15 VINTAGE ITEMS THAT SOLD ONLINE FOR A PROFIT in 2020
Sourcing vintage and antique goods and selling them online can be a fun way to make extra income. Check out the basics of buying and selling below, as well as a sampling of what sold on eBay and FB Marketplace for a profit to gauge how much you could potentially be making!
HOW TO SELL VINTAGE GOODS ONLINE
Last year, I began selling vintage and antique items online and it’s become one of my favorite hobbies – not to mention a way to make extra income!
Along the way, I’ve learned that some items sell faster than others. Some bring a higher profit margin. And some I enjoy sourcing and selling. After all, there’s a bit of research that goes into selling vintage goods and antiques if you want the best bang for your buck, and if you aren’t interested in the item, you won’t want to do the research.
Where Do I Source Vintage Items for Online Resale?
Yard sales, thrift stores, and estate sales are the primary ways to get your hands on vintage goods. Occasionally, I will find great deals at antique malls or flea markets but the costs tend to be higher at these locations, which leaves less room for profit.
Where Do I Sell Vintage Items Online?
I mainly use my eBay store and Facebook Marketplace to sell items, however, I’m on the verge of becoming an Etsy retailer as well in the near future. All three are great platforms for resellers to get started.
In my experience, Etsy items sell for more compared to the eBay platform, which encourages auctions and “best offers.” Facebook Marketplace is great for furniture or heavy items that are easier to deliver locally rather than mail or ship (even a unique and well-priced item on Etsy or eBay may not sell if the shipping expense it outrageous).
How Do I Determine How Much the Item is Worth?
There’s no easy answer to this question, but this is where that research comes in handy.
Once you know a bit about your item (what it is, approximate age, style, brand, etc.), you can research comparable prices of the same or similar items on multiple platforms, like eBay or Etsy.
The more you know about your item, the more detailed you can be with your description of it, and the more confident you can feel about the list price.
A Note About Shipping, Fees, and Gross Profit:
With my eBay store purchases, I always have the buyer pay calculated shipping. This cuts down on any surprise costs on my end and lets me price the item based on its value without trying to “price up” for anticipated shipping costs, which can vary greatly based on the buyer’s location. As a bonus, eBay provides a discount for some USPS shipping rates, which is a win for the seller!
Don’t forget, as a seller you are paying to use online platforms like Etsy and eBay.
With eBay, that means extra fees will be factored in (roughly 13-15% of my sold price). Keep in mind that gross profit does not equal net profit!
WHAT SOLD ON EBAY AND MARKETPLACE?
Ok, let’s get down to the good stuff! Without further ado, here’s a list of 10 items that I’ve sourced and sold in 2020 for a profit.
1. Mid-Century Modern Brass Flying Birds Statue
My Cost: $14.00
Sale Price: $69.50 + shipping
Gross Profit: $55.50
Platform: eBay
This brass statue was made by Andrea by Sadek and screamed MCM style! I sourced it at an online auction for a great price and since MCM is such a popular style, I knew I could sell it in my eBay store quickly. It sold in just a couple of weeks!
2. Vintage Cast Iron Poodle Bank
My Cost: $9.00
Sale Price: $45.00 + shipping
Gross Profit: $36.00
Platform: eBay
How cool are cast iron banks like this one? I’ve come across so many, from poodles to pirates and Sasquatch to baseball sluggers.
There’s a cast-iron bank out there for every collector and they can sell for a great profit at both antique stores and online platforms. This poodle, I’m sure, went to a dog-lover.
3. 1975 “TE Express” Men’s Brass Belt Buckle
My Cost: $8.00
Sale Price: $23.55 + shipping
Gross Profit: $15.55
Platform: eBay
I found this item while on vacation in the mountains of North Carolina. I paid a bit more than I wanted since this was purchased at an antique store, but I wanted to try out men’s accessories in my store and also learn a bit more about them. Belt buckles are a great item to sell since they can appeal to collectors and hobbyists. This one may have been purchased by a train lover or someone who worked on the railroad.
4. Vintage Dresser
My Cost: $60.00 ($20.00 initial cost + $40.00 materials)
Sale Price: $190.00
Gross Profit: $130.00
Platform: Facebook Marketplace
This was a quick furniture flip that sold within a day of listing it and took a short amount of time to transform this dresser from dingy to modern. Well worth the elbow grease!
5. Vintage Print, “Toreador” by Ortiz
My Cost: $9.99
Sale Price: $39.99 + shipping
Gross Profit: $30.00
Platform: eBay
Buying artwork is a challenge for me since I don’t know a lot about art, types of prints, or how to value them. It took a lot of research (which I enjoyed, by the way) to find out that this was an offset lithograph – meaning it is simply a reproduction printed on hardboard. Stone lithographs and original oil/acrylic paintings are worth significantly more than prints but are rare to come by!
This print was in great shape and in a vintage wooden frame. I was unable to find the date or much information on the artist, so my pricing (initially higher than the $39.99 sales price) was based on comparable listing and sold items of the same painting or others by the same artist. There were very few comparables, by the way, but I feel that a $30 profit for a print isn’t bad!
Artwork is one area I’d like to explore further and become more comfortable with for resale.
You can learn how to identify the difference between prints and original lithographs/paintings with these resources, which I found extremely helpful:
6. Antique Latin Books: “Caesar in Gaul”, “Gudeman’s Agricola & Germanicus”
My Cost: $2.00
Sale Price: $29.99 + shipping
Gross Profit: $27.99
Platform: eBay
These two books were published over 100 years ago and were written in Latin with English notes. I sourced them at an estate sale – along with several other vintage and antique books.
Despite having some visible wear on the outside, they were antique and I knew they would appeal to Latin/Roman/History enthusiasts as well as antique book collectors.
7. Vintage Drop-Leaf Buffet
My Cost: $45.00 ($15.00 initial cost + $30.00 in supplies)
Sale Price: $215.00
Gross Profit: $170.00
Platform: Facebook Marketplace
This drop-leaf buffet was in great condition and took no time to flip after I purchased it at a yard sale for only $15.00! It sold very quickly on Facebook Marketplace and left me with a great profit considering the time invested. I usually ask buyers to pick up furniture pieces since they are hard to move but will offer delivery for an additional fee. Luckily, the buyer was able to pick up this buffet without me having to load it up and meet somewhere or deliver it.
8. Rustic Hand Grater, Made in France
My Cost: $1.00
Sale Price: $11.99 + shipping
Gross Profit: $10.99
Platform: eBay
Rustic and primitive kitchen utensils are so fun to source and sell! They can be used in farmhouse décor, vintage vignettes, stage props, nostalgic display, and sometimes for actual use in the kitchen.
This “Mouli” hand grater was manufactured in France and had a worn, rustic look to it.
I found it for a dollar at a yard sale, along with several other vintage kitchen utensils, some of which are still listed in my shop.
9. Vintage Brass Seahorse and Green Orb Décor
My Cost: $1.50
Sale Price: $22.99 + shipping
Gross Profit: $21.49
Platform: eBay
I purchased this unique décor piece at a yard sale and it actually sat in my office for about a year before I was finally able to part with it. The green orb was a resin material and the brass base featured little seahorses. It sold to a happy eBay buyer!
10. 1930’s Salt and Pepper Shakers, Sterling Silver
My Cost: $3.50
Sale Price: $20.00 + shipping
Gross Profit: $16.50
Platform: eBay
Along with vintage books, silver and silverplate are some of my favorite pieces to source if I can find them for the right price. I love learning about the different companies and identifying patterns.
These cuties were made by Hunt Silver Company and were sterling silver, which is worth more than silverplate. I always leave my silver items unpolished since some buyers (like myself) prefer the natural tarnish and patina on metal décor. Also, it’s time-consuming to polish silver and who has time for that, anyway?
11. Handmade Vintage Americana Embroidery, Folk Art
My Cost: $3.50
Sale Price: $17.99 + shipping
Gross Profit: $14.49
Platform: eBay
This was a handmade item that I stumbled across at an estate sale. The buyer actually messaged me wanting similar embroidery pieces if I had any, but unfortunately, this was the only one I purchased!
Unique and handmade items like this would also do well on the Etsy platform and tend to bring a higher price, but this sold very quickly on eBay.
12. Vintage Spectacles
My Cost: $1.50
Sale Price: $18.99 + shipping
Gross Profit: $17.49
Platform: eBay
Vintage spectacles are one of those collectible oddities that I am drawn to and I was able to find several pairs for cheap at a local estate sale. The buyer actually messaged me when she saw that these were sold at her great-grandfather’s shop years ago – how cool!
13. Brass Swan Planters
My Cost: $1.00
Sale Price: $20.55 + shipping
Gross Profit: $19.55
Platform: eBay
I sell a LOT of brass items in my eBay store, and it seems there’s an animal out there for everyone – brass ducks, giraffes, elephants, or in this case, swans. Although a bit heavy to ship, it never deters buyers from sending offers on these brass goodies.
14. Antique Oak Side-by-Side
My Cost: $100.00
Sale Price: $140.00
Gross Profit: $40.00
Platform: LetGo
I hit a jackpot at an estate sale several months ago, and on my way out the door made a last-minute decision to pick this piece up for $100. It was beautiful! The curved glass was in perfect condition and I could visualize refinishing the stain and replacing hardware and molding to bring it back to life.
But when I got it home, reality hit: I was 7 months pregnant and it was the middle of summer in Kentucky, which meant my garage stayed 85+ degrees. On top of that, I was given activity restrictions which meant no lifting, no exercise, or being on my feet for extended times. This piece was going to sit awhile and take up space unless I could turn it into a quick flip.
A short time later, a nice gentleman offered my $140 on LetGo to pick it up and take it off my hands, which I happily accepted. $40 isn’t much of a profit in terms of furniture, but better to find this antique piece a home rather than have it set in my garage and not be touched for months! Plus, the only time I had invested in it was the time it took to drive home from the estate sale (which I was already shopping at) and have my husband unload it in our garage.
15. Antique Straight Razor Collection
My Cost: $9.00
Sale Price: $30.00 + shipping
Gross Profit: $21.00
I knew nothing about these straight razors (and extras) when I took a chance at them, but it turns out that W. M. Elliot (1880-1918) and T. Hessen Bruch (1873-1906) straight razors are highly desirable! Remember, anything over 100 years old is an actual antique, and 20+ years old is a vintage item.
These are just a small selection of my sales for 2020, and I can’t wait to list some new vintage finds from my recent hauls. You can see them in my eBay shop: The Copper Goose Gathering Co.
If you enjoyed this article and want to learn more about vintage resale, check out MY TOP 5 FAVORITE FINDS FOR VINTAGE RESALE with tips for sourcing and listing items online!
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