrespect. the buyer's should be the only one bidding a price ,and just for his wanting . people that put these prices on these objects are just shortening our future in getting our permissions took from land owners and goverment . .if we never started putting prices on them our hobby would not be in jeopordy.

 

[GatorBoy]

You got that right!
Hope your feeling better Trev.

 

[NC field hunter]

im not for putting a price on artifact objects , thats what is going to kill our hobby, we did not make them nor did we put time in to find the flint . what they should only be worth is the fun we get by seeing them. putting a price on them is is disrespect. the buyer's should be the only one bidding a price ,and just for his wanting . people that put these prices on these objects are just shortening our future in getting our permissions took from land owners and goverment . .if we never started putting prices on them our hobby would not be in jeopordy.

I totally agree with you Trev. Not just because you could kick my @$$ either. Lol! The bad thing is, it's far too late. I know people that only buy and sell, never hunt. In my eyes, they are a mystery. Why would a person even have the desire to own great artifacts if they are numb to the feeling of picking a piece up, knowing that human hands haven't held it for thousands of years? It's a high unlike any other. Perhaps that's the legal crack down, getting high on preserving native culture. Lol! Well worded Trev, well worded!

 

[donb0078]

Woot! go girl , love it!...'bout killed me staying home with the high winds today didn't want to get impaled, place I had planned has a lot of un-kept trees

 

[GatorBoy]

Huh?

 

[donb0078]

She said she was calling off work to go...sounds like a plan!

 

[GatorBoy]

Ahhh..

 

[Brandiwine]

Unfortunately, I have this problem. It's a mixture of pride and a work ethic. Couldn't bring myself to call off. High winds here too but hurricane sandy helped get rid if any weak limbs/trees. Since The snow storm causes by Sandy we've cut about 100-125 trees/large Limbs out of the fields. Good thing I love chain saws.

 

[Get-the-point]

NC that was my whole collection, they cleaned out 3...3tier display cases, and every frame on the wall which there was 23 of them. Not to mention my girls jewelry my big desktop computer at that time and few other items. Basically came home to a empty house with furniture. The worst part is this was before digital cameras were popular. It happened a little over 10yrs ago. So I had no pictures of any of them. Just a notebook where they were found and type of point or stone artifact, and catalogue number on the points, and if it was part of a collection I purchased they went on the wall with the location that I got from the seller.

 

[Get-the-point]

To each his own. You want to become worldy and understand artifacts you must go out of your area. I love finding artifacts. Yes it is a high especially with my ritual saying everytime I find one, but to think that a person who wants to purchase a Clovis point or a point they would never find, or a person who saw a beautiful lost lake but lives In California and would never find one, is what is wrong....you are wrong. It is the person who plunders sites like the round up in Florida, it is the person digging up graves, going into preserved National Parks, its plundering of the caves in the Utah badlands, or the person digging up mounds even on private land. You can hunt a field and river....you touch any of the above you are a criminal, and the greatest threat to preservation of Native American history. Those are stationary sites, and can be studied due to untouched conditions. What we all get to find is the cut up field and washed out artifacts on the river. The dwellings also hold great history and although I'm a bigot for complimenting what is found, someone could stumble on the next Meadowcroft site capable of re-writing native American history. If they dug it up it is worthless to the books. So to put it on the collector is wrong, put it on the criminal that is destroying these great sites and then you will figure out why the laws are being placed. Yes it is people buying these that allow criminals to have a market for there plunder, but there are collections out there that nobody wants anything to do with them so they sell or auction them. This is how a collector gets that artifact he has been wanting but never could find.

 

[bravowhiskey]

NC that was my whole collection, they cleaned out 3...3tier display cases, and every frame on the wall which there was 23 of them. Not to mention my girls jewelry my big desktop computer at that time and few other items. Basically came home to a empty house with furniture. The worst part is this was before digital cameras were popular. It happened a little over 10yrs ago. So I had no pictures of any of them. Just a notebook where they were found and type of point or stone artifact, and catalogue number on the points, and if it was part of a collection I purchased they went on the wall with the location that I got from the seller.

That is the suckiest thing I've heard in a long time.

A damned thief is one of the scummiest bottom feeders on this planet.

 

[Get-the-point]

That is the suckiest thing I've heard in a long time.

A damned thief is one of the scummiest bottom feeders on this planet.

Yup that one put tears in my eyes. I don't know exactly what day it happened I was away on a trip. The day I got back though I saw almost 20yrs collecting and thousands of hours hunting gone. It really took it out of me and I've only been out sporadic since. The frames I have are what I have now. Its not much and only maybe a tenth of what I use to own but they are photographed now, so I keep looking for any part of my collection on eBay and other sites. I have not seen them all this time which lead me to believe they are sitting in a collection somewhere.....