S.O.S. (Surplus Old Stuff) with Amy Moyer: Costume Jewelry – WorthPoint

Everyone loves jewelry, but sometimes there can be too much of a good thing. If you are downsizing, what do you do with the several mismatched jewelry boxes chockablock full of both fine and costume pieces sitting on top of your dresser (not to mention the top two drawers of your dresser, which mostly hold the “good stuff” in their original boxes, along with a couple of loose pieces of costume jewelry)? If you are a reseller, what do you do with those tangled piles of bracelets and necklaces you pick up for $10 a bag from estate sales? Read on for tips and advice on S.O.S. (Surplus Old Stuff): Costume Jewelry.

Secrets of a Reseller

Would you like to know one of my secrets as a reseller related to old costume jewelry? Yes, along with writing about old stuff, I also buy and sell old stuff, so most of my S.O.S. (Surplus Old Stuff) advice comes directly from the field of picking and flipping. Like you, dear reader, I love a good estate sale, and I will give you my number-one tip on where to start once you enter that door of unfound treasures.

I know your heart starts beating fast as Google Maps directs you to that fine neighborhood. You always have to take a few deep breaths as soon as you approach the big house with twenty cars already parked out front and a handful of bearded, pot-bellied old-timer pickers shuffling about with their Piggly Wiggly reusable totes. Pull right up to the front of the house and wait a minute for one of those early bird’s cars to pull out (because you’ve likely arrived a bit late after grabbing your Dunkin’). Snatch that prime parking spot, don’t forget your own reusable totes, and head to the front door.

Seek the Jewelry

If there is no line, and you don’t have to take a number (again, all likely scenarios due to that Dunkin’ stop), there is no need to hesitate and think, “Where should I go first?” Why? Because here it is, my number-one tip for shopping at estate sales: seek the jewelry. Go right upstairs to the second floor, find the primary bedroom, and head to the lady of the house’s dresser. Put aside your squeamishness and open those top couple of drawers. If you do not see any jewelry in there, it’s your own fault from that Dunkin’ run (and now you know what the early birds have in their Piggly Wiggly totes).

Don’t despair; you should find a stray piece or two of costume jewelry and maybe even an overlooked fine piece. At this point, you can head downstairs to the check-out table to peruse the bags of jewelry the estate sale company set aside to save from the sticky-fingered types.

Get a Loupe

Whether you are a downsizer or a reseller, we have now arrived at the same place: we are home, and somewhere at home, we have bags, we have boxes, we have dusty corners of closets and attic spaces filled with none other than S.O.S. (Surplus Old Stuff): Costume Jewelry. The first thing you should do with these boxes, bags, and piles is pretty essential: pull out the fine jewelry. This is time-consuming but worth it if you have the time.

Get yourself a loupe and start searching for sterling silver and gold items. Pull out anything you see with names and numbers on it. The obvious ones are “925” (sterling silver) and anything with a “K,” “kt,” or “ct” (gold), but be aware that other marks may indicate value as well. For instance, you may think “999” is some sort of silver, but it actually describes the purity of 24K gold. Additionally, “585,” “583”, and “575” are all 14K gold.

“We Buy Gold”

If you are a downsizer and have no sentimental attachment to the fine pieces, throw them in a sack and bring them to one of those “We Buy Gold” places. We just had one of those places open up in my hometown, and the folks there are nicer than a glass of sweet tea on a 110-degree day. If I did not want to sort my piles myself, I would not hesitate to bring them there. They buy not just gold but all the other precious metals as well, and some of those folks will even take costume jewelry to resell themselves. Downsizers take note: if you find a good We Buy Gold place like mine, they may be your new best friend.

Netflix and Chill (…or Detangle)

Do you have time to do the sorting and reselling yourself? Do you even have a little space in an antique mall as a hobby? Don’t be afraid to pull out those Coro, Monet, and Trifari pieces and slap some $30 to $50 prices on them. Casual antique mall shoppers are always happy to pick up a piece of jewelry on their day out. A pretty necklace is a much smaller commitment than, say, a full set of radioactive Fiestaware or yet another vintage cookie jar. Many folks also collect costume jewelry these days.

I cannot believe it myself, as I am such as snob, I only collect jewelry that makes a nice “beep beep beep” with my diamond tester, but anything with Coro or Weiss is likely to be a quick sell in a vintage market. Remember, whether your jewelry is fine or S.O.S. (Surplus Old Stuff): Costume Jewelry … Everyone. Loves. Jewelry!

Downsellers and resellers alike, read on for a step-by-step guide for getting rid of your old costume jewelry:

S.O.S. Step-by-Step Guide to Sorting Old Costume Jewelry

1. Get your tools: a loupe and a magnifying glass.
2. Get your knowledge: 925 is sterling silver, and anything with a “k” or “kt” is gold.
3. Sort your jewelry into piles of “fine” and “costume.”
4. If you are a downsizer, sort through the fine stuff and ensure you are ready to part with it all. Once sure, get some envelopes and a pen and start putting items into envelopes for younger family members. Label them (“nephew Timmy,” “cousin Josephine”), and also write on the envelope any identifying characteristics of the jewelry piece: “14K,” etc. Have you noticed that nephew Timmy has pierced ears these days? Give him some real gold earrings. Does cousin Josephine have four kids, a full-time job, and tired eyes? Give her one really good piece (but write the info in big letters on her envelope, look her in the eye, and speak loudly when you give it to her).
5. Now, get some gallon Ziploc bags. Put the envelopes in the bags and sprinkle in some of your favorite costume jewelry pieces that you think nephew Timmy and cousin Josephine may like. Go heavy on the costume jewelry necklaces and bracelets with cousin Josephine with all those kiddos … she can always give them to her little dumplings for dress-up.
6. If you are a downsizer and still have piles of jewelry left, find a trusted “We Buy Gold” place in your hometown and bring the rest of the fine jewelry and costume jewelry there. If they are good and honest, they will give you a more than fair price for the pile. If they do not take the costume jewelry pieces, find a vintage shop and bring your pile there—chances are the owner would be happy to buy your items. Their price might not be great since they need to make a profit, but at least you’ll know your pieces will be resold at their shop to shoppers and collectors who will appreciate them.
7. If you are a reseller, you have a bigger job to do. You likely have bags of tangled bracelets, bolos, belts, and bits and bobs to sort through. There is nothing else to do here but sit down with some Netflix and a glass of wine and get to work. Untangle, loupe it, and tag it. Be sure to tag the stamped pieces with the name, as costume jewelry collectors will seek those out. Take it easy on the wine, or you’ll miss some of those “14K” marks. For all the broken pieces, single earrings, and loose beads, put them in old glass mason jars and sell them as “lots for crafting.” When in doubt, any S.O.S. (Surplus Old Stuff) can be crafted!

Amy Moyer is the proprietor of Antmuffin: Art, Antiques & Collectibles. She holds a B.A. in Visual Art from Brown University and lives in Boston.

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