My first post - 8 month roundup of best finds

Hello Forum
Im new around here but have been buying units for the last 8 months. About 25 units in total from top/bottoms to my first 10x40 last week.
Heres a quick synopsis of my most memorable units

I had been Ebay for almost 10 years and sold anything I could get my hands on, starting around the house and then got into picking, and hitting store liquidations. Made a few thousand on Drugfairs closing, last day open everything was 99% off.  Anyway I needed a fresh supply of merch to sell so I got into storage auction.

Ive since gotten into Craiglisting, amazon, yard sales, and soon ill be renting a few booths in an indoor flea market.

First unit ever! It was actually the first auction I had ever been to, but came ready to buy.  Cost $500 packed with most of a household due to divorce

Right off the bat I pulled out an Electrolux Vacuum, guess no one knew these sell used for $300
Korg x3http://s59.photobucket.com/albums/g296/oodles67/?action=view&current=Untitled-2.jpg $550
Peavey Amp
100+ Dvds and Games
Some nice furniture

This was upsetting http://s59.photobucket.com/albums/g296/oodles67/?action=view&current=IMAG0032.jpg

Digging through some clothes I felt something heavy and pulled out a jewelry box
Mostly scrap about $500 worth but this needed some research
http://s59.photobucket.com/albums/g296/oodles67/?action=view&current=IMAG1186.jpg
I did some googling but couldnt find the exact model. BC it was in a gold filled case I wasn't sure if it was worth putting the cash into having it cleaned, the crown and stem replaced, and a new strap. Ended up taking the risk and paid $150.
After bringing it all over and getting offers ranging from $25 to $300 I just decided to try Ebay and let it ride. Started it at $499 and hoped for 1 bid. checked back in last second and watched it jump from 600 to 800 to $1200. FOR A GOLD FILLED WATCH!!! Had to ship to Singapore but that a whole nother story.

I WAS HOOKED

BTW that watch was a 1958-9 Jeager Le-Coultre Mystery Dial

This stuff was in a POD and looked pretty bad from the door. A lot of furniture that ended up being firewood. No one really wanted it so I paid $200

Buried in the middle under all this beat up crap was the oldest thing Ive ever found
A Chinese hand carved Pink Marble Top Rosewood stand from the 1850-60s. This one happens to be a lot bigger than most of its kind.
Took a  while but sold it on Craiglist for $650http://s59.photobucket.com/albums/g296/oodles67/?action=view&current=IMAG0760.jpg

Autographed G&R promo poster Sold to friend for $250http://s59.photobucket.com/albums/g296/oodles67/?action=view&current=IMAG0731-2.jpg

Nikon Fm Camera w/ extras $140
A lot of plus sized womens clothes & leather jackets, never knew it could sell so well
Oh and YAY MY FIRST ***** COLLECTION!!! WOHOO (sorry, no pic)

This was one of my favs. A Pretty Boy unit, this kid had to be into dealing drugs or something
Paid $400 for this unit, not a lot of competition because it was in the hood and isnt known for quality units.
Everything was like MINT

All I could see from the front was a couch/loveseat combo which turned out to be Ashley 17% leather still had the tags on them and managed to score $550 on Craigslist. http://s59.photobucket.com/albums/g296/oodles67/?action=view&current=IMAG0528.jpg

Table was flawless
http://s59.photobucket.com/albums/g296/oodles67/?action=view&current=IMAG0537.jpg

SHOES SHOES SHOES!!!
including a Pair of BRAND NEW Guccis in the box it the reciept for $450
Was hoping to return them but was past the return policy date
These went quick on Ebay for $350 
http://s59.photobucket.com/albums/g296/oodles67/?action=view&current=IMG_0380.jpg

3 Pairs of used Mauri Leather/Crocodile in box with $400 tags
Mauri Ostrich Shoes in box $450
Timbs, Jordans, AirForce1s Ect.

RL Polo Clothes with tags, Autographed Soccer jerseys, and this Polo Jacket
Did a little research on it and sold it on Ebay for $230 
http://s59.photobucket.com/albums/g296/oodles67/?action=view&current=DSCF6225-1.jpg

Another hood unit, I was intrugued by a microphone stand and was hoping to find recording equipment. Found non. A lot of sweet designer clothes on Ebay, had no problem turning $250 into 3gs.

I pulled a $100 bill out of a purse

My whole life my father has been on me about checking pockets twice before doing laundry. Well as I put an ugly sweater into a salvation army bag I pull out this wad
http://s59.photobucket.com/albums/g296/oodles67/?action=view&current=IMAG0320.jpg

$975
Nothing beats cash

Got an old lady unit full of totes and was super disappointed when most of them turned up Xmas stuff. The last thing to be pulled out was a dresser pushed up against the back. In a drawers was bags of jewelry.

Scumbag jeweler tried to tell me the stuff in the middle that wasn't stamped was costume jewelry and that he would "take it off my hands for $85". This is when I decided to buy my testing acids and diamond tester. yup 18K, sometimes foreign or old gold isnt stamped.
http://s59.photobucket.com/albums/g296/oodles67/?action=view&current=IMAG0347.jpg
Middle box is silver, rest is gold

My most recent unit was a 10x40 business unit. A lot of heavy lifting, no one wanted it so after watching the auctioneer drop from $200 to $100 to $50 I couldnt resist.

I pulled
8 glass front Network Server Racks
Tons of servers, routers, firewalls, ect
5 near new Dell Pc's
10 19" LCD Monitors
6 Hon lateral filing cabinets
Kimball Presidential U shaped desk set
Kimball Presidential L shaped desk
Office Bar cabinet

Congrats!!!

Sounds like you are hooked.

Those are great finds. You should play the lottery.. LOL

Congrats and welcome to the forum.

yep, i had to do the same thing,  I had to buy the gold and silver scratch pad and liquid testers. 

I had to read up on how to tell and whats not.

got the hang of it and i get alot of silver in the storage auctions and various places.

Gold, not too much.

dont trust no jeweler or one of those gold/silver buyers. 

test it yourself and know for sure.

good luck

99% of the time if it's not marked it is not real. A chemical test tells you nothing, if it is gold plated, especially heavy plated or rolled it will test as gold. A smart jeweler will never take stuff that isn't marked.

A good test is to get a good magnet and see if it's magnetic. Silver & gold are not magnetic but if it's plated the material underneath usually is, but again not always.

The only real way to test is to make a deep scratch in whatever you are testing, at the cost of ruining whatever you are testing.

Good luck