Sale of the week July 9-15, 2023

My best sale of the week – and my only sale of the week – was this challenge coin from the US Navy’s Naval Ordnance Test Unit, Cape Canaveral (does Trident sub and ballistic missile testing and support) for $59 plus shipping that was firmly in my favorite niche of obscure military items. https://www.ebay.com/itm/275804030162

https://www.ebay.com/itm/266104493912

Nike ACG Goadome Trail Hiking Boots Men’s Size 8 Black Sneakers 90s Vintage

I paid $20 for these at goodwill. I had no comps to go off of, but I knew they were special. Sold for $120 on offer.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/266299654979

Spin Master Spy Gear Video Walkie Talkies Lot of 2 model 15215

These are pretty cool. I would give them to my kids, but they would just break/lose them and…well…$50. Sorry kids!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/266293744441

Yo Kai Watch Mixed Lot Watches Medals Figures Case

My kids loved Yo Kai Watch some years back. I bought the whole lot for $5 and listed it as-is. Nice profit!

In other news, I sold 6 pair of the hoarder shoes for $1400. I’m not too happy about it though. I found a pair that was simply too good to be true this weekend and had it authenticated. They said they were fake. The pair that set off my alarms was a Louis Vitton Nike Jordan crossover that was just released in the last 2 years. They are incredibly nice fakes. The details are extremely subtle. Even fake, I bet this guy paid a mint for them. I was actually pissed off when the authenticity check came back as I had already went through the online fake/real guides and compared mine to sold listings photos as well.

I’ve had to do a deep dive on some pairs and found a few more suspected fakes. I still have only opened about 40% of what I have, but there are plenty real ones in there too. For instance just this morning I opened a Burberry box that has the shipping packing slip with the guy’s name/address from Nieman Marcus. They are sandals, they look awesome. They have to be real….but are they?

I’ve met again with the people selling the stuff and they’ll make it right with me. They’ll refund me for any shoes that are fake. I also got more to the story on the person these came from. The older shoes are real. I’m going to assume anything fairly recently new and new in box is fake until proven otherwise.

So back to the ones I’ve sold. They’re gone on the way to the buyers. Not much I can do but wait to see if I get hit with returns. I don’t have any way to go back and check them. I’ve pulled down 2 listings that I suspect are fake. I don’t want to be in the business of selling fakes.

This has complicated things and stressed me out.  You know what they say – if it’s too good to be true…it probably is. At the least I’ll still make money and it will be a tremendous learning opportunity. And at least I can get my money back on the stuff that is no good.

The clothes I have considerable more experience with. I’ve handled a TON of ralph lauren clothing new and used, current and vintage. There have been multiple pieces that were bought from discount stores such as TJ maxx. I’ve personally bought designer Ralph lauren stuff at TJ Maxx or Marshall’s and flipped for $150+.  The clothes in general are older than many of the shoes. – much of it from the 2000’s and 2010’s.  The clothes maybe were in a ‘flush with cash’ era, and the shoes that were bought in the last few years of declining health, but still wanting to have the good stuff.

The guy who owns the house things are being moved to in my neighborhood said if I wanted he would bring me to the hoarder apartment to determine if the fakes are isolated or wide spread. I don’t know if I want to. I just need some time to slow down and reassess.