A lot of work goes into being an estate sale professional, and appraisal and pricing is a pretty big part of the job. While learning hands-on can never be replaced with anything online, there’s no denying the Internet has been a boon to the estate sale industry. Aside from the big guns like WorthPoint, Kovel’s, and eBay, you can still find a wealth of knowledge on lesser known (and let’s face it, often less aesthetically pleasing) websites. Remember – older websites are like estate sales: it may take some digging, but there are a few gems to be found!
Facebook Groups are also useful when it comes to estate sale pricing and appraisal resources. “Closed” Facebook Groups are usually vetted (sometimes exclusive to those in the industry), but public groups can also yield valuable nuggets of information. Estate sale professionals should definitely join the Estate Sale Company Network, the largest private group of estate sale professionals on Facebook. Get in touch with a community of professionals in your field for networking and support, ask industry-related questions, including those about estate sale appraisal and pricing, share stories, and get advice from experienced pros. Plus, humor!
We’ve put together a list of resources to help you with appraisal and pricing for your next estate sale. We gathered websites for just about everything – from antiques to video games. If there’s a site you love to use that we forgot to include, share it in the comments below! Likewise, if you come across a site that’s defunct, tell us and we’ll have it removed.
Antiques
- Antiques Navigator Price Guide
- Go Antiques
- Facebook Groups:
- What is this? Antique, Vintage and Unusual Item Identification (Closed)
- Antiques Appraiser (Closed)
- Antiques & Collectables (Closed)
- Antique & Collectible ID’s and Value “What is my junk worth?” (Closed)
- Antique Identification and Value (Closed)
- Art Antique Valuations (Public)
- Let’s Talk Vintage (Closed)
- Talking Antiques (Closed)
- Vintage Finds – Rare & Unique (Closed)
- What’s it Worth ~ Antiques (Closed)
- American Pickers Association (Public)
- Pro-tip: Some museums offer public “appraisal days” – check with your local museum.
Antique Furniture
- Antique Marks
- Identifying Antique Furniture
- Kovel’s Antiques and Collectibles Price Guide
- Millers Antiques Guide
Art
- Art and Art History Information
- ArtNet
- Art Online Encyclopedia
- Art Price
- Find Art Info
- FAQs about Art
- Pro-tip: You might consider hiring an ASA or ISA certified appraiser to handle fine art or rare items.
Books
Cameras
- Antique and 19th Century Cameras
- Antique Cameras
- Classic and Collectible Cameras
- Ken Riley’s Collectible Cameras
- Worth the splurge: An up-to-date edition of McKeown’s Price Guide to Antique & Classic Cameras
Coca Cola Collectibles
Coins
- Find Your Coin
- Identifying Foreign Coins
- Professional Coin Grading Service Price Guide
- USA Coin Guide
- What’s My Coin Worth?
Comics
Dolls
- Antique Doll Search
- Doll Price
- Doll Reference
- Types:
- Facebook Groups:
- Antique Doll Collectors Corner (Closed)
- Antique Dolls by Dollsantique (Public)
Ephemera
- Magazines
- Movie Posters
- Facebook Groups
Glass
- Glass Encyclopedia Online
- Just Glass
- Types:
- Facebook Groups:
- Depression Glass – Buy, Sell and Trade (Closed)
- Depression & Vintage Glass ID (Closed)
- Vintage Glass (Closed)
- Vintage Glass Identification (Closed)
- Fenton Art Glass Collectors (Closed)
Hallmarks
Jewelry
- Antique Jewelry Online Encyclopedia
- Broadwater Rose Jewels Reference
- Jewelry Maker’s Marks List
- Researching Costume Jewelry
- Vintage Jewelry Buying Guide
- Facebook Groups:
- Pro-tip: If you have a lot of very expensive jewelry to deal with, you may consider letting an auction house handle the sale.
Just For Fun!
- Facebook Groups:
- Estate Sale Finds: The Bad and Truly Ugly (Closed)
- WTF Is This? (Closed)
Midcentury Modern
- Facebook Groups:
- Is This MCM? (Public)
- Midcentury Modern Kitsch (Closed)
Music
Pez
Porcelain
- Chinese Antique Porcelain Authentication
- Hummel Price Book
- Lladro Historical Catalog
- Facebook Groups:
Pottery
- Facebook Groups:
- Pottery Collector (Closed)
- McCoy Pottery (Public)
- Royal Haeger Pottery Collectors (Public)
Pyrex
- Identifying Really Old Pyrex
- Pyrex Love
- Pyrex Passion
- Pyrex Pattern Identification Guide
- Pyrex Promotional Patterns
- Rare and Hard to Find Pyrex Patterns
- Pyrex Patterns by Year
- Immersion learning: While (sadly!) the Pyrex Museum in Bremerton, WA, has shut down, check out this Pyrex exhibit if you’re in Corning, NY, early 2016.
Radios
- Antique Radios
- Radio Attic Price Guide
- Stone Vintage Radio
- WJoe Radio’s Radio Museum
- Book smarts: If you handle many antique or vintage radios, get a copy of the Collector’s Guide to Antique Radios: Identification and Values.
Silver
Sportsabilia
- Baseball Card Price Guides
- The Cardboard Connection
- The Real-Time Sports Card Price Guide
- Tuff Stuff’s Sports Collectors Monthly Price Guides
Stamps
- Canadian Stamp Auctions
- Stamp Collecting Resource
- Stamp Identifier
- Must-get book: The Red Book and World’s Best Price Guide
Tools
- Grandpa’s Treasure Chest
- Facebook Groups:
Video Games
- The Rarest and Most Valuable Video Games
- Used Video Games Product Values
- Video Games: Prices and Values
- Facebook Groups:
- Retro Video Game Collectors – Buy, Sell, and Trade! (Closed)
- RPG Video Game Collectors (Closed)
What are your favorite websites to use for estate sale appraisal and pricing resources? Let us know in the comments!
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