Where is the Best Place to Sell My Antiques?
Looking to get the best value for your antique or vintage item? Learn when and where to sell your antiques online and how to price your item appropriately.
For decades, antiques were heirlooms, collectibles, and potentially a source of fast cash. Programs such as "Antiques Roadshow" featured vintage items that could sell for high dollar amounts. But today, in the age of Amazon and eBay, selling antiques is trickier. You may be wondering: "Does anyone buy antiques anymore? Are my antiques worth anything?"
Short answer: Yes, and yes! You just need to know the right way to appraise your antiques and get what they're worth. Rather than trying your luck with eBay or Craigslist, read on to learn how you can sell your valuable vintage items and antiques for cash.
What is the best way to sell my antiques?
When selling an antique, it's essential to weigh the money you may receive against the challenges of selling it. Going down the wrong path could waste your time or lower the price you receive for your antique. Here are your selling options:
List it yourself on a selling platform.
If you're reasonably confident about the value of an item and/or would like to accept offers, you can list your antique for sale on an auction or e-commerce platform. Below, we'll go over the pros and cons of eBay, Etsy., and more.
Set up an independent vintage shop online.
If you have many items to sell or want to get into the business of buying and selling collectibles, you can set up your site via Shopify and WordPress/WooCommerce. TIAS and Ruby Lane are also options for a DIY antique shop. Remember that you'll have to pay a hosting fee and any applicable commission and transaction fees. This option requires a bit more upkeep that can cut into your profits.
Consign the item.
Depending on what's available in your area, you may be able to sell the antique on consignment. This means a specialty vintage/consignment shop will hold, advertise, and sell the item for you, then give you a portion of the proceeds.
Set up shop at a flea market.
If you have any antique, vintage, or collectible items, you can rent booth space at a local flea market. People are looking for unique collectors' items at these events, and often, they're willing to drop some cash. However, you will have to sit with your wares in person whenever the market is open, which can be pretty time-consuming.
Sell it to a pawn shop.
While pawn shops are designed to offer short-term loans based on an item's value, many purchase items. They'll provide you with quick. This may not be as much as you'd hoped to get, but your likelihood of selling the item increases dramatically. First, pawnshops are better able to sell antiques and collectibles, as that is their specialty. Second, pawnshop appraisers better understand antique and vintage items' value than the average online shopper. If your articles contain precious metals, are authentic antiques (100+ years), and/or you'd instead let the pros handle it than attempt to sell them yourself, go for a pawnshop sale.
What is the best site to sell antiques?
When eBay first launched, it immediately became a gold mine for both collectors and sellers. It garnered such a reputation for old and unusual items that satirical recording artist Weird Al Yankovic even wrote a parody song about all the weird things he'd bought on eBay — antique and otherwise.
Now, eBay is a catch-all e-commerce marketplace. Many of the products are not antique or vintage, and those that are, are selling for lower prices. There's also a lot of competition, so if your item is not particularly in demand, you may wait weeks or even months to sell. However, suppose your antique item has a lot of interest and could be considered a collectible item (autographed posters, antique Tiffany lamps, first-edition books, etc.). In that case, eBay may be worth your while.
Etsy has emerged as a better alternative for selling antiques online. Although it's a marketplace for handmade goods, it's also a popular place to sell vintage items. Antique jewelry, home decor, and garments are good items to sell on Etsy because people are already browsing for charming and unique lifestyle items.
However, Etsy is geared toward vintage items (i.e., greater than 20 years old but less than 100), and many shoppers are looking for impulse buys and good deals. In other words, listing your scarce 105-year-old music box may not fetch as much interest as newer items. Also, Etsy does take hefty commissions and listing fees, which can cut into your profits — especially if you're selling multiple items.
Amazon has become the world's top e-commerce marketplace, selling everything from fitness equipment to cosmetics to food. However, they still honor their origins as a virtual bookstore, so if you're looking to sell antique, rare, and out-of-print books, Amazon is one of your best bets. Some people sell collectibles, antique housewares, and vintage apparel or decor, but Amazon is not particularly well-known for this market. If your item isn't in demand, it may sit in your account forever without being sold. Go for Amazon (or competitors Alibris or AbeBooks) for vintage/antique books, magazines, and other media. Most home, lifestyle, and fashion items are better sold through other means.
Other Marketplaces
If your item would be difficult or cost-prohibitive to ship, you may wish to stick to local sales. Platforms such as Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, and OfferUp allow you to sell items online, but you can also coordinate to meet with private buyers. This may be a good option for especially rare items with specialized buyers and buyers who want to inspect in person. Listing items on these platforms is free, which means you may compete against a mixed-bag of spammy listings — or deal with low-ballers.
What are the most sought-after antiques?
Wondering what antiques are worth money? Sadly, even the most fascinating and ancient items may have a limited market. As a rule, the less functionality a vintage item has, the less it will get. A vintage sweater that's full of holes and unwearable is essentially worthless even if it's name-brand. The exception is vintage media such as comic books, magazines, and art, as these are often desired as collectibles, whimsical decor, or both.
Antiques are a bit different, as people are willing to spend more for the sake of having a unique piece of home decor. They will buy antique lamps, kitchenware, and electronics for the aesthetic. Many antiques are also made with gold, copper, or other precious metals rather than plastic products, which retain some innate value.
In any case, the most popular antique items are housewares, including kitchen items, dishes, furniture, and lamps; jewelry and accessories (e.g., genuine fur items, gold necklaces, etc.); and artwork or collectible media such as autographed posters, playbills, photographs, etc.
How do I find the value of antiques?
Even if you don't plan to sell your item on eBay or the like, try searching for it on the platform to see what people are paying for it. Look at the highest bids or "buy it now" price when possible. You can compile results from across the web to get a benchmark price, but keep in mind that most e-commerce sales tend to have a downward trend as everyone tries to compete on price.
For media such as comics, out-of-print books, or collector's magazines, check a specialized value guide for the item. Have the issue number and year of publication handy.
Any item containing gold, other precious metals or gemstones can be valued at the current market rate of the material, as long as you know the karats and purity level. Remember that most buyers won't offer you the actual market rate, but a benchmark is handy for making sure you don't undersell.
Your best bet, though, is usually to head to the experts at a consignment, vintage, or pawn shop (or all three). Or find a reputable antique dealer who will take the item off your hands. They will usually be honest about the item's resale value. While they can't offer you 100% of that value, they will take on the challenge of storing and selling the item. If you are strapped for time and need quick cash, this is almost always a better option than trying to find your own buyer, whether online or in-person. However, it also depends on the type of item. Pawnshops deal with local buyers, so you may be better off selling online if your item is highly specialized with a niche market.