Yard Sale Prospecting
 

Hello GIM Prospecting Society!

Didn't see a thread for this so here goes:

Does anyone go around to different yard/garage sales and prospect for
anything like;

Old Silver Coins
Gold Scrap
Sterling AG
Bars (maybe)
???

I have tried 3 so far. At one I scored a Morgan.
The other, I almost scored a sac of 90% quarters, at another, till the people said they wanted to find out from a "dealer" there were no numismatics.
Last one came up dry.

Please share any thoughts, tips, whatever else:ok:
AGRO-

Re: Yard Sale Prospecting
 

Been thinking of doing that, as know there are a lot of others that post here with experience in it. Sometimes they post unique findings, like one person posted a pic of a sterling silver beer mug they found at a garage sale. Think they sold it on ebay for a lot more than they bought it for. Yard sales seem more interesting than prospecting bank rolled coins, though those coins found are pretty much free except for ones time.

Two out of Three is pretty good odds for finding metal at a garage sale. Congrats on the morgan find. Too bad about the 90 percent, doubt they will find many numis and the dealer may buy them for about what you might have paid for them.

Re: Yard Sale Prospecting
 

Thanks I was really pissed about that!

I offered them a very good price, over face, they actually were neighbors of the people at the sale and overheard my asking, for old coins.

Left them my # sure I'll never hear back.

Yeah, the Morgan is 1888 I think, the thing was black when I got it! Too worn to be a numi, but I shined it up and now serves as a nice Morgan "round"!

Re: Yard Sale Prospecting
 

I figure people may have luck at these "sales" because you are at the persons home,
and if they are not selling it already, may be happy to get rid of an "old bag of coins",
they just haven't had the time to cash in yet.

Re: Yard Sale Prospecting
 

It seems that you have had more luck in one day than I have had in many years. That's typical: we only hear from the ones who found something.

I once found two nice little dressers, exactly what I wanted at the time. That was the best I ever did.

Re: Yard Sale Prospecting
 

Well seems like at the time that was a "good find" for you!

I've called a few and have had no luck. People post them in the Sunday paper often, so i figured it might be a new angle.

Re: Yard Sale Prospecting
 

A few years ago we had a neighborhood yard sale and in the early hours of the first one, a guy comes by asking about any gold, silver, watches, jewelry for sale but none to be found so he leaves in a hurry.

Last summer we had another sale and the same guy comes by with the same requests and leaves in the same manner. It must be worth his while but he must hit a bunch of sales with no results before he hits one with something of value.

Re: Yard Sale Prospecting
 

Does anyone have a rough Idea of what I can sell plain old non - silver IKE dollars for?
I will be assisting some family with an upcoming yard sale, and thought I might try to sell a bunch before returning them to the bank.

1.10 -1.20- 1.25? or maybe nothing!!
Thanks!
AGRO-

Re: Yard Sale Prospecting
 

If you had more than a hundred, I might pay you 80 centc apiece to pay for my time and gas to get them to a bank and convert them into green paper fiat.

Re: Yard Sale Prospecting
 

Wow, you pay more than the bank and they don't have to drive there? I don't see why he didn't jump on that! :rofl:

(just kidding...I'm sure you offered him 9x face like an honest dealer would).

Re: Yard Sale Prospecting
 

HAHAHA! Wow you would do that for me? Really! How bou' I'll drive them to you!

Sadly there are people that will pay mor than a buck for them, maybe not much, but it's all profit...

Look at this -- Somebody is paying more than face for crap. Look it even
says Great deal!:4_1_72:

I guess I forgot to mention- People or Sheeple:sheep: are STUPID!

Re: Yard Sale Prospecting
 

ive sold them on ebay for over face value.....once you factor in shipping and the fees i came out a little ahead....the larger lots did better then the smaller ones.

Re: Yard Sale Prospecting
 

I wish I had the time for yard sale prospecting. I know people who make good FRNs doing this and selling on eBay. Not just PMs/Numis, but everyday and collectible items.

Re: Yard Sale Prospecting
 

Sitting on 100, waiting at one of my branches all in good condition.
I know they can sell for more than a buck- PURE profit is PURE profit.
Even if it is only 20 sheets of green paper!

Re: Yard Sale Prospecting
 

This just goes to show ALWAYS stop at a yard sale.

One of my neighbors was moving last week and I fully intended and did, stop over to ask for coins.

I was AN HOUR LATE!!!

What I missed out on was an 18"x18" "heavy" box of 90% coins from the late 1800's up to 1940-50

Needless to say I was kicking myself! Apparently the gentlemen who beat me to the coins stopped at the house at first sight of sale. Oh well.
Try it out sometime - you just never know.

Re: Yard Sale Prospecting
 

OUCH that hurts :4_1_72:

Re: Yard Sale Prospecting
 

YEAH!!

I was soooo f-ing PISSED!!

Take it as a lesson learned, when you even smell a yard sale, BE the first one THERE!

Re: Yard Sale Prospecting
 

damn, did you even ask about what he bought them for? or would that have just made it all that more painful.

Re: Yard Sale Prospecting
 

YES. I did exactly that. The response i got was "he knew exactl what they were worth" from the wife piece.

It made it better for me cause' if she said 50 FRN's I would have FLIPPED OUT.

Re: Yard Sale Prospecting
 

I've asked in the past and one yard sale looked promising, but they werent ready to wheel and deal right there on the spot. I gave the lady my work # and she never called...oh well.

We are having our own this weekend, and I told my girlfriend to tell her mom (she is helping us) that we do NOT have any coins for sale under any circumstance. If I am gone, they are not to say wait til he gets back. We dont have any...the answer is no....nada....END OF STORY.

While I am sure most people asking are like us, I am not taking any chances that someone is scoping out homes for possible hits later on. Call me paranoid, but I have no desire to potentially paint a target on my back.

(sorry kind of digressed a bit there but it's something I take seriously)

Re: Yard Sale Prospecting
 

NO PROBLEM,
Good idea. if you are not moving or selling a lot then why advertise your "stash"
absolutely no need.

Come o think of it, i have many "aqcuaintences" that I run into and when & if we get to the topic of "finance" I am very wary of who i even give the slightest tidbit to, that I "might" (if it wasn't lost in the ole' feight train crash of '97) still have some PM's.

Re: Yard Sale Prospecting
 

about 25 years ago i was selling some stuff when i got out of college
and sold a carved copper table top, about 30" across, from some
Asian country, for $25.

:banghead:
:banghead:
:banghead:

:banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead: :banghead:
:banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead: :banghead:
:banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead: :banghead:
:banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead:

one bang-head for every dollar i sold it for.

i think that was at the San Jose Flea Market, a larger market that covers about a square mile.

an antique it was.
:banghead:

anyway, as long as there are uneducated sellers like i was then, there will be INCREDIBLE bargains.

i guess part of the trick is not acting too surprised when you run across something like that.

of course, i also saw why some of the things are such good bargains. i had a booth & had parked my car and was walking around enjoying some of the classically crappy flea market coffee, smelling the overly-sweet smells from the bakeries that make those sugar-coated Mexican pastries they sell at flea markets.

i was way away from my own spot, near some of the permanent stalls, when i saw this van pull up and some guy puts a box of Blaupunkts, etc. on the ground. all of a sudden it's like a catfish feeding frenzy, he's got this group of guys around him offering $5 or $10 for real nice car stereos that have a mysterious absence of packaging.

anyway, i conclude that i witnessed the "supply chain" for stolen stereos.

the guy was out of there in 3 minutes. and all the car stereo purchasers vanished into the flea market.

so if you're at a flea market and see a working premium car stereo for $40 ...

Re: Yard Sale Prospecting
 

Mountain Man is the master in this venue....

Re: Yard Sale Prospecting
 

I have never did any Yard Sale prospecting for any silver. I may have to try it sometime.

Re: Yard Sale Prospecting
 

The problem for me with yard sales, is that people are opening them in the middle of the week (Weds/Thurs) and anything good is gone quick. The typical Saturday yard sale is completely picked over and worthless.

Re: Yard Sale Prospecting
 

was out fairly early friday morning and stopped on my way to the post office. small pile of jewelry at a yard sale -- nothing much but a narrow 18K broken necklace. got it for 50 cents, their price. was 3.1gm. I'm happy but the rest of the day found nothing.

does anyone have much luck at "neighborhood yard sales," where three or four streets of sales are announced? I'm tempted to say some organizer helps price the better stuff then buys it. :banghead:

Re: Yard Sale Prospecting
 

Wow, I would have held onto that beer mug! Maybe drinking a beer out of silver mug would quench my thirst for silver..oh, the thought.

I'm actually getting thirsty just thinking about that.

What a great way to end a day of hard work. To drink a beer out of a silver beer mug. Now, THAT, is a great find!

Re: Yard Sale Prospecting
 

WOW, that is the complete opposite for me. They open usually only on the weekends. Unless it's one of those people that is always having a garage sale if you know what I mean!!!

Re: Yard Sale Prospecting
 

here is a great place for finding yard sales.... if you like the hunt yard sales are a "gold mine" for finding stuff... over the past few weeks i've found alot of gold and sterling stuff if you want to look http://gsalr.com/

Re: Yard Sale Prospecting
 

Yeah, it used to be that way around here, but people figured out they could open on a Weds evening and keep it open through late Friday and then have their weekends free. Yard sales during the week attract a lot of old people, or people working nights.

Re: Yard Sale Prospecting
 

That site looks pretty awesome. I will have to check out the trip planner associated with it. :15_1_70v:

Re: Yard Sale Prospecting
 

Just found two near me that start on Friday, both at 9am. Time to flip a coin to see who's first.

Sea ya,

M

Re: Yard Sale Prospecting
 

I have heard and posted that people looking for coins will often show up before the "sale" begins.

I LOST out BIG time on one not too long ago.

Re: Yard Sale Prospecting
 

2 Late again. (not my fault though)

Friday Afternoon I saw a sale that ended at 3pm. I figured I would stop by and ring the bell anyway at around 6pm.

A nice old lady came to the door and said she had just sold all of her German Copper Coins!:favorites21:

Oh, well. At least we know there's stuff out there!:coolbeer:

AND - Summer is just starting so plenty more sales should be popping up!

Re: Yard Sale Prospecting
 

Once I went to an estate sale where a quick email between me and the owner revealed that he had a bag full of "old silver dollars" for $5 each. I decided to call in to the office for a couple hours in the morning of the sale, drove down to the site a full half hour before the sale officially began and found the man with the coin. He pulled out a basket filled with Ikes and asked me how many I wanted. Zero I told him, because I was looking for silver dollars, not 91.67% copper 8.33% nickel clad like the Ikes. I learned a lesson that day, that most people call Eisenhower dollars "silver dollars". It's happened to me many times since then, when a teller will tell me they have a silver dollar in their till, and it's an Ike.

Also what annoys me is how the tellers tell you they have "gold coins" and they really mean 88.5% copper, 6% zinc, 3.5% manganese, & 2% nickel.

Re: Yard Sale Prospecting
 

HAHA! I can laugh at this because I raced to a bank one day on lunch that was
holding 100 "Silver dollars" for me, yes the "large ones," I REALLY thought I was hitting the jackpot. When I got there I had to agree to take all of them before they were taken out of the vault and BAM, 100 Ikes, not even a clad proof.

Did you explain to him that they are worthless?

Can't stand this either. "Oh, yeah, we have Gold coins here though."

Yard Sale Find!!!
 

Stumbled across a yard sale, and asked the old gent if he had any coins for sale. He dumps an old coffee can out on the table for me, and lo and behold, look what jumped out!!! Got them for 2x face...he set the price. I "reluctantly" agreed to the purchase price...:bear_rolleyes:

You are looking at:

1 1921 Morgan
28 Walker Halfs
16 Walker Quarters
12 Mercs

Had to give up $40.40 in FRN's...I gave him $41 and told him to not worry about the change, as I was feeling generous. He said he knew it was silver, but was just happy to see someone get it who appreciated it. Gosh I love yard salin'!!! :10_1_20::5_1_120::getdown::565::36_3_16:


<edited to correct what I paid...had it wrong>

HE SHOOTS...HE SCORES!!!

Re: Yard Sale Prospecting
 

Sweet deal Barrettone. :biggrin:

Re: Yard Sale Prospecting
 

Hit it hard again today. This is what I dug up:

Got the lot for $50. Will be putting on fleabay to turn a couple of bucks. All are silver plated, but very ornate and heavy. Should at least triple-up on 'em (thoughts?). Still got my eyes peeled for some sterling (.925). :5_1_120:

Jeff

Re: Yard Sale Prospecting
 

Nice score on the coinage Barrettone!

I hit a garage sale today that advertised foreign and US coins. Turns out the guy is friends with the people at this house, and it was a multi-family sale. I managed to pick up two BU condition Morgan Dollars and one AU condition Morgan (none of them 1921) for a $50 spot.

When I got there, I saw another guy pulling up that I had run into at a different garage sale about 6 weeks ago who I remembered as someone who hands out homemade business cards and asks for sterling, scrap gold, copper, and silver coins. So when I got to the sale, I didnt even look at the other stuff and headed straight for the coins. I looked over what he had, and then asked for more 90% or silver dollars. The other guy eventually came up and asked for the same before the guy had a chance to run inside. When he brought them out, I picked out what I wanted and the other guy took the rest without even asking what the prices were. All 3 of us talked a bit about scrap, sterling, copper cents, nickels, inflation, etc. It was interesting to talk to like minded people at a garage sale of all places. Now I need to go fondle my new silver dollars...

Re: Yard Sale Prospecting
 

Not too bad CoinHunter53562. I can get the Morgans from my local coin shop for $16 each, but I just can't bring myself to pay that kind of premium. I can get 3 90% Franklin halves from him for $15.75 ($5.25 each), so I have a hard time rationalizing getting 90% of 1 oz (Morgan) versus 90% of 1.5 oz (Franklin Halves), but that is just me (I'm a cheapskate I guess). It is fun going to yard sales/garage sales though. You never know what you're going to find!!!

Keep Huntin'!!!

Jeff

Re: Yard Sale Prospecting
 

Hey Jeff...yeah my coin shop does Morgans for $16 at the lowest, but they are the 1921 variety. The ones I picked up would be $20+ at the shop. I'm one of those mixed breeds...I hoard bullion and collect numismatic stuff. So today was more of a numismatic find for me. It is fun going to garage sales though and nice to find some decent coins for once. :565:

Re: Yard Sale Prospecting
 

Congrats to both you guys! :coolbeer: Good hunting! I wish I had time to go a saleing during the week, I don't even bother with Saturdays.

Re: Yard Sale Prospecting
 

Stay away from anything plated, it just doesn't sell

Re: Yard Sale Prospecting
 

I used to find coins at about 1 out of every 10-15 garage sales. One time I went looking all day and didn't find any coins for sale, so I decided to buy a gardening/canning book from an amish garage sale. The guy gave me 2 silver quarters as change.