Storage Auctions

call it beginners luck

Offline Adam

call it beginners luck
« on: March 29, 2013, 11:15:02 AM »
I have bought 5 lockers so far this year. Most contained furniture, clothes, misc house hold goods, etc. Selling the goods on craigslist and at the flea market with little trouble. Not making a fortune but doing pretty well.

Well last Friday I went to an auction, about 15 miles north of Pittsburgh. They had 16 units up for auction, and suprisingly, there were not as many people as previous auctions have held. Nothing really interested me until the second to last locker.

When they opened it up, there was a schwinn lil chik bike. Kingsbury toys electric advertisement car (Hillshire Farms) old milk jug chairs, trunk visible, a long with some other things. Then boxes and boxes.

I decided to go for it. Bidding quickly escalade to 800, but then most dropped out and, it was only between another guy and myself. I ended up getting it for 950$. A little more than what I wanted to pay. But I thought it was worth the risk .

Well after cleaning out the unit. I a few boxes full of old board games. Tons of old fisher price and other toys from 1970s-80s. Matchbox cars from 1970s. Then lots and lots of older books. As I was going through one of the last boxes, full of clothes, I dug down a little and picked up a heavier box that said master bedroom. Quickly opened it up to find a old Thoren Music box with lots of discs. 10k gold mens class ring. 21 silver certificates. Old morgan dollars. Tiffany and Co silver pen. Then the icing on the cake was a real krugerrand!

I couldnt believe it. I then went to a reputable coin and gold shop and sold the krugerrand for more than 1500. Decided not to sell it on ebay, due to fees, risk etc.  I decided to keep the rest and try to squeeze out as much as I can, since I already have made my money back + some.

Going to be a lot of work listing all of the toys and games. But it will be worth it in the end. Now Im trying to decide whether I should list the books individually or wholesale them. I think I will spend the extra time and list them individually.

So all in all it ended up being a good buy. I know not all will end up like this, but it sure is nice to score!

Re: call it beginners luck
« Reply #1 on: March 29, 2013, 12:54:28 PM »
Gratz to you adam.  One of the reasons I got into storage auctions was the chance to find old coins.  Don't matter if they are US, Mexico, Canada, or world.  I collect them all.  If you have not listed the coins, silver certs on ebay yet please drop me a IM when you do and the #.  May want to bid if they will fill some holes.

Offline Cobia

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Re: call it beginners luck
« Reply #2 on: March 30, 2013, 04:31:21 PM »
I have bought 5 lockers so far this year. Most contained furniture, clothes, misc house hold goods, etc. Selling the goods on craigslist and at the flea market with little trouble. Not making a fortune but doing pretty well.

Well last Friday I went to an auction, about 15 miles north of Pittsburgh. They had 16 units up for auction, and suprisingly, there were not as many people as previous auctions have held. Nothing really interested me until the second to last locker.

When they opened it up, there was a schwinn lil chik bike. Kingsbury toys electric advertisement car (Hillshire Farms) old milk jug chairs, trunk visible, a long with some other things. Then boxes and boxes.

I decided to go for it. Bidding quickly escalade to 800, but then most dropped out and, it was only between another guy and myself. I ended up getting it for 950$. A little more than what I wanted to pay. But I thought it was worth the risk .

Well after cleaning out the unit. I a few boxes full of old board games. Tons of old fisher price and other toys from 1970s-80s. Matchbox cars from 1970s. Then lots and lots of older books. As I was going through one of the last boxes, full of clothes, I dug down a little and picked up a heavier box that said master bedroom. Quickly opened it up to find a old Thoren Music box with lots of discs. 10k gold mens class ring. 21 silver certificates. Old morgan dollars. Tiffany and Co silver pen. Then the icing on the cake was a real krugerrand!

I couldnt believe it. I then went to a reputable coin and gold shop and sold the krugerrand for more than 1500. Decided not to sell it on ebay, due to fees, risk etc.  I decided to keep the rest and try to squeeze out as much as I can, since I already have made my money back + some.

Going to be a lot of work listing all of the toys and games. But it will be worth it in the end. Now Im trying to decide whether I should list the books individually or wholesale them. I think I will spend the extra time and list them individually.

So all in all it ended up being a good buy. I know not all will end up like this, but it sure is nice to score!

You might have hit a 1 in 100 to a 1 in 500 unit depending on your market straight out of the gate! Nice score on the Krug, I probably couldn't have parted with it. Now the test is can you continue to buy, sort, & sell units with only common, modern, used stuff in it; day after day, average to junky unit after unit.

The good news is you could retire now a winner!

Offline Travis

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Re: call it beginners luck
« Reply #3 on: March 30, 2013, 08:38:38 PM »
You might have hit a 1 in 100 to a 1 in 500 unit depending on your market straight out of the gate! Nice score on the Krug, I probably couldn't have parted with it. Now the test is can you continue to buy, sort, & sell units with only common, modern, used stuff in it; day after day, average to junky unit after unit.

The good news is you could retire now a winner!

Once you get a taste like that, it's very difficult to stop. My fourth unit I ever bought contained a safe with a coin collection, several boxes of gold rings, 18K gold cross, a antique pocket watch collection, a antique revolver, a stamp collection, antique watches and WWI &WWII memorabilia. The unit also contained vintage Silvertone guitar with a amp built in the case.

Hundreds of units later, I'm still waiting for a score like that again. What a rush!

Offline Adam

Re: call it beginners luck
« Reply #4 on: March 30, 2013, 10:51:08 PM »
You might have hit a 1 in 100 to a 1 in 500 unit depending on your market straight out of the gate! Nice score on the Krug, I probably couldn't have parted with it. Now the test is can you continue to buy, sort, & sell units with only common, modern, used stuff in it; day after day, average to junky unit after unit.

The good news is you could retire now a winner!
You might have hit a 1 in 100 to a 1 in 500 unit depending on your market straight out of the gate! Nice score on the Krug, I probably couldn't have parted with it. Now the test is can you continue to buy, sort, & sell units with only common, modern, used stuff in it; day after day, average to junky unit after unit.

The good news is you could retire now a winner!

Yeah I know how lucky I got with this unit. Believe me, I know that they arent all like this. I have been getting pretty good moving merchandise on c-list, ebay and flea markets. So Ill stick with it for a while.

Once you get a taste like that, it's very difficult to stop. My fourth unit I ever bought contained a safe with a coin collection, several boxes of gold rings, 18K gold cross, a antique pocket watch collection, a antique revolver, a stamp collection, antique watches and WWI &WWII memorabilia. The unit also contained vintage Silvertone guitar with a amp built in the case.

Hundreds of units later, I'm still waiting for a score like that again. What a rush!

Wow, sounds like that blew my unit out of the water! It sure is a rush when you find that valuable item hidden away. Makes all the moving and cleaning worth it!

Offline Travis

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Re: call it beginners luck
« Reply #5 on: March 31, 2013, 12:19:29 AM »
I probably couldn't have parted with it.

Me neither...the gold & silver would have went into my safe.

Re: call it beginners luck
« Reply #6 on: March 31, 2013, 10:22:17 PM »
I have yet to find a locker with those kinds of goods in them yet.. And with my streak of luck throughout my life, I'm not counting on it happening for me!  ;)

Congrats on the score! Now go get another!


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