UPDATED: October 26, 2022

So maybe you’re looking around your house and seeing lots of vintage items that your grandparents left you. You have no need for these antiques but you know that they may be worth something. The question is: how much? And just where can we sell antiques?

Some places you can sell your antiques are: online, at garage sales, to collectors (if you’re in a club), or to antique shops!

In this article, we’ll guide you on where to sell your antiques, how to value your antiques or how to sell expensive antique furniture, and which antiques are the best to sell. Let’s jump right into it!

Where To Sell Your Antique/ Collectibles?

Now that you have gathered all the information that you needed, it’s time to find a way on how to sell them and look for the right buyer or collector. 

Are you techy and just want to talk to your future buyer online or do you want to sell your stuff personally so you can somehow share its value and give a little bit of information about it? Whatever your choice is, we’ve listed 4 options on where to sell your antiques and collectibles.

Selling Antiques Online 

Your first option is to sell it online. It’s easy to find interest groups where antique collectors congregate on platforms like Facebook. The Facebook marketplace is another good option – it shows you things for sale in your area. 

Although you’ll be generating interest for your item online, you’ll probably be selling to people in your area. This is because antiques can be quite bulky and the buyer will likely want to inspect the item before buying.

The advantage of selling online is that you can get set up very quickly. No need to put the antiques on display; just take a few good photos and you can be selling your antiques by the end of the day!

Garage Sale

if you’re not into online selling and worry about bogus buyers, you can simply put up a garage sale. This type of selling is recommendable for people who have lots of antiques and collectibles to sell. Once you put up the sign on your front yard, it will attract customers easily and can talk to them personally about your items.

Collectors

this type of selling can be quite complicated since collectors have high standards when buying antiques and collectibles. They want to make sure that the condition is great and you also need to agree on a certain price since they have a lot of knowledge regarding their desired items.

Antique Shops

The last option can be antique shops. Just like the collectors, they are very critical when it comes to buying antiques and collectibles. They might ask you every detail about it, sometimes they even demand a cheaper price since they are very well knowledgeable about bargaining.

Factors to consider before selling your antique/collectibles

Before posting online and selling your antique or collectibles, make sure that you know what are the factors to consider that can affect its price.

  • Rarity – is your antique rare or is it limited edition?
  • Provenance – is it authentic and or a historical item?
  • Condition – is the condition good and well preserved?
  • In demand – is your antique still in demand and are people willing to buy it even if the price has doubled?

To answer these questions, explore your antique to see if there are writings or any markings in it and try to search it online.

Sometimes, you can take a picture of it and attempt a Google reverse search. 

When it comes to antiques always remember the saying, “the older, the better.” So better check if there’s a date or year engraved to it.

What Are The Most Common Antiques/Collectibles That You Can Sell?

Now, when you say antiques, it doesn’t only mean that it’s all about furniture. It can also be collectibles such as stamps, coins, action figures, etc. If you have some of these in your attic the better check them out ‘cause they might cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars.

Coins

believe it or not, some people collect coins for a hobby. Most of these collectors even pay thousands for a coin. Of course, the price depends on its rarity and condition. If you have some coins that you want to sell, you can get it graded on Professional Coin Grading Service

Most expensive coin: 1894-S Barber sold for $1.99 million at an auction in Tampa, Florida, in 2016.

Stamps

just like the coins, stamps’ prices depend on how rare are they. Also, you need to organize and make sure that they all look good before selling them.

Most expensive stamp: “Inverted Jenny” stamp sold for  $1.6 million at an auction in 2016.

Cabinets

when it comes to cabinets, there are a lot of factors to consider. What it is made from? Does it have labels, stamps, or signature? Is it in good condition or has damage? All these factors affect the price of your antique cabinet so you must be mindful of these.

Most expensive cabinet: Badminton Cabinet sold for $28.8 million.

Pocketwatch

is the most common watch in the 16th century until wristwatches became popular. That’s why most of them are considered antique and have great value if the quality is still good.

Most expensive watch: Patek Philippe Henry Graves Supercomplication sold for $24 million at auction in 2014.

Baseball cards

these cards may seem like ordinary cards with images of players, teams, stadiums, or celebrities but some of these cards are worth of thousand dollars. So what’s the thing about these cards? 

In early 1886, cigarette packs and other tobacco products include images of baseball players in its cigarette cards. The main purpose of it is to promote the players and to also helped protect the cigarettes from damage. After some years, it became popular that it reached beyond America and into the Pacific Isles.

Most expensive baseball card: Honus Wagner Baseball Card sold for $3.12 million in 2016.

How to know the value of your antiques?

Now that you have some ideas about antiques and collectibles, you might be asking how much is my antique furniture worth? Luckily, there are online antique appraisals that you can try and other free helpful websites available on the internet and it’s now time to know what’s the value of your antique.

Heritage Auctions

Heritage Auctions is known as the third largest auction house in the world. They aim to be the world’s most trusted and efficient marketplace and information source for owners of fine art, rare collectibles, precious items, and jewels.

They aim to have a transparent transaction between the owner and collectors and to give unbiased information to all parties.

You can check their free auction appraisal for your antiques and collectibles here.

What Sells Best

What Sells Best was founded in 2008 by James Massey. It then became a trusted resource for media companies such as CBS News, Fox Business, The Guardian, etc.

They also provide news and online resources that can help you find prices of unique items. They also have free online appraisals to help new antique sellers worldwide.

Facebook Marketplace

Collect various opinions using the Facebook marketplace to get some idea on how much is your antique. You can search the same item and compare the difference and take note of the price. With this information, you can have some background knowledge about your antique.

Remember, selling your antique and collectibles should always have precautions. Why? Because selling without any knowledge about your stuff can actually haunt you for the rest of your life.

Imagine selling your vintage furniture for a cheap price because you thought that it has no value at all. But then after finishing the deal with your buyer, you’ve learned that your vintage furniture is really worth a thousand dollars because it’s a limited edition vintage furniture. It’s like throwing gold for a piece of stone.

So before selling antiques, vintage stuff, and collectible items always be mindful and do some research before taking any action. It can take a lot of time, a lot of research, a lot of questions, and energy but it’s definitely worth it when you discover the history of your stuff.

Conclusion

Selling antiques and collectibles is way different when selling brand new items. Selling antiques is like giving others the chance to know its story and origin. It’s like passing history and letting other people continue its legacy.

And that’s also the reason why antiques and collectibles have higher values than the brand new stuff. They have a unique memoir within them that no one can ever remove, antiques have stories of their past owners, some of them are even historical, some are rare, and some are made by a great artist from the past.

And as time flies and histories are made, these antiques gain more and more value. They became a symbol of change and a witness of evolution, a piece of old stuff that has seen all the worst and the best journey of humankind.