Treasure Hunt
Is any of that junk in your attic worth some money? How do you sort the trash from the treasure? CBS News Saturday Morning Co-Anchor Russ Mitchell spoke with collectibles expert Tony Hyman, author of Trash or Treasure Directory of Buyers 1997-98.
It's true: your trash could be a collector's treasure. Then again, it could really be trash.
Here's a timely example from collectibles expert Tony Hyman, to coincide with the 35th anniversary of the Beatles invasion of America.
If you are lucky enough to have the first Beatles album, you could sell it for up to $5,000 today.
But it must be the original release. How do you tell?
If it says "first album" on the cover, Hyman warns, it is not the first album. That's actually the first album put out by Capitol Records.
The real first album was a VeeJay release called Introducing The Beatles.
You could be in for the big bucks if you have that VeeJay album and it is an original. The original release has album covers pictured on the back. Later versions had a list of songs on the back.
If you saved the Capitol Records album, it is worth about $300, or about $600 if it was recorded in stereo rather than mono. But it must be in perfect condition. And "perfect" means it was never opened or played.
Hyman uncovered some other treasures when CBS News Saturday Morning viewers sent in their questions about collectibles.
Sandra Williams of Sierra Vista, Arizona, got a Lionel train set for her third birthday in 1959. The cars were painted pastel colors in an attempt to appeal to girls. The idea bombed and the sets didn't sell. But today, that train set is a rare collectible. The set Williams has is worth about $3,000 because she kept it in pristine condition.
Buddy Craver of Clemmons, North Carolina, sent in a yard sale find, a curious old doll he bought for 50 cents. Hyman said he could get $1,500 for the doll and, with a little restoration, as much as $3,000 to $4,000.
Hyman's Trash or Treasure book is one of many resources available to help people determine the potential collectible value of their belongings. Auction sites on the Internet are a good place to compare your "junk" with similar items for sale as well as a vehicle to buy and sell items.
Go to Tony Hyman's Web site for more information on collectibles.
Go to the archive of Saturday Morning segments with collectibles expert Tony Hyman.
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