Last weekend I had the pleasure of travelling to Hartland, Ohio to the Hartville Marketplace and Flea Market. Together with Hartville Marketplace, we threw a “Rusty Treasures” event, inviting people from the area to bring in any items or collectibles they might want appraised. It was essentially an Antiques Road Show event, but in this case, I was the appraising expert.
Watching everyone come in with their different items, I realized that no matter how much you make or where you come from, there’s a very good chance that you have something in your own home, or even in your parents home, that has an unexpectedly high value.
Some of the highlights of my recent trip was seeing a signed, original photo of Orville Wright flying his first plane ever. I also saw an authentic Confederate Officer’s sword, a collection art deco, Warhol-esque paper dresses and a tin toy plane that I estimated to be worth about $2,500. Everyone had their own unique and interesting story of how they came into their item – most of them not paying a dime. Imagine finding out that a vase or statue you’ve had sitting in the corner is actually worth several hundred, or even several thousand dollars. Your reaction would most likely match the one I received most often this weekend: “I can’t believe how much this is worth!”
Experiences like this weekend do nothing but reinforce my mantra to never give up looking in your home, your parent’s home, garage sales or any other great treasure-hunting venue to find that one item that could be worth a great deal of money. If you would like to have a similar event, please feel free to contact me. Whether you have a church, a marketplace, or would like to put on a fun fundraiser, I’d love to help you put on a successful treasure-hunting event.
Good luck and happy hunting!
Aaron
To learn more about Aaron LaPedis, visit www.thegaragesalemillionaire.com or contact him at [email protected].