# Some great deals today at the garage sales.



## MIdigger (Sep 9, 2011)

Went looking today and  got some coins (one nice 1909 Barber quarter) and some silver proof sets early sixties. Then a batch of WW2 items some shirts with patches on them bunch of tech sergeants, some m-43 field jackets, a small Japanese generator, 2 m-65 field jackets, an ammo box Ive never seen before. Looks like it carried 60mm mortars or something.
 A nice framed world map showing ocean trenches to mountain regions thought it was interesting probably 3ftx4ft. For 10 bucks I took it. Plus a few cokes I liked, repros of the old labeled jobs. And some other trinkets. Pretty good day.

 Anyone else find anything today? Heading out tomorrow see if I can find some more odds and ends.


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## ironmountain (Sep 11, 2011)

Wow, you hooked up nicely!  

 I was going to go to the flea market today, but wife had other plans. We went to the Y to workout, came home, gave all 3 dogs baths, wife started painting the kitchen while I was outside dealing with the dog poop septic system....

 The doggie dooley...large tin pail with a tube of pvc in it, large flying saucer looking lid, with a step opener...fill with water, toss said waste in, dump ridx in and as it overflows it goes into the 4' hole you dug under it...it leeches into the ground and it's gone...(granted, need to put it away from house etc.)..so..it was plugged and I spent 2hrs digging it up and wedging huge rocks under it to balance it and backfill...  So no flea market for me today....tomorrow I'm going.


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## cobaltbot (Sep 11, 2011)

Nice, I snatched a Balll ghosted Improved 1858 mason and a tractor seat for 3 bucks/


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## MIdigger (Sep 11, 2011)

Hit a couple more but didnt buy much today. Some Army marksman badges (sterling silver) probably a few oz of sterling for $5, will make out ok on that. Some scrap brass items, a few books. Going to keep my eyes open for any this afternoon.


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## ktbi (Sep 11, 2011)

The yard sales around here are garbage.  Almost half the stuff for sale at every one is old clothes.  Toss in a bunch of old dishes, toys, and books and you have a local yard sale. I gave up on them a long time ago, but hit a few every now and then to hammer in the reason I don't go regularly. I envy your East Coast Yard Sales.  How about the Bay Area?  Any better over there?  A friend in Reno/Carson City has pretty good luck with bottles and old cans...Ron


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## LC (Sep 11, 2011)

I have hunted yard sales for years in my area here in Ohio as well Ron , and the only bottle I ever came out with was a blasted Hayner's whiskey  . The area has a lot of history . Morgan's Raiders came ripping through my town during the Civil War . Should have been bottles here for the finding , but I never came up with any of them . Alway thought that odd that none ever showed up .


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## MIdigger (Sep 11, 2011)

We do have dud weekends here too. With fall approaching they will dwindle down to nothing. Will keep going because I figure there will be at least 1 good one. I usually do the drive-by if I see kiddie items everywhere.

 Occasionally I see bottles, and military/coins I collect. But, I know of your frustration. Some days even if you put a 1/2 tank of gas in the car its not worth it. We try to map a route out and stick to it.


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## toddrandolph (Sep 11, 2011)

I did good yesterday, bought an entire truckload of cast iron for $100. There are 60+ skillets along with dutch ovens, muffin pans, corn bread pans, at least 30 stove tools like lid lifters, etc, cherry pitters, waffle irons, 10 toy stoves, ice tongs, flat irons and much more. It's about 75 percent old and 25 percent modern repros. I know the market for this stuff is way down but it was cheap enough that I can still make good money on it. Also bought a candy container collection for $65. I don't know a lot about these and I don't collect them. I'll post some photos when I get a chance.  Glass lanterns, planes, guns, cars, boats, etc.

 LC: I'm also in Ohio and I do great at getting antiques at yard sales for cheap, but not with bottles. I see a lot of bottles at yard sales and with the exception of some local milks, it's all junk and newer stuff. The pickers and haulers from out of state who come (or used to come before gas prices went up) tell me that northeast Ohio is one of the best places for antiques because there is a lot and prices are cheap.


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## ktbi (Sep 11, 2011)

Those skillets and other iron pans are very good sellers out here. You would make a killing! $100 is a great pickup.  Good luck with it.


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## MIdigger (Sep 12, 2011)

I agree those skillets everyone seems to want. If you have a chnace you may want to try selling some of the stuff before deer season. Lots of guys buying cook equipment, and if prices are affordable (and youre pulling in profit) Id go for it.

 I plan on having a sale within the next few weeks and try to wheel off some things. A man cave type sale hunting/fishing/camping/collectibles/ and whatever else I can toss out I dont need. Probably some bottles also.


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## bostaurus (Sep 12, 2011)

I love my cast iron and use it all the time.  Great stuff that you can pass down for generations.


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## ironmountain (Sep 12, 2011)

yeah..cast iron is awesome...if i could talk the wife into it, i'd get a full set of Lodge for cooking..

 Our yard sales up here are horrid....either kids clothes, women's clothes/shoes, books nobody reads, xmas junk etc... the flea market is ok since people come from Wisc. to sell...but it's like, 20 vendors and that's it.  

 MI you should cruise over to Grand Rapids on Saturdays/Sundays...When I was a little kid, my dad would pack me up in the car, we'd drive the 5mins to Studio 28 (had 28 theaters in it...closed a cpl years ago)... the entire parking lot was nothing but flea market heaven.  My mom said that it still goes on every weekend.  I should head home for a weekend just to go there, or better yet, Shipshewana in Indiana...you can't even walk the entire thing in one day....here's a link to the map of the vendors. It covers 100acres and is on the Mich/Ind border..

 http://www.tradingplaceamerica.com/images/Flea/Map.jpg  the vendors and such:  http://www.tradingplaceamerica.com/fleaguide.php


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## toddrandolph (Sep 12, 2011)

That Lodge stuff is junk in my opinion, too heavy and the inside of the pans are rough and not  polished. I got some Lodge in my load of iron. I suspect yard sales can be good just about anywhere there are older houses, the key is to be the first one there, around here there are a group of regulars (including me), and after one of them has been to a sale you may as well not bother. I don't go driving around looking for sales, just hit a few advertised sales that are either nearby or on my way to work, well before the advertised starting time.


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## MIdigger (Sep 12, 2011)

Iron I know GR somewhat may have to run over there. Weve been to Croswell, Armada, Pontiac and all I bought from there was a Brooklyn NY embossed milk (2.00) and one other small item which escapes me at the moment. Always open to trying a new area. But a lot of the "vendors" are not rummage sale types, wanting top dollar. I make an offer and if it works ok, if not I keep walking.

 I would imagine up that way it is kind of sparse due to population VS down here. (Live outside of Flint). But I find I do much better at the surrounding "small" towns and villages. What cracks me up is the people who (for instance last weekend) take an item flip it over and say, "look right theres what I paid for it so its worth X amount. The item was a brass vase made in India, at 48.99. I simply told the woman, I dont care what you paid for it. Ill give you 5 bucks (it was heavy and I buy for scrap). If you dont like the offer keep it and hope you sell it. But I did think 35.00 was a bit high.

 Or you get the " We dont discount on the first day" I laugh at that and reply, as I leave well, I hope someone stops by tomorrow and you get rid of it.

 Todd, why you sound like my competition (had any flat tires lately??) just kidding of course. I try to get an early start but the things Iam after so are many others, bottles/coins/military/scrap aluminum/brass/copper cheap items (pans/plumbing copper/fittings etc).

 Have a guy that does the storage buyouts and is having another rummage this weekend. He sells me all the scarp and military coin stuff. have to be there early this Thursday. Good luck to all of you. May we all find a big score.


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## ironmountain (Sep 13, 2011)

Sad thing is, last year I didn't have to buy storage units..friend owns 400 of them and he'd do a normal auction and we'd get there right away and just blast through all the stuff and sell it...take 50% and he was happy..this year has been slow...alot of his units are empty and he said alot of grandparents paying back fees for kids....

 The vendors at the Studio 28 parking lot ( i'll have to ask mom how it is now) used to be all people with stuff to sell out of their garage, homes, estate sales they bought out etc...we'd get golf clubs for 25cents each, take them home, make a set of clubs and hand them out to kids in the neighborhood. Then my dad would take us all golfing...

 I know what you mean about people wanting outrageous prices..there's a girl and guy on our craigslist who are insane.

 example: http://up.craigslist.org/clt/2561787637.html

 http://up.craigslist.org/clt/2561824380.html

 http://up.craigslist.org/bar/2561484692.html

 i emailed them because they had 3 dr pepper bottles from the 80's and wanted 100 each for them..she said "people on ebay will spend the money"...
 people like this make hulk angry.


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## MIdigger (Sep 13, 2011)

Good grief man, I think she only knows one dollar figure (3,000.00) They obviously are not too bright. Yes, we know some things can be valuable, but thats just rediculous.

 Yes, the GR flea sounds good. Have to talk with my pal and see if we can zoom over one day. Hes a well off (older, rich) fellow and we ride in his BMW or Corvette. Either of which get odd looks when we go rummaging or to flea markets. I told him his cover is blown by driving them and people want to keep prices high. He told me no just the opposite. If they want to sell to the rich man they give the rich man his price or no cash for you. Maybe hes right?.


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## ironmountain (Sep 13, 2011)

lol could flip/flop in either direction....people see the car roll up and think "Oh man, another sucker coming down here to buy from us normal folk", or "I better give him a deal, he's got the jing in his pockets".... I'd probably go with your theory. See sucker, take sharpie and mark up prices really quick, sell and win.


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## MIdigger (Sep 13, 2011)

Oh Ive seen him in action haggling like he does. As he told me, "I didnt get wealthy by paying retail". "If I dont get my price I keep walking" is what he told me. He said that yes, at times he would like an item, but can live without it. He lives in a new condo and its a nice place, but its very sparse as far as decoration/furniture. Very frugal.

 However, thats because he isnt home much and travels all around the world. Not to mention all his travels here. Cracks me up some of the things he does. The worst one was when we were in Montana for a hunt. We drove out there, and we stop at (I think) and Arbys restraunt. He had coupons for 1 dollar off sandwhiches and presented to the clerk at the drive through.... Clerk says we dont accept them theyre from Michigan.

 He replies get the manager. He does, Mgr says well I guess we take them because it doesnt say Michigan only. He "saved" $2 and spent that probably in gas arguing. Man I just shook my head. He said thats how you build riches a few dollars at a time.


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## ironmountain (Sep 13, 2011)

My uncle was the same. I call him CIA man. He was naval intelligence during Vietnam. He got out, started working for Waste Management. Ended up being a VP there making fat money. Drove a Ford Escort and bought his clothes and sundries at Walmart.  He pulled in well over a million a year.  I still think he's doing stuff for the gov't...(well, i like to tease him about it)...he married his Vietnamese secretary. They are now missionaries in Vietnam that have to sneak over the border to get in because he is persona non grata.

 He is/was very frugal to the point of it not being worth it.


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## MIdigger (Sep 13, 2011)

Yes, they sound much alike. My friend likes his autos though. But everything else I do believe he tries to cut deals on. Hes a generous fellow no doubt, but he is a funny duck. I enjoy travelling with him, the stories he tells crack me up. 

 One other one to tell you about, on the way back from Montana we stop at Cabelas in Mitchell, S.D. we usually stop into town there to eat and check out the sales. We went in shopping and he worked the cashier over for any discount. He holds the line up and I am behind him waiting and he says: Discounts? Moose member? AARP? Eagles memeber? AAA member? and so on. Finally he says what about military? The poor woman says "yes sir, military gets 10% off.

 He replies ok then lets take 10% off (maybe a 100.00 purchase). She then asks "may I see your military ID). He then says " look lady I was in the U.S. Army in 1952-1954, I dont carry it around anymore". She has to get a managers overide. The line is getting crabby......I am thinking I should wait outside this may get ugly..... Finally he gets his discount. THEN he says, my companion here was also in the U.S. Army he gets 10% off too............OMG She rang me up to get me out of there even when I told her I wasnt "officially" in the Army. (sworn in, but blew my back out before going active) Technically? who knows I did have to be discharged by the Adj. General. But, I didnt feel right about it. I think she just tried to appease him.

 After that I did tell him we wont be doing that again. I wasnt active mil and wont take a discount for that. And, I certainly didnt want the mob to lynch me.


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## ironmountain (Sep 13, 2011)

that's hilarious. Cabela's is a dangerous place..guns, knives.


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## MIdigger (Sep 14, 2011)

Yes, looking back its kind of funny, but I get impatient with people like that....you know youre in line at a speedy store and the dope in front of you decides he wants to play the daily3 needs 8 $1 tickets, 3-$2 tickets. Oh and 3 packs of different cigarettes. But wait....Juniors crying he wants a candy bar and doesnt know what kind he wants. Lord, please give me patience.

 But, he doesnt care, its his way to save money. He is a funny old coot.


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## ironmountain (Sep 14, 2011)

haha...true about the lottery tickets. I love when people buy them in front of you and just stand there scratching them off like you have nothing better to do than sit there and wait 10minutes.


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## MIdigger (Sep 14, 2011)

Or the twits that run out to their car, scratch them off and then run back in, and want to take cuts because they won $5 and NEED 5 more tickets before you purchase your items.......I usually shake my head because invariably, they run back out scratch feverishly thinking they are going to win and lose on all 5 then toss them out the window into the parking lot and leave......nice, real nice.

 I buy some once in a while, but dont hold up the lines. Just get 5 or so and ring up my pop and snacks and Iam out of there. On a good note I did hit 2- $50.00 winners. But I am cheap. I kept 45.00 and only bought 5 more each time. Figured Ill play it safe and buy something I need.


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