By B.C. Manion
Maybe you’ve resolved to clear out the clutter, or you’ve inherited a cache of stuff you want to unload.
If you’re looking to sell old coins, silver, platinum, broken or used jewelry, watches, sports memorabilia, Tiffany glass, advertising memorabilia, war items, fine art, dolls, trains, old comic books and other collectibles, you may want to check out THR & Associates, a company that travels around the country seeking to buy such items.
The company recently set up temporary shop at the Residence Inn Tampa Suncoast at 2010 Northpointe Parkway in Lutz, ready to buy items that people unearth or no longer want from their homes or businesses.
“Usually, we’re at a city for five or six days,” said Ronald Lee, a field manager for THR & Associates.
The company travels all over North America and to foreign countries as well, in search of collectible items.
It’s sort of like the Antiques Roadshow, only the company doesn’t have appraisers. It has buyers who consult with a team of experts to determine whether or not the item you’re offering is one they want to buy.
“We have a research department. If we don’t know much about a particular item, we take pictures of it and send it to our research department. We have around 12 different researchers. They’re experts in different fields,” he said.
Some things that wouldn’t seem to have value, do, Lee said. Other things obviously have some value, but the seller doesn’t have a clue about how much they are worth.
The buyers will tell would-be sellers if their item has a market and what they’re willing to pay, Lee said.
“We’re looking for your mismatched earrings, your broken herringbone necklaces, old class rings, old pocket watches, war memorabilia, guitars, violins – just about anything of value,” he said.
Perhaps you have some vintage jewelry, some costume jewelry, a Tiffany lamp or some sports memorabilia. Those are all items you may be able to convert into cash, Lee said.
The company has unearthed some cool stuff that was sitting in a closet or an attic, in an old trunk or a dresser drawer.
“A few weeks ago we bought a 16th century Guido Reni painting,” said Steven Garner, a buyer for THR & Associates. They paid the seller $85,000.
That particular seller actually seeks out THR & Associates after he’s found something of value at estate sales or storage unit sales, Gardner said.
Some items that THR & Associates has purchased include Johnny Cash’s bed, which garnered $30,000; an Abraham Lincoln document that commanded $29,000; and a letter from George Washington that was purchased for $30,000.
The company also bought a 1960 Les Paul guitar, Gardner said, recounting the story of its purchase.
“It was made as a prototype and was never supposed to leave the factory,” Gardner said.
But around 1975, it turned up at a pawnshop where a customer bought it for $300.
About 30 years later, the owner sold it to THR & Associates for $100,000.
If you have some items that you think are of some value, but you’re not sure what they are worth, it’s probably a good idea to do a little research on the Internet to get a general idea, Gardner said.
In some cases, the serial numbers on items can provide a clue to their value and condition is always an important consideration, he said.
In some cases, a seller may want to invest in improving the condition of an item – but it’s wise to tread carefully because sometimes an effort to improve the condition can actually reduce an item’s value.
THR & Associates will purchase an item in any condition because it has the resources to prepare it for resale, he said.
If someone just wants an idea of an item’s potential value, they can drop by when THR & Associates is hosting a show.
“There’s absolutely no pressure. The dollar figure that we’re going to tell you is the dollar figure we are willing to pay you right now. I’m not twisting anyone’s arm. It’s completely up to you,” Gardner said.
Lee said the company has a positive effect on a community’s local economy.
“We kind of consider ourselves a stimulus package for local areas. We come in and we spend money in local businesses. We come in to hotels. We can write $250,000 worth of checks in any given town,” Lee said.
They come across highly sought after items on occasion, but not often.
“What we see the most of is someone cleaning out their jewelry box, things that they don’t use any more, things that have been sitting there for years. Or, an old coin set,” Lee said.
The company is in the market for dimes, quarters, half-dollars and dollars that are 1964 and older because their silver content is 90 percent. It also purchases Kennedy half-dollars, between the years of 1965 and 1969, which have 40 percent silver content.
The value of coins varies, based on the condition and rarity of the coin.
“We’ve got a network of people that are looking for certain coins. It really is going to be item specific,” Lee said.
While old jewelry, coins and silverware are the most common items that are brought to the sales, it never hurts to find out if there’s a market for an item, Gardner said.
“In all honesty, if you think it may have value, it’s best to bring it in and let us take a look at it.”
To find out about upcoming shows, visit thrassociates.com.
