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Steven Schultz. I believe the brass owl is a handle for a fireplace tool, I’ve seen similar ones used for that purpose. Thank You for posting these videos each week, it is always educational and fun to see what you sell and for how much
Monthly numbers for April: 04/1 – 04/30
Total listings: 1562
Items sold: 61
Sales: $1,691.15
Highest price sold: $290.00 Set of vehicle service manuals
Average price sold: $27.72
Cost of items sold: $215.41 / average cost: 3.53 each
Spent on new inventory: $66.00
Number of items listed: 81I had a few periods of 2-3 days with no sales at all in April, but it was made up by one very good sale for $290 and three others for over $100 (two were for vintage pencil lots). I’ve been trying to list more and buy less inventory but I think that is about to end as there are three city-wide sales coming up very close to where I live, one of them in a city that hasn’t done one before.
Monthly numbers: 03/1 – 03/31
Total listings: 1536
Items sold: 37
Sales: $780.20
Highest price sold: $84 – Tilley Cap
Average price sold: $21.09
Cost of items sold: $115.42 / average cost: 3.12 each
Spent on new inventory: $34.00
Number of items listed: 103
I had a lot of “no sale” days in March and my numbers reflect that as I didn’t make my monthly goal of at least $1000. At least I finally made it to over 1500 listings. My highest price sold, a Tilley Cap, was a nice find at an estate sale for $5. At the time, I had no idea about Tilley but I purchased it due to the look and that it was made in Canada. It turned out to be a discontinued style and I sold it at my asking price of $84.
Monthly numbers: 02/1 – 01/28
Total listings: 1472
Items sold: 53
Sales: $1,047.34
Highest price sold: $125 – Two 1955 Marksman’s Plaques (2 sales/same buyer)
Average price sold: $19.76
Cost of items sold: $126.72 / average cost: 2.39 each
Spent on new inventory: $7.00
Number of items listed: 51
Sales seem to be slowing down, but a few high-value sales let me break my monthly y $1000 goal. So far, March has been very slow, almost halfway through the month and I’m only at about $350 in sales.
Monthly numbers: 01/1 – 01/31
Total listings: 1480
Items sold: 49
Sales: $1,033.52
Highest price sold: $118 – Tiki Mug
Average price sold: $21.09
Cost of items sold: $92.49 / average cost: 1.89 each
Spent on new inventory: $370.00
Number of items listed: 56The Tiki Mug I sold was from a Tiki Bar in Oakland, California that burnt down in 1967. Being a rare mug It would have gone for much more but it had a chip. I thought I was doing pretty good on not buying much new inventory, but then I ended up going to a sale last weekend of paper ephemera. I was lucky to be in the first group in the door so I got some vintage Disneyland brochures and some old tool catalogs among a large number of other items that should make a nice return and be very easy to ship.
Monthly numbers: 12/1 – 12/31
Active listings: 1464
Items sold: 58
Sales: $1,406.88
Highest price sold: $125 – New Sealed Sony Walkman
Average price sold: $24.25
Cost of items sold: $207.78 / average cost: each $3.58
Spent on new inventory: $25.00
Number of items listed: 56December was the best month I’ve had in several years. The Sony Walkman was a nice discovery at a neighborhood sale for only $1. Another good sale was a book on the history of a shipyard in France for $100 which cost me only $4.
J&R, I like hearing about your scavenging adventures. Every night after dinner, I take a short half-hour walk around my local neighborhood. Two nights ago, I came across this small storage cabinet. Not sure what the resale value would be, but I plan to keep it to store my eBay smalls in. It should be great for postcards, patches, stickers, and such. On the same walk, I found a huge box of wrapped-up glassware, haven’t had a chance to look through it yet, but near the top I found some Wedgwood Jasper ware, so hoping there may be some even better stuff in it.
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@lukastreasuretrove I have a very similar Tiki Mug as your Trader Vic mug, except mine is marked “Aloha 78” on the back and has many chips on the top and bottom. At least I now know where it may of come from.
Monthly numbers: 11/1 – 11/30
Active listings: 1480
Items sold: 51
Sales: $1,229.80
Highest price sold: $120 – Woodworking Plane
Average price sold: $24.11
Cost of items sold: $240.45 / average cost: each $4.71
Spent on new inventory: $7.00
Number of items listed: 62
I hope everybody will have a very joyful holidays.
Monthly numbers: 10/1 – 10/31
Active listings: 1460
Items sold: 47
Sales: $983.72 (not counting profit/loss from shipping)
Highest price sold: $135 – Griswold #8 Cast Iron Long Griddle
Average price sold: $20.93
Cost of items sold: $83.48 / average cost: each $1.78
Spent on new inventory: $347.00
Number of items listed: 68
For October, my favorite sales were to 2 different buyers for vintage Tang Jars at $28.50 each, I had purchased 3 of them at a neighborhood sale for a grand total of $1. I researched old advertisements to determine that they dated between 1959 when Tang was first available to the public and 1963 when the back of the label was changed. Interesting fact, the creator of Tang, William Mitchell, also invented Pop Rocks and Cool Whip.
Now back to listing and research.
I sold an empty Tang jar for $28.95.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/204105013976
I looked at old advertisements to figure out that it dated to 1963 or before. Tang started in 1959.
Monthly numbers: 09/1 – 09/30
Active listings: 1435
Items sold: 43
Sales: $853.20
Highest price sold: $79.95 – 1901 Willis Planimeter (measuring instrument)
Average price sold: $19.84
Cost of items sold: $97.82 / average cost: each $2.27
Spent on new inventory: $258.00
Number of items listed: 35
When I went to list today (wed Oct 05) I found I had been opted into the new listing tool. It took me a while to figure it out, but now I’m getting used to it. Just another improvement that eBay has made that wasn’t needed. I think the main reason for it is to make the desktop and mobile listing tools the same.
My favorite sales for September were an Atari stoneware coffee mug that sold for $60 which I purchased years ago for $2.75 and a pair of roller skates for $50 which I found for free on one of my after dinner walks.
Many years ago, I road my bicycle from Boston to Washington D.C. The only problem I had during the trip, except for flats, was when at a campground in New Jersey somebody stole my bike pump.
Monthly numbers: 08/1 – 08/31
Active listings: 1442
Items sold: 39
Sales: $691.99
Highest price sold: $65.00 1952 Shooting Award Wall Plaque
Average price sold: $17.73
Cost of items sold: $84.64 / average cost: each $2.17
Spent on new inventory: $229.00
Number of items listed: 81Good to have you both back R&J. Seems like the best laid plans to have a day off and relax are always interrupted by unforeseen demanding events. At least you now have a new sewer pipe that should last for many many years to come (or should I say to go).
August was another slow month for me, but Sept. is looking much better for sales
, I just hope they keep up.Steve, I was surprised to see a poster from the Phoenix Theater. I have gone to many a show there and still do occasionally. It is a great little theater that even has skate ramps up front near the stage for the kids in between bands. Seeing the printer’s type drawer reminded me that I have a few of those to list and ship. I’m going to head over to my local U-Haul and purchase a couple of their mirror mailing boxes (about $7 each) so I’ll be prepared to ship them when they sell.
