I've been doing garage sales lately and there are definitely some good deals out there, as well as people who give away jewelry for practically nothing ($1-$4). You have to know what to look for, though. Anyway, I scored a nice gold bracelet that didn't look like much; it ended up being 18kt, made in Italy and about 6.5 grams.
Also, I have encountered some people with coins for sale, although good deals on these (ie under spot) are usually hard to find, as most at least have some kind of clue as to what they are worth. Still, I have picked up a few....
Question on sterling silver items. What's the deal with all of these nice silver-looking platters, tea sets, etc that I am seeing everywhere? I don't see anything marked on them, not even a label, marker, company name etc; sometimes, they have some brown or discolored fading/toning or it could just be some kind of stains. How do I know what to look for on silver platters? Some look different than others. Are most of these another metal or mixture of something else? Are they silver plated? Additional advice would be most appreciated. Naturally, I stay away from anything that says Made In China.
Question on silver-looking candle holders. Again, most aren't marked anywhere. Even if they are silver, what can I reasonably squeeze out of a good candle holder? Is it even worth my time?
I have been to a couple of estate sales. I have learned quickly that I don't like these that much, as they are over-advertised, too many people, and they usually have some specialized guy there with a scale who weighs and marks all the jewelry; I looked at all the stuff at one and prices were basically at almost retail price or higher..nope, not for me, thank you! Then they wanted me to sign up for future estate sales; I politely declined, kept my mouth shut and walked out. Putting your name on a mailing list is not good OPSEC.
I have a lot to learn on garage sales and what to look for. But at least I'm learning and making an effort.