Welcome. Since you clicked this link, it’s safe to say you want to make money buying or selling antiques. Lucky for you, this article aims to give you the best possible options.
Antiques are unique, rare items with enduring value. When you discover an antique in your family home, the first thought that comes to mind might be, what will I do with this? A better question might be, what will I do with it?
If you have ever asked yourself this question, there is money to be made in antiques. For many people, antiques are the inspiration they need to make adjustments in lifestyle or business.
Are you interested in making money with antiques? I want to show you things anyone can do to start making money with antiques.
1. Sell Antiques at Auctions
How will you make a profit from a treasure trove of antiques? Auction them. Selling your antiques at auctions is the oldest and most efficient method to make money with antiques. There are several auctions available in most countries for this purpose.
Selling at auctions can make you a lot of money if you have the right audience. The auction is where you will get the best price for your antiques. Auctions operate on a simple bidding system – interested parties register for the auction and then bid on items they want to buy until the auction closes. The highest bidder wins the item and must pay a specified price.
Your local auction house can give you a guide to how much your items have been selling in the past. In general, good-quality antiques should always demand a high price.
Antique auctions provide a valuable source of income for the antiques collector and dealer. It’s hard work and requires considerable effort and skill, but with experience, you can do it.
2. Sell Antiques on eBay
Establishing a presence on eBay is the first step to selling antiques online. It’s free to list items so you can browse to your heart’s delight without having to spend a dime. If you’re buying antiques on eBay, then you’re already more than halfway towards making money from antiques.
Why? Well, because eBay is such a large marketplace that if you’re looking for something specific on there, more than likely it’s on there. Once you’ve decided to list on eBay, make sure you make a professional-looking listing so people can judge you based on your antiques and not just your words.
Include the age of your antiques, the condition of the items, and the price. So if you want to sell antiques for real money, you’d better get started now. It can take a lot of work to list your items, but if you’re consistent, it pays off.
SEE: How to sell online – a beginner’s guide
3. Become an Antique Appraiser
Untold thousands of beautiful antique pieces are bought and sold every day. While most collectors are content to collect for pleasure, others have made ‘discovering antiques’ a full-time occupation, both professional and avocational. What many don’t realize is that there’s a lucrative secondary market in the appraisal of antiques.
If you find antiques and other vintage items irresistible and want to make a living from your passion, consider becoming an antique appraiser. Appraising old items involves producing a written report on the value of any given object after studying make, model, material, and other variables.
Work as an independent consultant—evaluating the authenticity, age, and monetary value of antiques. You can also work for an antique dealership or auction house.
The reality is that antique appraisals, like other professions, take a great deal of knowledge, experience, and practice to become proficient. The only way to learn is to teach yourself by taking courses, practicing and working in real estate, and applying what you have learned.
4. Go For Unrestored Antiques
If you want to make money with antiques, don’t look to restore. Since antiques are meant to be preserved, an untouched piece will prove more valuable in the long run. Antique lovers won’t want to change much about an antique at all. So it’s best not to tamper with the item, just move it into a new home.
Repairs or modifications done with tools that were not yet available when the antique was manufactured can indicate whether or not an item has been restored. Furthermore, you’ll know a piece has been repaired if the replacement parts used to restore it do not match the originals.
When it comes to restorations, the eyes may miss them. That’s why it’s crucial to speak with a professional. Also, do your homework before making a purchase, so you’ll know what to look for in terms of specific aspects and signals while inspecting a product.
A treasure needs no glitz. An antique is antique not because of the gilding, but because of its age. Don’t feel obliged to bring an old piece back to its original state just because you think that’s what your prospective buyer wants.
5. Invest in Antiques
Antiques are among the most profitable investments you can make because, unlike stocks, bonds, gold, silver, or land, antiques are pretty much recession-proof. Collecting vintage objects is a creative way to make money.
Trends come and go, but collectibles are forever, making them an excellent option for any income investor or antique enthusiast. The beauty of collecting antiques is that it doesn’t require you to have a large sum of cash to start.
Whether you’re just beginning your investment journey or ready to graduate from stocks, antiques can be a lucrative source of income that lets you have fun while pursuing financial freedom.
SEE: Best investment apps for beginners
6. Sell to Collectors
There are people with money to spare who dote on antiques and collect them as hobbies. Some of these collectors might be interested in some antiques you may have.
Collectors are always looking for things that are extremely rare or one-of-a-kind items. If you have an antique, chances are there is someone who wants to buy it from you. You can sell antiques to collectors by contacting antique dealers, auction houses, car shows, flea markets, estate sales, and fairs.
Collectors are always willing to pay more than other people are willing to pay. To sell to them, you have to know who they are, where they collect, what they collect, how to reach them, and how to present your offerings.
7. Organize a Vintage Fashion Show
Host a vintage-style fashion show to display finery from different eras. Actor or jury member stations could be arranged on the catwalk. A fashionable show, in which all of the models are dressed in vintage clothes, is fun to organize and when done well is guaranteed to be popular with visitors.
The show should be introduced with a short patter, explaining how the clothes were made, why they are special and what details to look out for. It doesn’t matter if the items may need 30 buttons or 50 if it means that you can identify an era.
While viewing the catwalk, invite people to write on the back of an envelope their thoughts on why this clothing is special. Designers can buy garments at charity shops or vintage fairs and create an original collection to display.
You can charge admission to the event and ask people to vote for their favorite outfit. The winner will be presented with a prize like a holiday in Paris. If you like this idea, why not pitch it to a local paper or magazine?
SEE: How to Make Money with Garage Sale
Best Antiques to Sell
1. Original Paintings
Paintings found in attics and thrift shops vary widely in quality, but some are extremely rare and worth pursuing. Look for original art that has concepts that people enjoy rather than acrylic projects. Think of paintings of horses, portraits of celebrities, and picturesque landscapes.
Paintings with signatures and those in beautiful frames can add significant value, so pay close attention to these details when evaluating an item. However, even if a painting is only worth a few hundred dollars, it can be sold for several thousand if it is in excellent condition and in high demand.
SEE: How to make money with art
2. Old Clocks
Even then normal modern clocks are worth money. Rare antique clocks can be worth $100,000 or more. Decorators and antique collectors love clocks that evoke a particular era or decorating styles, such as Art Deco or Mid-Century Modern.
Prior to donating an old clock or passing one up at the thrift store, spend some time learning how to identify antique clocks. Who knows? That watch could turn out to be quite valuable later on.
3. Ceramics and silverware
Particularly valuable silverware is often marked with inscriptions showing the maker, age, and location. While most cutlery isn’t very trendy right now, some are. Silver can also be sold per weight to make some extra cash.
In addition, valuable ceramics usually have a distinct mark on the base that allows you to explore their history online. These potteries are worth seeking out.
4. Old Cameras and Lenses
From the time when the film was rolled into reusable canisters, old cameras and lenses can bring in a surprising amount of cash. Even something that seems worthless to you could be an antique camera.
Depending on the condition, certain vintage cameras and lenses can fetch well over a grand. Brass lenses have a high monetary value, with many excellent examples fetching about $2,000 on the open market.
5. Vinyl records
It may surprise you to learn that vinyl records can be a worthwhile area of collecting, as well as being a popular avenue for those interested in making money from antiques. Vinyl records are back in style, and younger audiophiles are appreciating their fuller sound.
You can make money buying vinyl records to resell, or you can even use them in your collection. A single rare piece can cost more than $1000, so if you have any rare vinyl records you might think about selling them.
FAQs
What are antiques and collectibles?
Antiques are typically old collectibles ranging in age from hundreds of years old to, at most, a few hundred years old. Collectibles are any objects, such as stamps, spoons, or dolls, that you value because of their beauty, rarity, or other qualities.
How old does an item have to be to be considered antique?
The definition of an antique, according to the dictionary, is something very old (usually, at least 100 years) or ancient, especially of high quality. Therefore an item can be considered an antique if it meets either the age or the quality requirement.
Some items are very old but are not of high quality, so these are not considered antiques. An item can also be considered an antique if it is more than 100 years old, but again only if it meets the quality requirement.
Final Thoughts
Antiques are famous for their power to inspire people. If you know what you’re doing, you can make good deals by buying antiques, restoring them, and then selling them at a profit. This article had highlighted ways that you can make money with antiques.
I hope you enjoyed reading this post. Do you have lots of stuff in your house and you would like to make money by selling them? You do not need to stress yourself about getting a location. You can sell them right in your garage.
But what are the best items to sell? See the article on best items that sell well at garage sales. Since most people interested in antiques love art and crafts, you can make money with it as an antique seller. See the article on best places to sell craft online for more information.
Lastly, have you heard of yard sales too? It’s also an opportunity to make money by selling antiques. If you fancy this, see the article on how to have a successful yard sale and make money on old items.
If you’re looking for more ways to make money either online or offline, Tosinajy has something to offer. Feel free to explore the blog and find something that interests you.
Thanks for reading.
