Couple Cracks Open A Second Storage Unit For Their Vintage Shop, Recalls Their Priciest Jim Shore Sale Was A Fox For Around $400, Then Goes Online Hunting Beer Steins Worth 10 Grand

A couple who keep a vintage consignment shop stocked just cracked open a second storage unit, and the first unit went so well that they filmed again the same day. Along the way they talked about the priciest Jim Shore figure they have ever sold, a fox that went for around $400, and then one of them headed online to hunt for beer steins that might be worth 10 grand.

The husband-and-wife team behind Bearded Thrift Machine say two videos in one day is something they usually do not do. “In the first video, we actually did really, really well,” one of them says.

A $12 Piece, A Brass Lamp And A Squirrel Swing Open The Second Unit

This unit leans more vintage than the last one. The first find cost $12, and a brass lamp is waiting for its shade.

Then come the wall baskets, which the wife says her husband is “obsessed” with, and a hanging bird feeder that a squirrel would love. They also pull out a glass sunflower, wreath hanger magnets, decorative trim and little marble pieces that crafters could use.

It is an everyday pile, and that is the point. These are the small things that fill a booth and sell.

White House Christmas Ornaments Sold For Around $10 Apiece

Then they find something with a track record. White House Christmas ornaments from 1999 and 2001 are in the box, along with a 3D metal one from 2008.

“We’ve only found like three of these, and I do believe they sold for around $10 a piece,” one of them says. They plan to list them on Whatnot, where, they say, their sold prices run a little higher than eBay depending on what they are selling that day.

There are more. A Senate gift shop ornament marked Christmas 1998, another dated 1992 for the 200th anniversary, and a shiny one with an Aurora Borealis look behind it.

No Christmas Sales In December, Just A Big Push In November

Here is something shoppers should know. The couple does all of its Christmas selling in November, so buyers can get decorating and start gift shopping early.

“We actually don’t sell in December,” one says. All of these ornaments will be for sale on their Whatnot in November.

The Priciest Jim Shore They Ever Sold Was A Fox For Around $400

Then a Jim Shore figure turns up. It is a Heartwood Creek piece with a Silent Night theme, and the conversation turns to money.

“Some Jim Shores aren’t worth a ton. Some are worth hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of dollars,” says the seller. “I think the most expensive Jim Shore we’ve ever sold was a fox for around 400 bucks.”

Looking one up is easy, they say. There is a small number on the piece that works almost like a model number, so you type in Jim Shore plus that number. Not every figure has one, but a lot of them do.

Felt Trees, Hand-Knit Stockings And A Penguin Hiding In The Box

Much of the unit came from a consignment shop. Inside are felt trees, a hand-knit stocking, a tea-light holder that reads “Have yourself a merry little Christmas,” and stockings with people’s names on them.

Half of the stockings are headed to the booth and half to Whatnot. There is also a stocking hanger with the letters J, O and Y, and a penguin that was hiding at the bottom.

Fall decor follows. A round tablecloth that feels and smells brand new, fabric place mats, runners, pot holders and decorative fake corn that, they remember, cost around $10 at Hobby Lobby.

A Doll With A Porcelain Look Turns Out To Be Fabric And Foam

One doll appears to have a porcelain face. It turns out to be fabric or foam, and the box is marked Bradley, 1977, from Korea.

There are brand-new gnomes too. The couple says those are always good for the booth and for Whatnot, and that they sell pretty well.

“Dad’s A Book Guy,” Then Comes The Box With Roach Droppings

One section of the unit is all books. The husband says his dad goes through every single one, sells what he can and gives the rest away.

The next boxes take a turn. One is filthy, with animal droppings all around it, and it turns out to be roach droppings. One of them says to glove up, and the other says to make sure he washes his hands afterward.

Inside are old books, including a popular history of the Civil War, plus a bronze elephant that looks like part of a larger piece, a candlestick that is definitely not gold and a transistor radio.

Beer Steins That Might Be “Worth Like 10 Grand”

Then comes the part that gets them most excited. Several beer steins are packed in boxes, one marked family room, and they are heavy. One holds a liter and a half.

The couple checks the bottoms. Some are marked Germany, and others say Western Germany, which means they are older. They say these look more elaborate than the Budweiser ones, which are hard to give away, and one of those is broken.

Then comes the big line. “I’m going to go on eBay off camera, look at beer steins from high to low, and see if there’s anything worth like 10 grand,” one says. The other adds, “This feels like real Antiques Roadshow.”

They are realistic about it. Some steins may be worth only five or ten bucks, they say, but the heavier German ones with deep color may be a horse of a different color.

How To Check The Value Of Your Own Thrift Finds

What can you borrow from this couple? Their routine works for any garage sale haul, estate box or storage unit.

Flip every item over and look for a model number, a maker’s mark or a country such as Germany or Spain.
Search the number along with the maker’s name to see what similar pieces have sold for.
List holiday items early. This couple sells all of its Christmas stock in November.
Look up die-cut and made-in-USA pieces, which they say are often worth a decent amount.
Wear gloves for dirty boxes and wash up afterward.

They end the day with piles for the booth, piles for Whatnot, one fox-sized lesson about Jim Shore and a stein that may or may not be a big one. For the price of a storage unit, that is a good day of work.

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