Oh my Dog! Yes. I've been doing this for over 35 years. What started out as an opportunistic one off when I found an old fishing reel in a house we had just purchased has turned into an everyday, year round hobby that has turned into a full-time income. 

As a young couple, we had just upgraded from a condo into a house. During the cleanout I found an old fishing reel. Not being a fisherman and having just heard of this new place on the interweb called  eBay, I thought I'd give it a shot. This was in the good old days of dial up, and before most anyone owned a cell phone. So, no picture, just descriptions. I opened an account and spent half an hour crafting the perfect ad. It was irresistible, no one could possibly not buy this fantastic fishing reel. Just before I was ready to post it, my 7 year old son picked up the phone, and everything was gone..just gone.  After a second attempt with a not quite so perfect ad, the reel was online and available to anyone with a computer. That old reel sold for $57. US, which in Canada was like $100. That was real money! Within a week my wife and I had gone through the junk drawers and old boxes looking for unused merch to sell. An old green handled egg beater, a metal woodpecker toothpick holder, old kitchen cutlery. We sold it all. I was hooked.

Over the next 35 years, through trial and error including a $15,000 mistake (I'll tell you later) the part time hobby has become a full time passion. I wrote a best selling book on Amazon in 2013 that would allow you to turn your hobby into your business. The platforms have morphed, the tools have become so much more valuable and easy to use and the competition has become fierce! 

I still thrift today, in fact, I thrift harder but smarter. I have specialized in one particular area because I understand it, it's an investment segment in collectables and it's esy to ship. I can buy in bulk and sell individually. I have also found a way to sell my comic books at 3 and 4 times the price others can. 

So, to answer the question: can I make any money thrifting? The answer is a huge yes. I surprised my wife at Christmas in 2018 with a 12 day holiday in Mexico in a luxury condo with a swim up pool at the door. I paid for flights, excursions, car rental and all spending money with 2 months part time sales. We didn't have to use one penny of our personal money. In January of 2022, in a pandemic, my part time income was over $5000. If you're interested in learning how to do this, I'd be happy to help. Cheers

While doing some cleaning, purging, room making, clearing, dumping, sorting, selling, and any other ing that allows me to get organized, my wife decided to clear some of her tarot and spiritual materials. This is the second go round, she allowed me to sell nearly 60 decks of tarot cards while we still had a brick and mortar shop, along with about 100 metaphysical and spiritual books. One of the surprising things I found was that people either loved them or hated them. No in-between. We were either pagan devil worshippers who eat little children or open minded spiritualists who were one with nature.
What I really am is someone who needs to clear some room, so if you are interested in these lots, here you go. The 5000 spells book is $10, the other 2 books together are $10. The tarot card lot is $125, the vintage palm reader sign is $50. Please buy them, don't make me eat your children.

Another hurdle jumped in my race to get the new Collector Dude website up and running before the end of March. Thank goodness I am married to a graphic designer and web builder. My wonderful wife has taken on a big project. I know exactly what I want and exactly what I don't want. I would have no problem telling that to a builder taking my money, but it's much more difficult when you are demanding all this be done for free! 

I'm starting to stockpile new stock so that I will have hundreds if not thousands of new items to have available for launch. I am on a buying frenzy. If anyone has any collections that they are liquidating, please contact me. I want to specialize in movie and entertainment related items, but I have a love for toys and comics. If it's unique or one of a kind: I want it! Shoot me a message and please share this with anyone you know who may have interesting old stock. It could be a business that has been closed for a long time, a salesman who has old stock or samples or just your crazy aunt who has never thrown anything out in her life. If you're not sure or you just want a quick evaluation, I'd be happy to help

Can't find tail lights for your 1960 DeSoto? I can. How about the lid for the thermos for your 1954 Roy Rogers lunch kit. I can. Still can't find the gravy boat that your drunk brother knocked over last Christmas? I can.

Because I spend so much time online and am constantly on the lookout for unique items, I have amassed quite a large group of contacts. I follow over 100 auction feeds a week, from antique cars to coins to art and pretty well everything in between. With almost 3o years of collecting behind me, I've gotten pretty good at finding the odd and unusual.

I also research 120 different fields of collectables each and every week. I don't claim to know everything about them all, but I do claim to learn as much as I can. So, if you're stuck trying to find trim for a LaSalle or a first edition Gone with the Wind and you don't have the time or the know-how to find it yourself, give me a try. It's one of the services I do and one that I enjoy the most. I love the hunt! Give me a call or pm me. Follow me on Facebook at  ​https://www.facebook.com/Thecollectordude/

 A few years ago I wrote a book called "Cashing in on Collectibles", turning your hobby into your business. As some of you know, I have decided to take my own advise and I now work for myself, The Collector Dude. 

Taking this leap of faith was a scary proposition, going from a regular wage to no guarantee. I wouldn't have it any other way. I'm now doing what I love. Taking this step took some planning, everything from a written business plan to market surveys. A huge part of this planning involved around one single question. How do I let people know what I do and what I can do for them?

Thank goodness for Jonathan Christian. I was lucky enough to meet Jonathan many years ago, while he was in the earlier stages of his business, "We Make Stuff Happen", and he had time to walk me through the basics of social media.
 https://www.facebook.com/MakeStuffHappen/

 Jonathan specializes in mentoring and tutoring small businesses as they become familiar with social media and how they should use it to promote their services and to help and interact with potential customers. Now is the future! Unless you have a huge fat wallet and plan to do the old school TV, radio and newspaper thing, social media is now the way to stay in touch. What used to cost thousands of dollars can now be done for tens or at the most a few hundreds of dollars. 

So, keep watching. You may see me post on Facebook or Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest. I plan to do a video soon on "How to make money at auctions".  You'll see links on this blog as well as on my Youtube channel. I'll keep having fun, finding cool stuff and learning about the history of the wonderful treasures you all have hidden in your sheds and bedroom closets.  Watch for my totally new re-vamped website where you will be able to buy some one of a kinds. If you like what you see, please visit me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Thecollectordude/

When I was young I can remember my mom trying to put me down for a nap. the only way she could keep me in my bed, quiet was to put a book in my hand. I hope your kids have the same love of reading engrained in them that I do. 

Those first books were Dr. Seuss. TRIVIA: Can you name the only best selling book in the world that has only 50 words in it? Green Eggs and Ham! Dr. Seuss wrote it on a bet. He said he could write a best selling kids book that would be easy and fun to read and it would only have 50 words. Seuss was also a brilliant artist as well. His fantastic imagination created Horton, The Cat in the Hat, Marvin Kaye and others whose images jumped from hand to paper. 

Children's books have always been collectable. They are one of the absolute best collectables on the market. They are plentiful, inexpensive, educational and there are thousands of different types, kinds, authors, styles or stories to collect. From Seuss to Wizard of Oz, to pop up books, to Big Little books to Golden Books, and all designed to keep your kids happy? 

These books do not have to be incredibly old to be valuable.  The first Harry Potter which is only about 20 years old can sell in the thousands. Green Eggs and Ham 1st edition with Dust Jacket can fetch $1000.
 
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=Green+eggs+and+ham+1st&LH_Complete=1&LH_Sold=1&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.XGreen+eggs+and+ham+1st+dj.TRS0&_nkw=Green+eggs+and+ham+1st+dj&_sacat=0
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​So, start your kids young. Save the books but let them be enjoyed and read, then you can put them away for a rainy day. And if you need a nap, pull up an old friend, smile, and cuddle up with a Dr. 

   I went to buy a new jeans jacket last month. Well, new to me. Being inherently cheap and a firm believer in reuse, I naturally headed to our local VV boutique. Surprise, nothing there in a 52 chest. I am never able to find jackets to fit, so it wasn't really a shock. I tried a few more local thrift stores and again, no luck. Okay, no biggie, off to Mark's Work Wearhouse.
    Now the surprise part. Not one single jeans jacket in the store. Never mind size, there were none! Again, small town; no problem. Off to Walmart. Really? No jeans jackets in Walmart either? 
   Granted, I am not exactly a fashion plate and I don't follow trends, but when did a good old fashioned jeans jacket become a Yeti! Now I am on a mission. I just want a plain old Levi's jeans jacket, they look great, they're comfortable and now I not only want, but I need one. I tried every single store I could think of here in the Hinterlands of BC and could not find one new jeans jacket. When all else fails, off to my favourite hunting spot; eBay. Well hello and holy crap!
​

I knew old denim had was collectable, but I was shocked at what old Levi's could be worth. Needless to say, I am still looking for a jacket but I thought I would give you guys an update on what I found out about these highly sought after jackets and jeans.

Levis were kind of the Ford Model T of the pants business. Contrary to popular belief, they were not manufactured for the California gold rush of the 1850's and 60's. Levi Strauss manufactured their first pair in the 1870's in response to requests for reinforced pockets and blown our zippers. They began manufacturing their jeans with copper rivets to reinforce the pockets and with buttons instead of zippers. 

There is now a huge market for vintage Levi's. There a few things that make one pair more desirable than others. Here is a list of what to look for:

1.Does it have selvedge? I know, I had to look that one up. Selvedge  is the technical term for the narrow, tightly woven self-finished edges. 
​

2. Check out the red tab! If it has a large E as opposed to the small e in Levi, you have a winner. If the red tab is printed on only the side facing the pocket, you can date them from pre-1955.

3. Is there a care tag? Beware of fakes and the new jeans made by Levi's Vintage Clothing. If you find a care tag, they were made after the mid 70's

4. If your jeans have a single stitch on the back pockets, your jeans are pre-1976 (or close)

5. Check the rivets. If the back pockets have hidden rivets and if the back plates of the rivets are silver coloured with lowered letters the jeans are post-1966.  If the letters are raised and not lowered you are holding a pair of jeans made before 1960 and you may be holding onto a goldmine.

6. A true leather patch shows that your Levi's were made before 1960

7. If the front buttons have laurel leafs, they were produced before 1939. You are holding a very valuable pair of jeans.

8.The cinch. Does it have one? You probably have never owned a pair of these but Levi made them up until 1937

9. Size- You can have a pair of jeans that have all of the above mentioned markers and if they are size 58, they're still not going to be anywhere near the value of a pair of 30/32 or 32/32 jeans. When it comes to Levi's, size matters.

(Thanks to denimhunters, https://www.denimhunters.com/2013/05/guide-how-to-date-levis-501-jeans/ for the information)

Levi 501's of any age are valuable. Even mid 1970 and mid 1980's 501's can fetch in the thousands of dollars. The most valuable pair ever? About $60,000 for a pair of 501's from about 1880. Levi's themselves bought 2 vintage turn of the century pair at auction for $36,000 and $46,000. 

So if you have inherited your grampa's old wardrobe or dresser, don't despair. Take the time to go through them. You may have a fortune folded up in a box or drawer. Oh, and by the way; if you find a size 52 Levi's jeans jacket, please give me a call!

It's January. Christmas is over, New Years is done. You've gained 10 pounds and you've spent $1000 you didn't have. Well, I can't help you with the extra weight, but I can help you find that $1000 and more. It's hidden in your kitchen.

If you're like most people you probably budgeted for the holidays. If you're like most people, you blew the budget about 3 days in. Starting the new year in the hole wasn't one of your New Year's resolutions. Let's get you turned around now, before you get in too deep. 

Where do I find this stuff?
Simple, in your kitchen. I'll give you a full list of items and where to find them. Now, I'm not talking about selling an antique hoosier or pie cupboard from the 1920's. Most people who have those items know exactly what they have, what they're worth and they probably don't need the $1000. These are items hidden in drawers and cupboards. Let's start with the junk drawer.

I have a catch-all drawer. It's where the plastic bread closer thingies (that's the real name) go, the chop sticks, the rubber bands, the rubber jar opener, strainers, straws, wine corks; all those things you have to have. When my grandmother passed away, I inherited her kitchen junk drawer. This was in 1997 and I had just discovered eBay. The first item I ever sold there was an old fishing reel I found in a shed, the second thing I sold was an old wooden handled (with very flaked green paint) egg beater I found in the drawer. I listed it to keep my wife happy, I honestly thought there was no value to it. Surprise, when all was said and done I think it sold for almost $50. That's found money in my opinion. So, let's start with the junk drawer. First, do you need it? Here's a chance to purge and make money. 

Is it old? By old, I mean anything pre-1970

• Corn cob holders- up to $20 for a set
• Skewers- a set of Ronco sells for up to $30
• Wooden utensils- $5-$40
• Canning jar lids $1 each
• Jar funnels-$3-20
• Vintage kitchen knives- Cutco knives sell up to $125 each
• Rolling Pins- glass or advertising pins can sell over $150
• Jelly moulds- copper jelly moulds can sell over $1000! (many sell in the hundreds)
• Toothpick dispenser- (remember the pronged woodpecker?) $50-$100

This is by no means a full list. It is simply meant to show you that everything is collectable and kitchenware is a huge field. Let's move onto the spice cupboard.

Did you know some old spice tins can fetch into the multi hundreds of dollars.  http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-DOVE-PUMPKIN-PIE-SPICE-TIN-1-1-2-OZ-FRANK-TEA-SPICE-CO-/151872483094?hash=item235c4e2f16:g:lsQAAOSwniRWN1rB

You may not have a $300 pumpkin spice tin hanging around but you may have some of these:

• Watkins nutmeg- $15-$20
• Acme cinnamon- $15
• Colman's mustard- $20

Any group of similar tins can have value. I recently sold 10 older spice tins, all open, partially used for $25. They make great visuals in a retro kitchen

Counter Top Appliances
There is tons of money to be made here. If you're not using it, just sell it. Mixmasters and similar baking appliances sell for $50-$500. Some of the older collectable mixers and milkshake makers can sell up to $1000. Look for name brands, condition is everything but even the ones that don't work have value as collectors use them for parts. Vintage toasters, coffee pots, early electrical are highly collectable. Even 1960's toasters can sell for $100-$300. Here's one that sold for $496. 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Winchester-toaster-Model-W34-/231749795326?hash=item35f55d3dfe:g:xk8AAOSwMTZWQ7am

Remember, it doesn't have to be old. If you don't use it, someone wants it. How about your old stove-top coffee pot. Remember those? Even the old aluminum camping coffee pot sells for $20. Your vintage Sunbeam mixer can pay off all your Christmas bills. $300 if you have the pink one. Even the bowls can sell upwards of $40 each.

Cookie Jars
Everybody loves cookies! That's one of the reasons that cookie jars are one of the hottest collectables out there. There are literally thousands of designs, brands, sizes and colors. The most valuable are obviously the oldest, most iconic and in the best condition. A Minnie Mouse cookie jar sold on eBay in April of 2014 for over $1300

I don't expect you to have this sitting around the house, but you may have a cookie jar worth several hundred dollars. Themed cookie jars are highly collectable. Holiday jars sell in the $30-$80 range. Super-Hero, Cartoon, Black Americana, all highly sought after. Again, they don't have to be incredibly old. Wonder Woman cookie jars sell for $50 to $110, and they came out in 2004. Michelangelo, the Teenage Ninja Mutant Turtle from 1990 sells for $50-$100.

Cast Iron
One of the most overlooked categories in kitchen collectables.--True chefs hate new Asian-made cast iron. They warp, they don't spread heat properly, they are thin, they are just not acceptable for the true professional. Usable cast iron from the turn of the last century are incredibly hard to find. Check Gramma's frying pan. If it's Griswold, you may have a winner. This cast iron pan was listed for $12,000 on eBay. It sold, not sure of the exact selling price, but be assured it was a pretty penny.
​http://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-Griswold-1-skillet-slant-ERIE-logo-MINT-condition-/371518726171?hash=item56803de01b:g:SU8AAOSw~otWfWFc

Any good cast iron pan, skillet, cauldron or pot, trivet or Dutch oven can be quite valuable. Newer quality cast iron such as Le Creuset are highly sought after and most casual kitchen cooks simply do not use them. You may have $200-$700 sitting in your cupboard right now. 

Pyrex, Corning Ware
Everybody, literally everybody has at least one piece of Pyrex in the cupboard. There is a huge base of Pyrex collectors. What brings back more memories than mom or gramma cooking casseroles and wonderful desserts during family gatherings. They were probably cooked in Pyrex. Pyrex is a brand introduced by Corning in 1915. It was originally designed for lab use and was then expanded to the kitchen. Though no longer made in the US, Pyrex is still used and sought after. I'll bet you still have a clear Pyrex measuring cup in your kitchen. Though there were literally millions of pieces made, some of the rarer pieces are highly prized. Color and condition are huge contributors to the value. Rare colors like this turquoise with gold are near impossible to find. This pair recently sold for $1500

any many Pyrex lidded casseroles sell in the multi-hundred dollar range. There are clubs dedicated to Pyrex and they are a great source of information regarding pricing, rarity, colour, patterns etc. ​http://www.pyrexlove.com/how-to-price-pyrex/
Over 30 colour combinations, over 45 patterns and over 18 different types of Pyrex have been manufactured. With all these options, one of these combinations is sure to fit in most kitchens. Functionality and form, a hard combination to beat, that's why Pyrex will always be the king of the kitchen collectables. 

So, there you have it. Stuck for quick cash? Raid the kitchen. Many of these items you're probably not using, some you may not have ever used. These items were manufactured for a reason, they were meant to be used. I have only touched the surface of kitchen collectables. This field is as broad and wide as any.  If you would like a great resource for kitchen collectables, http://www.collectorsweekly.com/kitchen/overview  is an absolutely wonderful site. There are many sub-categories and drop-down menus that are available, along with an overview on each subject and a link to all the eBay collectables currently being sold in each of those categories. 

Remember, the holidays are over. You don't have to wait in dread for the Visa bill to show up. Start rooting through the kitchen, reach into the back of those drawers, look way back behind the roasting pans. Use your step stool and see what's behind that dusty vase. There may be hundreds of dollars hiding!

If you enjoyed this article, please like my Facebook page. Tons of interesting articles and great collectable items for sale, https://www.facebook.com/Thecollectordude/?ref=hl

 
   Another year has passed and like many of you, most of what I hoped for in the last year hasn't shown up at my doorstep. I'm still not a millionaire, I didn't lose 40 pounds, I don’t have a new car in my driveway and I didn't take that trip to Machu Picchu.
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Being a generally positive person, whenever I reflect back on a year I also try to put the good things in perspective. I had a chance to live in “small town” BC and find out I need to live in “slightly larger town” BC to really make a go of it. I got to spend almost 4 days visiting my youngest son and his awesome family. I had the chance to move to the beautiful Comox Valley-Strathcona area of Vancouver Island. I had the chance to dry run my hobby in a retail location to see if it could actually be successful. I am still married to my wonderful wife. I did not spend one day in hospital or in jail. So, all in all not a bad year.

2016 promises to be fabulous. I committed to taking my hobby and turning it into my full time job. In November I started a business plan, a detailed map on what I wanted my job, my career, my business, and really, my life to look like. I have finished writing it and in January I will complete the last section which encompasses a local survey.  

Plans include a February launch. The biggest piece of this new puzzle is an online 24/7 full e-commerce website that will allow me to sell all my collectables. The intent is to take advantage of my film and TV background along with my love of all things old and specialize in movie posters, lobby cards, scripts, 8x10’s, crew gifts and photos as well as press books and anything film or movie related. Along with these specialty items I will still search out the weird and wonderful, the one of a kind, the rare, the truly hard to find and the historical. These are the items I truly love.

What do I expect? A lot of work, success, fun, stress, smiles, sweat, great finds, disappointments, a huge learning curve, new friends, new customers and joy. The great part about guiding your own ship is even if I’m a little off course, I’m still at sea! When I get back from a pick and I have 50 or 60 items to research, I’m like a kid at Christmas. I genuinely love it. Every item that I research means that I get just a little better at what I do. I will spend hours taking pics, researching, documenting, listing, writing copy and posting. Time seems to stand still. That’s when you know you’re doing what you love.

Oh, and by the way, thank you. Thank you all for taking the time to help me in the renaming exercise. After going through almost a hundred name alternatives, weighing pros and cons, I have come up with this little gem. The new business will be known as...drum roll...The Collector Dude! Apparently this name works with all of you and it certainly works for me. My tag line will be “Just Nostalgia” This gives a broad idea of what I do but doesn't limit me to the collectables that I can sell.

My re-branding continues with a new logo, which will be ready for February. If you love collecting and have a passion for anything I haven’t covered, please let me know. I would love to include your favourite collectable and share it with my other readers. So, please leave me your feedback. I read each and every one.

In closing, 2015 draws to a close and a new opportunity awaits you all. I sincerely hope you have the most spectacular 2016 possible. You all are an important part of my life and I wish you nothing but joy and happiness in the New Year