# What things are you on the lookout for at garage sales? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 22, 2013, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-things-are-you-on-the-lookout-for-at-garage-sales/676947 "2013-12-22T13:18:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Mr.Goob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c77e96/32.png) [@Mr.Goob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Goob)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2013, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-things-are-you-on-the-lookout-for-at-garage-sales/676947/21 "2013-12-22T23:08:46Z")
Books and tools are a bonus. I restore and refinish antique lamps as a side of my buisness. So any I can snap up, or cannibilize for parts are my first look. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2013, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-things-are-you-on-the-lookout-for-at-garage-sales/676947/22 "2013-12-22T23:53:21Z")
> [@MikeG](#): > > Snap On Tools. > An old Gerstner machinists chest. Yea, I’m always on the lookout for older, quality tools. ---
**Author:** ![48Willys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/db5fbb/32.png) [@48Willys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/48Willys)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2013, 8:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-things-are-you-on-the-lookout-for-at-garage-sales/676947/23 "2013-12-23T08:36:14Z")
Any quality tools, the older the better. Especially British standard or Whitworth tools. Tool boxes or wooden cases. Willys and VW parts. Triumph car or motorcycles and/or parts. Books. Sheets, blankets, and quilts. Blue jeans, jackets and skirts. Large overalls. Large collections of nuts, bolts, screws and washers. Almost anything made from cast iron, pans, trays, tool boxes (yes I have one) skillets, stands for tools (table saws etc) and engine blocks. My neighbor is into casting things, so what I do not use, he gets. If I see something that catches my fancy I will try to get it fairly cheep. In my youth, I used to buy complete yard sales at the end of the weekend. I would sort, clean, repair, and resell stuff. So i keep that experience in mind when I am at a yard sale. ---
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2013, 9:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-things-are-you-on-the-lookout-for-at-garage-sales/676947/24 "2013-12-23T09:24:43Z")
A real, 1950’s - 1960’s (early) waffle iron. No, I don’t want that abomination you call “Belgium”. I don’t care to turn it like a rotisserie. A plain, old, cast-iron, 4-up waffle iron. Every time I see a Salvation Army (gawd, what a name) or Goodwill store, i figure “maybe this will be the one!”. Looks like I’m 20 years too late - they’ve all been scrapped already. Camera gear - even in a digital world, some glass is still worth a fortune. Take a large-format camera, remove the film back, insert a digital back, and you have a killer digital camera. Most people would not know what that strange lens on a piece of sheet metal is. There are still a few tools (still kicking myself for selling the band saw) I look for. ---
**Author:** ![Eutychus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Eutychus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eutychus)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2013, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-things-are-you-on-the-lookout-for-at-garage-sales/676947/25 "2013-12-23T12:36:03Z")
Deutsche Grammophon CDs. ---
**Author:** ![Alpha\_Twit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpha_twit/32/265_2.png) [@Alpha\_Twit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpha_Twit)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2013, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-things-are-you-on-the-lookout-for-at-garage-sales/676947/26 "2013-12-23T13:05:37Z")
hand tools - snap-on, mac, craftsman or anything vintage or interesting. anything silver (you would be amazed what some people don’t recognize they have) paperback sci-fi and fantasy books if they’re cheap I always look at the furniture for interesting restore worthy pieces. ---
**Author:** ![Missy2U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2013, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-things-are-you-on-the-lookout-for-at-garage-sales/676947/27 "2013-12-23T16:00:50Z")
Books, kitchenware, especially cookie jars. I’ve got quite a nice collection of cookie jars at this point. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2013, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-things-are-you-on-the-lookout-for-at-garage-sales/676947/28 "2013-12-23T16:40:53Z")
Whatever catches my eye. I found a classy leather purse for $2 and a crock pot for $4 at the last yard sale I went to. Good finds! I used to make a point of looking through books, but with the advent of ebooks I am generally not interested. ---
**Author:** ![11811](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/9d8465/32.png) [@11811](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/11811)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2013, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-things-are-you-on-the-lookout-for-at-garage-sales/676947/29 "2013-12-24T02:40:58Z")
I look for anything that makes noise. Preferably a musical instrument or child’s toy. Also used CDs. ---
**Author:** ![11811](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/9d8465/32.png) [@11811](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/11811)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2013, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-things-are-you-on-the-lookout-for-at-garage-sales/676947/30 "2013-12-24T02:42:46Z")
Best find ever at a flea market was a Gibson mandolin banjo. $10.00. ---
**Author:** ![MikeG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikeg/32/4329_2.png) [@MikeG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeG)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2013, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-things-are-you-on-the-lookout-for-at-garage-sales/676947/31 "2013-12-24T03:16:56Z")
Wow 11811, I’ve always wanted one of those. Great find! Add to my list: wooden flutes Irish style. ---
**Author:** ![Lasciel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e79b87/32.png) [@Lasciel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lasciel)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2013, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-things-are-you-on-the-lookout-for-at-garage-sales/676947/32 "2013-12-24T03:42:29Z")
Jars of buttons/trim/costume jewelry. Vintage board games. Tools. I rarely buy them, but I love finding old weird implements that I have no clue what they’re for. Fur coats. I live in the south, people have no clue what real fur is worth - on the down side, they also have no clue how to KEEP it either, so it’s usually in godawful condition. Otherwise, I’m like everyone else - it’s a treasure hunt. I don’t hit flea markets, estate sales, auctions or yard sales when I need something, I go when I want to poke around and maybe find something nifty. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2013, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-things-are-you-on-the-lookout-for-at-garage-sales/676947/33 "2013-12-24T12:31:07Z")
> [@11811](#): > > Best find ever at a flea market was a Gibson mandolin banjo. $10.00. That didn’t happen in Nashville. The musicians wouldn’t have left it in place for 10 seconds. A Gibson? For $10? Even if it took $500 to restore, I’d have popped for it. And I can’t play a note. ---
**Author:** ![MadTheSwine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MadTheSwine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadTheSwine)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2013, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-things-are-you-on-the-lookout-for-at-garage-sales/676947/34 "2013-12-24T20:50:07Z")
I buy anything that I think can make a decent profit on,usually books and DVDs.Best find lately, a Louisville Slugger I paid 25 cents for,sold it for $180. Things I buy for myself include clothes and unused soaps, shampoos,deodorants etc. ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2013, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-things-are-you-on-the-lookout-for-at-garage-sales/676947/35 "2013-12-24T21:37:15Z")
Used children’s books. My best find ever was a middle-grade mystery novel that I picked up for $5 and turned out to be worth $100. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2013, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-things-are-you-on-the-lookout-for-at-garage-sales/676947/36 "2013-12-25T04:44:20Z")
Books, movies, and board games mostly. ---
**Author:** ![LH75](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lh75/32/4438_2.png) [@LH75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LH75)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2013, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-things-are-you-on-the-lookout-for-at-garage-sales/676947/37 "2013-12-25T12:36:16Z")
My wife and I never miss an estate sale. We really don’t need to buy more stuff, but going through the houses is fun. We are pretty selective about what we buy. I am always interested in the kitchenware. My wife looks through the jewelry. We have made some pretty good scores over the years. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2013, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-things-are-you-on-the-lookout-for-at-garage-sales/676947/38 "2013-12-25T13:36:26Z")
> [@LH75](#): > > My wife and I never miss an estate sale. We really don’t need to buy more stuff, but going through the houses is fun. We are pretty selective about what we buy. I am always interested in the kitchenware. My wife looks through the jewelry. We have made some pretty good scores over the years. I’m this way. Garage sales have stuff people want to get rid of. Estate sales are what’s left after the family/dealer take what they want. Different selection process. I also like looking at the houses. ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2013, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-things-are-you-on-the-lookout-for-at-garage-sales/676947/39 "2013-12-25T13:58:58Z")
Good quality fountain and ballpoint pens. ---
**Author:** ![LavenderBlue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e95f7d/32.png) [@LavenderBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LavenderBlue)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2013, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-things-are-you-on-the-lookout-for-at-garage-sales/676947/40 "2013-12-25T16:50:27Z")
I like: Pretty hardcover cookbooks Historical fiction of any kind Quilts, pillows, decorative rugs and comforters Clothing for the pre-teen Shoes for the little one - she outgrows anything I buy her in two months or less Luxury clothing like cashmere on the cheap Interesting or unusual jewelry Toys for the girls or to give away for presents for other kids Judaica Kitchen gadgets What I don’t want: Your cheap junk at overinflated prices – too many people (especially rich people) seem to have themselves confused with Elvis or JK Rowling – you’re using it does not mean it went up in value [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-things-are-you-on-the-lookout-for-at-garage-sales/676947.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-things-are-you-on-the-lookout-for-at-garage-sales/676947.md?page=3)