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WW1 Canadian CEF 148th collar pair    US $1.00

Original German Helmet M34 BMW factory WW2 RAR    US $1.00

16 Scale DID WWII German DAK NCO Luca Metal Helmet    US $1.25

WW2 German Original Photo Helmets Gowns    US $1.56

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Second Hand

People sometimes have very different interests and perspectives when it comes to collecting. Many people who enjoy military collectibles clearly demonstrate this. People focus on many different things. Some people enjoy collecting Airborne militaria. Others, like to collect items from something they or a loved one was part of.

I've noticed that German militaria is especially popular, with a particular focus on the helmets. If you are a seller, it might be wise to note that many helmets were listed for very high starting prices and did not sell. These seem to be a good candidate for spawning bidding wars among collectors. Many of the highest winning bids were over $1000 and most had at least 20 bids on the item.

If you are going to consider buying one of these, either for a collection or to resell, you should be particularly attentive to what you are bidding on. First off of course, be sure that it is authentic. If you are going to spend a considerable amount of money, you should see some type of certificate of authenticity while you are dealing. Ask questions about the condition of the helmet. Things like the amount of rust, if any, and markings that may be on the helmet could make a significant difference in an item's ending price. You should also ask (or check in person) if there is a liner inside the helmet. Find out what information is included on the liner. You also find original drawstrings or even stickers to take into consideration if you are looking at this as an investment.

Some helmets may have come from other collections. It is not unusual for entire collections to be sold off, sometimes by the piece, when a collector passes on. Try to ask the seller as many questions about what you are interested in as you can possibly think of. Even though eBay has a buyer protection plan, you probably do not want to have to use it. Finally, check out the seller's feedback score on eBay to see if they have been selling similar items. If they have, read what previous buyers had to say about their buying experience with that individual.

Update:  The pins I found did indeed sell very well.  It seems that these old pins are pretty tough to find anywhere unless you just happen to luck into them like I did.  I don't like to delete posts, so I'm leaving this here and if any Beagle Club items show up on eBay, you should see them pop up below.  I haven't seen anyone list as many all at once as I did.  That doesn't really have anything to do with me other than the fact that I happened to walk in to them!

If you like this type of old collectible and you can't seem to find it, even on eBay, I've found that sometimes running an ad in a local "Pennysaver" type of paper can bring results.  There are a lot of older people who read those papers and pretty much study it.  Many of them also never go near a computer or have any idea that someone might want such an old item.  I once placed an ad looking for vintage clothing and I was still getting calls six months later from people who said they actually cut out the ad and stuck it to their refrigerator!  It doesn't hurt to ask.

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2 Walt Disneys Comics and Stories 9 June 1966 9 June 1967 Donald Duck    US $3.99

Man Ride Horse Beagle Forest Hunt Puppy Dog SINGLE Swap Playing Cards NOT DECK    US $4.30

1962 HUNT CLUB BURGER BITS DOG FOOD BEAGLE AD    US $4.99

Orgin of the Species Charles Darwin Book on CD    US $4.99

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Second Hand

There is an old gas station near me that has been closed for many years.  In front of it are the now rusted shells of old pumps.  They were abandoned with the bubbles on top and everything.  I'm sure more than one collector has thought about how they could get their hands on them, but I imagine the owner is long gone by now.

Collectible items related to gas and oil have earned their own name.  They are called "petroliana" and many of them are much sought after.

[nms:cooper tires sign,5]

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LOOK MINT SCHOOL BUS STOP SIGN OPENING DOORS RUNS 8 per pull    US $.99

MOBILOIL OLD STYLE SERVICE STATION FULL SERVICE SIGN TIRES OIL LUBE NO RESERVE    US $.99

New 1930s Style Conoco Sta IslandTall Sign Oil Can Disp Tire Disp Etc    US $1.00

VINTAGE 4x6 RED CROWN GASOLINE ATLAS TIRES photo b w    US $2.29

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Second Hand

It is a bit later now as I've come back to update this post.  Vintage Hess trucks are now pulling a lot of bids on eBay as they are still just as collectible and available only in limited quantities.  If you happen upon this post when it is NOT near Christmas, you probably will have a better chance of grabbing a good deal.  The bidding really seems to pick up around the holidays and the prices go up accordingly.

Don't miss the VIDEO below...

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2011 Hess Toy Truck and Toy Race car    US $10.00

Hess Toy Truck and Helicopter 1995 New in Box    US $10.00

Hess 2011 Toy Truck and Race Car    US $10.02

Hess 2009 Toy Truck Racing CarNewMint Condition    US $10.50

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Second Hand

This is a commercial for Hess Trucks from 1985.  Gotta love that price...

I guess they'd make a pretty neat framed display in a train room.  One buyer told me that he is actually using them to build true to life scale models of steel mills in the Pittsburgh area.  I thought that was kind of a neat idea.  I might have to ask him to send along some photos when his project is complete.

I've still got a few of these left as of right now and I'll be putting them up to sell either as a lot or as individual maps.  Old railroad items are very collectible.  If you are a collector, you know that already.  If you are a person looking for tips on selling items on eBay, take note:  Buy almost anything old and railroad related that is reasonably priced!

The railroads played an enormously important role in the development of the United States. The connected this vast land and opened up the west making it possible for just about anyone to take their shot at making their fortune by exploring the wide open spaces that called to them. Today railroads still play a big part in getting things around our country, but the romance of the past is what usually attracts people and keeps them collecting.

Honestly, my selling strategy on eBay is usually to start items very low and let the market decide what each thing is worth.  I think that is the original auction spirit and it keeps things interesting.  Of course, many people also offer a "buy it now" option.  I do that a lot when I am in a major "clearing out" phase.  If you are a potential buyer, keep an eye out for the listings where people just need to get things moved along fast for one reason or another.  You can often grab up some great deals if you are the first one to see a low buy it now price!

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National Geographic July 1970 Hutterites Luxembourg cave house great cond    US $.25

Antique Vintage 1916 Union County New Jersey NJ ELIZABETH Railroad Streets Indus    US $.99

BROCHURE HOW TO SEE WILLIAMSBURG THIS WEEK MAP 1960S    US $.99

BROCHURE BLACK BALL LINE MAPS PUGET SOUND COUNTRY BRITISH COLUMBIA CANADA 1961    US $.99

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Second Hand

Popular eBay Auctions

Recently, I was thinking about what I like to look at when I check out eBay as a buyer or a browser.  The Pulse used to be interesting, but now it seems to me to be mostly populated by items that I suspect people have agreed to "watch" for each other.  I'd rather see what is actually popular enough for people to bid on.

SO...While I'm still going to be listing my own items up for sale, I thought I'd make life easier for those who enjoy seeing trends and what is popular by occasionally posting about what the most bid upon items with a decent value are in various categories.  These should stay constantly updated.  To start, I'm going to show only items in each category that have at least one bid.  This should weed out junk and items that have an outrageous starting price.  I'll adjust this if needed.  These will be posted under the category "Popular eBay Auctions".  Yes, you can do this yourself by tweaking some things under "advanced search" if you choose to get into that.  I just thought this would be fun for people who find that to be a hassle.

Image via Wikipedia

Second Hand Sale Presents...

Old Collectibles

I come across so many really interesting and hard to find items that a concern of mine is that people might not even think to look for them during a week long auction.  I'm trying to get more of my stuff listed in my eBay store where it costs less to list and runs with a "buy it now price" rather than as an auction.

I completely understand that some people don't want to play the "auction game" and just want it NOW.  Others really enjoy the challenge of winning items.  It is an individual thing.  The downside of selling items listed as "store inventory" is that it makes your listings less visible to potential buyers.  That is part of why I'm showing things off in this blog...to get the word out that I've got neat stuff to sell for decent prices!

Some of the more interesting things I got listed this weekend include:

• An old Bell Telephone of PA sign from way back.
• A red, 1961 Western Electric Wall Phone with a rotary dial.
• A bunch of old instructions for mechanical equipment (listing soon)
• Toastmasters public speaking book.
• A small collection of children's books that seem to be desirable to collectors
• Several other nice old books
• Many other interesting old items.

I'll be posting more very soon.  Please jump over to my actual Auctiva / eBay store at www.coolstuffifound.com