Treasure hunt starts today
Published 12:00 am Tuesday, September 1, 2009
A modern-day treasure hunt will be in Troy this week. Treasure Hunters Roadshow will be at the Holiday Inn Sept. 1 through 5. According to the company’s Vice President Jason DeLong, the company holds about 1,000 events per year, and the event is free to the public.
“We do about 1,000 events per year,” DeLong said. “We have a database of 1,000 people in the U.S. and around the world.”
The Roadshow travels around the country looking for anything from rare coins to investment gold to Lionel trains and pocket watches. “The most exciting things we have found include things such as a 1960s Les Paul guitar, and a lot of people are cashing in on the old coin collections,” DeLong said.
DeLong said one collector gave $100, 000 for the 1960s guitar, and some collectors pay up to $5,000 for pocket watches from the railroad. According to DeLong, scrap gold jewelry is a prevalent item, and they have state jewelers on hand, who are willing to pay more than the current value of gold.
So, just how does the roadshow work?
Associates examine sellers’ collectibles, buyers make an offer and the sellers have the opportunity to accept the offer.
Roadshow officials say its important not to clean the antique or collectible because it could do damage to the finish.
Event-goers should expect to wait up to 45 minutes, but can bring as many items as they want.
Other items of interest include, vintage jewelry, jewels, toys made before 1965, vintage Barbie and G.I. Joe dolls, and advertising memorabilia including petroleum ads, beverage company ads, beer and liquor signs, automobile and outdoor thermometers.