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I have an old [fill
in the blank]. Can you tell me what it's worth?
Answer: Well, it's almost definitely
worth something! I once attended an auction
in which the contents of an old country store
in Michigan that closed in the 1970s were made
available to the public in 1996. There were
packs of gum that received inquiries and bids
from as far away as California. One single stick
went for more than $200. Knowledge Nugget
#1: Everything is collected by someone out there.
Therefore, you can probably find a buyer for
what you're selling, as there is probably a
market. For the very collectible, there are
even price guides that have been published.
This is true of comic books, toys & games,
"Remember Pearl Harbor" collectibles,
Depression Glass, Hummels, militaria, stamps,
coins, and many, many other items. If the item
you're selling is listed in one of these guides,
think of it as just that, a "guide"
(and they're usually updated annually). Don't
expect to get that price. In fact, you probably
won't. Knowledge Nugget #2: Something is
really only worth what someone else is willing
to pay for it. If you're asking $200
for something because a guide says it's worth
that, but someone will only give you $100, well
the item is only really worth $100 (or if you
don't want to sell it to the highest bidder,
it's worth more to you than it is to any potential
buyer). So, how might you know a more "authentic"
value for your item? I suggest you spend some
time searching eBay. Search for items similar
to the one you have. Watch them and see what
they go for. Also, in the search field you can
specify that you want to search only for completed
items. Currently eBay allows you to search 90
days of completed items. You may be surprised
at the level of consistency a certain item auctioned
for. Knowledge Nugget #3: Condition is Everything!
It doesn't matter what the item, it will
sell for more the better the condition it's
in. A quick search of eBay's completed items
(in 2006) shows that a copy of Amazing Fantasy
#15 (first appearance of Spider-Man in 1962)
with part of the cover torn away sold for $980.
A copy in much better condition sold for just
under $5,000 the same week. When selling, always
be honest about an item's condition, and list
all flaws. This will help eliminate any potential
problems between buyer and seller. That's all
I know, good luck!
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