Shopping For Collectible Antiques You Should Know

Have you ever considered collectible antiques? It's not only a fun way to spend your time but they are also fun to find. You have to be careful however, many of these antiques turn out to be a great investment while others may fall short and end up costing more than they are worth. Some things to consider before spending your money on what you might think is a great buy. The condition of the item is very important. Also consider the availability of the item. A good place to start is ebay. Is there very many being advertised and more importantly are they actually selling?

As mentioned earlier the condition of the item is extremely important and determines the selling price. There are standards set for most items. Damaged items, a chipped bowl or scratched and dented items will of course not demand the same price as an item in mint condition.

The above is not always true for certain items. An item may be damaged but if it is rare and very hard to find it may still be worth a great deal. An old baseball card from the past, even if not in perfect condition may demand a lot more than another card if it is not easily obtained. Basically collectible antiques are the same as any other items. The price is normally determined by supply and demand. The less there are then the higher the price.

So what should you do if you decide to deal in collectible antiques? It could be you want to collect them for yourself or buy to sell at a profit. Finding them is no problem. Surprisingly a good place to start is goodwill. Not the stores themselves but online at http://www.shopgoodwill.com/

Goodwill picks the best of the litter so to speak and now holds their own auctions. Go to the store nowadays and you'll be lucky to find anything of any real value. Right now is a good time to view the auctions because not to many people know about them but as it gets more popular even finding good deals through them will be harder and harder.

Another source is the good old garage sale. Paintings worth millions have been picked up for a few dollars because the owner found it in the attic or closet and didn't realize what they had. Wouldn't it be great to find one of these great deals? Spend a day or two scouting these sales, you just might be the next garage sale millionaire.

Another thing you should do, especially in the beginning is choose a niche. It's easier to learn everything about one particular line than to spread yourself so thin you know nothing about anything. Jewelry for instance, you could learn to spot items by design or the material used. Starting with one line of product makes it easier to do your research and spot the bargains. Pretty soon you'll be efficient at what you do and may even be considered an expert by others.

For instance items like rings, amulets and lockets can have a unique design that can raise their value significantly. Gold will almost always be worth more than silver which will most always be worth more than bronze. Again this is not always true. It's possible for a bronze trinket to bring a high price if it's found to be one of a kind or has great historic value. These are the things that you learn with research and experience.

A lot of collectible antiques will be sold with a certificate of authority, which is always nice to have. Whenever possible request this form, it not only ads value but also qualifies the purchase and if you decide to resell it's a great bargaining tool. You should of course verify the certificate. There are always unscrupulous people out there that may provide a fake just to sell the item. Go online and see if certificates were actually issued, if all else fails seek out an expert especially if there's a considerable amount of money involved.

In conclusion when buying or selling collectible antiques the overall condition and the source are both things that you should consider. The design and characteristics can make a difference in the price. Availability, if it's hard to find it's you should consider checking it out, do the research and possible purchase. By following these guidelines when looking at antiques it will definitely increase your chances of making a great investment.

Doug Sheridan is involved in numerous online ventures. He supplies information to help people make wise, educated decisions.