Antique Mall Hunting

[Beansballcardblog]

The antique malls I've been in are typically severely overpriced.

[Sean]

I've noticed that they seem to base their prices on what they believe the card would grade at, but usually they're wildly optimistic.

[GrayGhost]

ive found some things at good prices, but yes mostly way overpriced

[packs]

One time I saw a can of Plow Boy tobacco at an antique mall and almost bought it, but they wanted $100 and I wasn't sure what the return would be.

[frankbmd]

Originally Posted by packs

One time I saw a can of Plow Boy tobacco at an antique mall and almost bought it, but they wanted $100 and I wasn't sure what the return would be.

Lung cancer

[btcarfagno]

Last year I obtained a group of four pre war cards at an antique center here in NJ. I got:

T205 Wheat (poor condition)
Harrington's Frisch (fair condition)
Harrington's McGraw (fair condition)
T206 Fred Clarke (good-very good condition)

Wasn't a tremendous bargain but enough so that I picked them up.

Tom C

[obcbobd]

I hit the Antique Malls in New England quite often. I also go to the Brimfield Antique show. As others have said almost always way over priced. I've seen boxes of 88 Topps, cards all messed up, creased etc. for $1 a card. Reprint Goudeys for $50 each. 74 Topps commons in VG for $5. 1966 Topps commons in VG for $1, not too bad, but $1 was written on the back of each card. I've made a few pick ups: T206 beater under $5, 66 Sand Koufax, creased $4.

I've had more luck at Flea Markets and Yard Sales.

It is fun to look, even if 90% of the time I find nothing.

thanks

Bob

[Leon]

Originally Posted by packs

One time I saw a can of Plow Boy tobacco at an antique mall and almost bought it, but they wanted $100 and I wasn't sure what the return would be.

The ROI would have probably been about <-$50> negative 50 bucks.

It seems like, to non collectors, a hundred year old baseball card has to be worth at least a hundred bucks, right?

[bnorth]

I like to look around at antique shops/malls but rarely buy anything because everything is insanely overpriced. I did get lucky in a antique mall out in Newport Oregon last fall and picked up a Brent Morel Corvallis Knights bobblehead for $5. It was from when he was called up to the White Sox. He was the first Knight to make it to the Majors.

[drcy]

I remember when a board member and I went to an antique store and he got a steal on a 1930s football jersey, because it was being sold as a fencing uniform, no doubt due to the crotch strap. He came up to me and said "What is this?" I said "a football jersey." He said "Okay, that's what I thought."

[midmo]

Strange you mention St Louis. Two years ago I found a badly miscut (and pin holed) T206 HOF in a stack of cards in a case at an antique mall in St Louis. I know I'm in the minority, but I've never really cared for T206's and almost left it there. I ended up taking a chance and bought it for around $50. Sold it last year for $550. They're few and far between, but you never know.

[Luke]

Originally Posted by midmo

Strange you mention St Louis. Two years ago I found a badly miscut (and pin holed) T206 HOF in a stack of cards in a case at an antique mall in St Louis. I know I'm in the minority, but I've never really cared for T206's and almost left it there. I ended up taking a chance and bought it for around $50. Sold it last year for $550. They're few and far between, but you never know.

What player and back was it? If it wasn't a Cobb, it must have been a rare back.

[slidekellyslide]

Persistence is the key. Sure you strike out a lot, but occasionally you get lucky. I've found lots of great stuff in antique malls. Just recently I picked up a Dick Groat Hartland for $25. Yes, it's the c1960 vintage one. Although it's been years since I've seen a single pre-WW1 card in a mall, about 7 or 8 years ago I ran across a bunch of Obaks at a local mall, I took some pics and shared them here because I really know next to nothing about that set. Some members here implored me to go back, but they were gone.

[midmo]

Originally Posted by Luke

What player and back was it? If it wasn't a Cobb, it must have been a rare back.

Addie Joss: http://loveofthegameauctions.com/190...c-lot9190.aspx

[ls7plus]

Originally Posted by wvu_class_of_2001

The antique malls I've been in are typically severely overpriced.

That's been precisely my experience--when you don't know what it's worth, price it sky-high and hope one of P.T. Barnum's guys (a sucker's born every minute!) takes care of you!

May your collecting bring joy and as little frustration as possible,

Larry

[TheNightmanCometh]

So, for those of you on the West Coast, particularly California, any good finds when shopping around the antique malls?

I would imagine the best finds would be on the East Coast and Mid-West, because you know, the history of baseball and all that.

[doug.goodman]

One of the rockstars that I travel around with loves antique malls, so we frequently stop on our travels across this continent, and others.

9 out of 10 have little of anything that interests me, baseball wise, beside the already mentioned 89 Score cards, and vg/ex Topps / Bowman cards priced at mint from the the peak market. But, every so often, I find a bunch of old Police Gazette's some with full pages of baseball at $5 an issue, or a stack of programs, with some scored for $2 each, etc.

I've posted this before, but I love to show it off. My best score was a game with a really cool box at a flea market at a park in Tokyo (or maybe Osaka) for 1000 yen, which at that time was $10. All the pieces were included, too.

It a little less than 2 feet square. Sorry for the fuzzy pix.

Doug

[RaidonCollects]

Mall finds do happen! In the very few antique stores I visit every year there are usually a couple baseball items. I've found a couple dozen 1950's Topps/Bowman cards and a couple years back I found a really nice late 19th century Allen & Ginter tin.

Hopefully one day I will find a T206 Wagner but I will settle for a Plank!

-Owen

[Orioles1954]

My best antique mall find was in Reno. Score a T213-1 Engle and 1952 Topps Thomson high number from the same seller for a total of $50. I think the Engle later graded a 3 or 4 from SGC.