How do you guys find all the GOOD STUFF?

[Republicaninmass]

I've said it for years

Your best source of new material, is your competition


Make friends with your ebay 'enemies' and nemesi (sp?)

Always do your best to try to make it a two way street, and although it can be frustrating, it usually works out in the long run for both parties. This is of utmost importance!

Unfortunately two members I have used this mentality with have taken it upon themselves to 'forget' deals go both ways and they are no longer buyers or traders for my items. It might sound petty, but I have made many more contacts and vastly enlarged my circles using my aforentiomed mentality since they went awry. It was a blessing in disguise to have them out of my circle.

[D. Broughman]

Get to know auctioneers they will give you heads up on great items in advance and you can research them.

[eastonfalcon19]

I wouldn't say my stuff is "Good Stuff" but I find most of my items at flea markets and yard sales. Most of the time though it's a lot of junk but if you look hard enough you will find some nice items.

[Jewish-collector]

Networking is not really applicable anymore. Since everyone in competing, collectors don't tell other collectors, even their friends, anymore.

Honestly, you need to have a lot of disposable income and need to be aware of the large antique sports auction houses like Morphys, Hakes, Jullians, etc,... and/or go to a lot of the major sports collectibles shows. Plus, going to antique shops and antique shows doesn't hurt.

Unfortunately, I'm a poor slob, so I can't get anything good.

[Rob D.]

Originally Posted by Jewish-collector

Networking is not really applicable anymore. Since everyone in competing, collectors don't tell other collectors, even their friends, anymore.

100 percent untrue.

[Scott Garner]

Originally Posted by Rob D.

100 percent untrue.

+1

[HRBAKER]

If you are a niche collector and have certain areas of emphasis and you make that be known often times people will alert you to the existence of and whereabouts of items they feel you may be interested in. A great deal of my best items and nearly half of what I buy now comes in non-auction transactions where a seller may have contacted me directly or through someone else.

Networking is absolutely effective and key.

[Republicaninmass]

Originally Posted by Jewish-collector

Networking is not really applicable anymore. Since everyone in competing, collectors don't tell other collectors, even their friends, anymore.

This mentality will build a good collection, but networking will bring it from to to great. Don't be short sighted!

[slidekellyslide]

Picked up at the antique show today for a grand total of $45. Some of these items I got because of networking. There are at least 10 dealers that set up at every show that save sports memorabilia for me when they get it.

[murphusa]

And that's how you build a collection. A little at a time and then you take that pennant or nodder and sell or trade it for something that's fits your collection. That way you and your trader will always be on the lookout for each other.

Or you can be like eastonfalcon19' every week he post what he has found. He gets up every Sunday morning I'm guessing at 3 or 4 and goes out and finds it. It works

[slidekellyslide]

Originally Posted by murphusa

And that's how you build a collection. A little at a time and then you take that pennant or nodder and sell or trade it for something that's fits your collection. That way you and your trader will always be on the lookout for each other.

Or you can be like eastonfalcon19' every week he post what he has found. He gets up every Sunday morning I'm guessing at 3 or 4 and goes out and finds it. It works

Exactly...none of this stuff above really fits my collection. Knowledge is power, know your stuff over a broad range and it's amazing what you can put together.

Two weeks ago I was at a local estate auction and picked up the scrapbook of a former Major Leaguer. It had real photo postcards of Brooklyn Superbas, a 1913 World Series ticket and other great stuff. I got it for next to nothing because I was the only one there that knew its true value. And once again networking came through for me, I knew this scrapbook was there because the auctioneer called me.

You should also be persistent like Eastonfalcon...you WILL find treasure in the wild if you stick to it. My best find ever was a Tris Speaker game used bat.

Now I have to go get myself ready. A local auction starts at noon with over 35 team signed footballs of the Nebraska Cornhuskers (no jokes please).

[vintagesportscollector]

Originally Posted by Republicaninmass

I've said it for years

Your best source of new material, is your competition


Make friends with your ebay 'enemies' and nemesi (sp?)

Always do your best to try to make it a two way street, and although it can be frustrating, it usually works out in the long run for both parties. This is of utmost importance!

My collecting focus these days is rather narrow and there are is only a small handful of 'competitors' I see frequently bidding on the same stuff I do on ebay. Sometimes I win, sometimes I lose..about 50/50. Often I actually don't mind losing because it makes me feel good to see others interested in the same items I am. I try to imagine how they are displaying their items and if my collecting 'doppelgänger' is out there. Problem is I know them by their ebay 'encrypted' ** ID, but I don't know who they are.

I would like to contact them to discuss our common interest, but I don't think I have any means through ebay. Any suggestion on how I can find out who they are?

[Jewish-collector]

If you know for sure they consigned something or won something in an auction house, you could ask the auction house to send your letter/email to them. Then it's up to them to respond or not. Works only for an auction house, not ebay.