Last month we went high-tech with a visit to cyberspace. This time I’m going to take you about as low tech as you can go – where every man has gone before – the garage. Yep, that’s right. Shandar is going on the garage sale circuit. And what an adventure I had!
Doing garage sales takes hard work, dedication and skill. Skill in the sense that have to be on your toes to beat crafty dealers and savvy collectors to the bargains and treasures while remaining calm, cool and collected. (No pun intended!)
You can probably guess what I like least about garage sales. Being one who is neither early to bed nor early to rise, this assignment came as a bit of a rude awakening. Yes, getting up at 5:30 a.m. to go out treasure hunting isn’t exactly my cup of tea!
My Marilyn Monroe Barbie
bargain
On my first day of garage hopping, I quickly learned the do’s and dont’s of being a professional garage sale connoisseur. When I arrived at the sale, I spotted a Marilyn Monroe Barbie doll. Thinking I would play it cool, I picked it up (knowing it was a treasure) and inquired about the price.
The lady holding the sale quoted me $10. I knew that when the doll was produced it cost nearly $100. Having been advised by my father to always haggle, and then walk away when your offer is refused, I followed his sage advice. As I began to walk away after having my $7 offer sniffed at, another woman – whose father forgot to pass along that advice – picked up my Barbie and paid the $10 asking price. To make a long story short, I followed the woman to her car, and she ended up with a $20 profit on the doll. Thanks, dad.
So my first lesson was this: If it’s a good deal, buy it. Haggling can do several things. First, it can insult the seller. Keep in mind that sellers at garage sales have probably spent months digging these items out of closets, storage rooms and yes, the garage, in exchange for probably $3 an hour when all is said and done. So, when you make an offer on an already low-priced item, you can’t blame the seller for being a little testy. Second, it can alert other potential buyers to the item in which you are interested, like the Barbie I bought.
Be discreet when checking values
in
your trusty price guides!
After returning to my car with my $30 Barbie, I reassured myself that I had made a great buy, despite the fact that in 10 seconds the price had tripled.
At the next sale, I found stacks of books and magazines strewn on the front lawn of a rather run-down house. There were dirty magazines that were clean and clean magazines that were dirty. (Be sure to include that good old hand sanitizer in your garage sale kit!)
After sorting through several stacks of books, I found a copy of Richard Nixon’s Real Peace, which stood out from the others with its bright blue cover. I couldn’t believe my eyes when it appeared to be signed by the president himself! Playing it cool, I closed the book and meekly mumbled to the seller, “How much is this book?” (Even though I was trying to act totally cool, I could barely contain my excitement!)
The man replied: “Oh, that’s autographed by Nixon! It’s a good one!” At that point I knew that any chance I had of stealing it was dashed. “I’ll let you have it for $20,” he said. Being pretty sure it was the real deal, I plunked down a $20 bill and left with the book. Sure enough, it turned out to be a genuine signature. That $20 investment is worth about $200 or so!
On my tour of duty at these garage sales, I took along several collectibles price guides. For autographs, I used the Official Autograph Collector Price Guide. It’s easy to use and, since it’s alphabetical, you can scan it quickly without attracting the attention of the seller or other scavengers looking to steal a deal away from me! For other collectibles, I relied on Kovel’s Antiques and Collectibles, which also proved quite helpful.
By the way, (and slightly off the subject), can you believe that some people actually try to sell used underwear at their garage sales? Now, if it belonged to someone famous, I could understand. But your 50-year-old overweight next-door neighbor? C’mon!
Johnny Cash Lionel Train Box Car
On my third stop I found something I knew my friend Bill Miller (co-publisher of this magazine) would love. It was a Johnny Cash model Lionel Train boxcar. It was still in the original box, and I scooped it up for a mere $5! When I showed it to Bill, he was amazed at the price. He owns three of them – one for each of his children – and had paid between $100 and $150 each. He’s a big Johnny Cash fan, so I let him have it for $99. Just kidding!
Next I stopped at a multi-family sale that was just opening up. The first table had a Partridge Family lunch box with the original Thermos. It was in nice condition, and reminded me of the one my older sister handed down to me when I was in grade school. I had to have it, and gladly paid the $10 price. I later priced it in the Collector’s Guide to TV Toys and Memorabilia (by our own Greg Davis and Bill Morgan) and found out the complete set is worth about $125!
At the same sale I bought an old Coca Cola serving tray from the 1940s. I paid $30 for it, and have been told that it’s worth $200 or more.
After two full weekends of trudging up driveways, I finally completed my mission of learning how to be a savvy garage sale hound. Here’s what I learned. First, try to arrive early, even while the sale is being set up. You’ll find this is when professional dealers usually show up. Next, keep any reference books you have close at hand – but out of sight in your purse, backpack or the trunk of your car. Carry small bills, since sellers usually don’t have change, especially early in the day. And remember – if you like an item and feel the price is fair, just buy it!
I hope you’ll go out and try the garage sale adventure yourself. A number of treasures still pop up every weekend, and you could be on the receiving end of a great deal!
Until next time, keep collecting – and keep those letters coming!
Courtesy of Pop Culture Collecting Magazine
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