Any good Memorial Day Garage/Flea Market Finds ?

[cubsguy1969]

I've posted before on my tag sale/estate sale obsession. I live on Long Island and go out just about every weekend, plus many weekdays, bouncing from sale to sale. This area's an amazing place for estate sales. Lots of rich homes, lots of old homes, and close proximity to New York City, so you can find really cool stuff in these old houses.
Yesterday, I bought a Franklin D. Roosevelt signed letter from when he was governor of New York. It wasn't cheap, but I couldn't pass it up. Really neat to hold something like that in your hands.

Last week, I really scored. I know nothing about wine, but took a chance on a bottle I found in a wine closet in the basement at an estate sale. It was dated 1959, so I thought it might be worth a shot. The woman running the sale wanted 20 bucks. I walked around and debated, but eventually bought the bottle. Turns out it was a 1959 Chateau Lafite Rothschild, which is considered one of the best wines ever produced. (I had no idea; blind luck.) Anyway, bottles typically sell for 2 to 3 grand. I've already found an online site that said they'd take it on consignment. Kinda cool. Not a bad return on a $20 investment.

[aelefson]

Hi-
I too am a flea market/antique shop junkie, and I found several items this morning. I found three T205s (commons in rough shape), three Diamond matchbook covers (including Bottomley and a red bordered one), 2 1915 Fordham University Football team photos, a couple of early baseballs, and a Kren's special fungo bat. Plus a bunch of other items. The best thing is, everything I got was very low priced.
For those who say they never find anything at flea markets, I say you just need to put in additional effort. You need to go to a flea market every week, talk to every dealer (nicely), and constantly remind them what you are looking for. Most importantly, you need to get to a flea market as early as possible (I got to the one I frequent at 5:20 this morning, and that was a little later than I wanted to be). I frequently ask dealers as they setup if they have either boy scout items (one of my collections) or early sports items. Invariably, if they do have it, and you are the first to inquire about something, they will set it aside for you so you can move on to the next dealer.
Very rarely do I come home empty handed from a flea market. However, it is also very rare when I absolutley "steal" something (get an item for a dollar and sell it for a thousand). All that being said I enjoy finding something for my collection that I would have paid 20 or 30 dollars for 1 dollar.
Yours in collecting,
Alan Elefson
aelefson@hotmail.com

[GrayGhost]

I am on an extremely low budget, but once and a while find stuff at antique and flea markets too in my area. To me, its always a blast, plus I love to "people watch" and have got to personally know a lot of dealers at the big market pretty close to where I live. Flea mkts and group shops are GREAT!

[t206wagner]

Not that it is vintage, but I did pick up what I think is a game used Tony Armas bat for 50 cents.

[chris6net]

In the early nineties I had a female co-worker whose hobby was going to garage/estate sales on weekends up to 20 in a day. I told her to pick me up anything baseball related especially cards that she came across. After about 5-7 years of getting some nice stuff she could only find Shiny Stuff. I then had her stop getting me any items post 1970. I recently had a conversation with her and she told me the whole garage sale market has totally changed as everybody that has anything they percieve to be old either has some sort of a price guide or they want an exhorbitant amount. I think the days of getting any great finds are over. CN

[buymycards]

Dan,
I am about 8 hours from Nebraska, but it might be worth the trip.

Rick

[slidekellyslide]

Originally Posted by buymycards

Dan,
I am about 8 hours from Nebraska, but it might be worth the trip.

Rick

I'd feel bad if you came all that way for nothing. Almost all of the older topps cards are commons...there are probably some good bats, but I'm not fond of listing and shipping bats...the rest of the stuff *I* consider junk...like RC cans, starting lineups et cetera....although there are probably some good books in the lot.