How to appraise it yourself.Using the Internet or the Antique Store
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Using Ebay
Look at the SOLD listings on eBay. First search for your item on ebay.com, then click the box that says SOLD (on the left hand side when using a computer). You can sort them out by price and see where you think yours falls in comparison to condition etc. Auctions with multiple bids reflect the more practical results rather than buy-it-now sales. You will usually need to reduce the price 25% or more when selling locally because local buyers will not pay full national price.
Facebook Marketplace & Craigslist
Check trending asking prices by looking up the asking price for your furniture or baseball glove etc. on Facebook Marketplace & Craigslist. Start by finding your item, sort the results out by price and see where yours falls in comparison to condition. As an example do you see 10 dining tables about the same desirability or quality as yours? They don't have to be the same exact one, just a good comparison.
Most people price theirs too high, so yours might be worth 25% less than the average listing value when comparing yours with others. If you decide to sell your item, offer it at a competitive price compared to others if you want it sold fast.
Most people price theirs too high, so yours might be worth 25% less than the average listing value when comparing yours with others. If you decide to sell your item, offer it at a competitive price compared to others if you want it sold fast.
Your Local Antique Store
Go to your local antique store and ask them what their willing to pay for your box of antique glass or Hummel statues etc. Then decide to accept the offer and bid farewell or deal with the headache of selling it yourself. If you decide to sell the items yourself, you now have your first offer to use as a minimum. You can sell it yourself and ask more than the antique store offered you. If you don't encounter any interest in your stuff, that might indicate you should consider donating it.
Don't ask the antique store what your items are worth, it's ambiguous. When you ask for a cash offer instead, it get's you the price that a real person would pay right now. In fact, when I do antique appraisals, my clients ask for the "cash offer" appraisal most often.
Don't ask the antique store what your items are worth, it's ambiguous. When you ask for a cash offer instead, it get's you the price that a real person would pay right now. In fact, when I do antique appraisals, my clients ask for the "cash offer" appraisal most often.
Google, Bing etc.
Google.com and Bing.com search sites are not designed to look up values. But they still can have links to information for that rare item you have and may reference some current or past sales results.
TIP: After doing your search, click the images tab. That will render ONLY images of what your looking for and could make the search 10 times easier.
TIP: After doing your search, click the images tab. That will render ONLY images of what your looking for and could make the search 10 times easier.
For valuable items
Additional free resources for historical values are below, they my require email sign up.
Heritage Auctions - World's Largest Collectibles Auctioneer
https://www.ha.com
Christie’s is a world-leading art and luxury business
https://www.christies.com/en
Sotheby's Fine Art, Jewels, Watches, Wine Auctions & Sales
https://www.sothebys.com/en
Heritage Auctions - World's Largest Collectibles Auctioneer
https://www.ha.com
Christie’s is a world-leading art and luxury business
https://www.christies.com/en
Sotheby's Fine Art, Jewels, Watches, Wine Auctions & Sales
https://www.sothebys.com/en
