Storage Auctions

[MainMan84]

Hey I was just curious to know, I watch Storage Wars and Auction Hunters and all of that stuff and I was wondering has anyone on here ever done storage auctions and had any luck finding Joes or Transformers or any other type of vintage toys of that nature?

[drunknmunky]

Jacklefttown actually works at a storage company and goes to the auctions but I don't think he's ever found anything. I see the auction signs around but I've never actually gone.

[gijoeforlife]

I've always wanted to go to a few just in case

[JoeIndex]

The problem with storage buying is unless you know enough about whatever else you might find (or even have a place where you can flip it) you're basically playing with fire and are gambling with your money. Most of the people on those auction shows have shops they can put that stuff in. Estate sales are much better places to look for old toys in collectible condition without the risk of buying sight unseen.

[devilfish60]

You ever see the episode of Pawn Stars where the guys had the room full of Transformers...

[jogunwarrior]

I've been to a few storage auctions, but it's a huge risk because I've only seen a few mystery boxes and the rest is junk, or at least nothing I have interest in. There may be toys in those boxes, or it may be crusty Corningware

[spiderpumpkin]

You ever see the episode of Pawn Stars where the guys had the room full of Transformers...

Pawn Stars - Transformers - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYxIZOQbv_g)

[mister-x]

one of my friends goes to these auctions, but they dont work like TV, they are silent auctions (here)...

he has found some interesting stuff, and makes decent money, but nothing ''collectable''

[samantha]

I have attended a few Storage Auctions but have seen any thing worth buying. You take your risk buying a storage locker. I have found better deals at my local flea market.

[crock master]

i bought from a guy who did that once, he said he would call me back if he ever ran into anymore goods. that was 3 years ago and havnt heard from him since

[crock master]

also dallas vintage toys was on storage wars. the buyers actually went to the dallas vintage toys shop to get stuff priced

[Zarana]

Storage wars is rigged. There is no chance of finding a unit full of joes in good condition and paying a price that would make it worth while.

[Lody]

On storage wars they came across a bunch of vintage toys including Mego figures that were MOC. Ended up being one of the biggest scores they ever made.

[kneroh]

I love show and would love to go out one day for the experience but what am I going to do with someone else's trash?

It seems like the kind of game where you have to own a second hand store, a place at swap meets or a good connection at the local dump.

[crock master]

all reality shows are rigged. even pawn stars. people just show off there prized pieces of their collections all the time. if you know something is worth 3 grand, then why go to a pawn shop?

bait car is fake,
the towing shows are faked.
even that america has talent is rigged

[Ruin]

I haven't been to the auctions but have done some reasearch beyond watching the shows.

Basically, if you think you're going to dive in and find joes, you're going to spend a lot of money for the privilege of being very dissapointed for the following reason:

for the few Joes you might find after bidding on enough lockers to find any, what the heck are you going to do with the rest of the stuff?

Getting started in the storage locker busness takes a lot of physical work, a full-sized pickup truck at the very least, cheap storage space (IE, taking over your residence), a clear schedule during *week* days, and a good idea of how you're going to sell your stuff.

Plus, everyone reports that locker prices are through the roof because of the shows.

Do you now where you would be able to sell a microwave oven and german stoneware? Or a futon? or a box full of DVDs?

A better idea might be to go down to the auctions with business cards made up, find out who the regulars are and let them know you're not their competition, but that you would be interested in buying stuff from them.

[darthdrew13]

A better idea might be to go down to the auctions with business cards made up, find out who the regulars are and let them know you're not their competition, but that you would be interested in buying stuff from them.

^^THIS^^

I have a guy that I hired to transport my inventory to local toy shows who is in the small time moving business (has a 20 ft enclosed trailer for moving stuff). He finds stuff all the time from people moving, but don't want some of the stuff they have. He has been given a bunch of TVs and more. He has contacted me about some Star Wars toys, but it wasn't much (he did sell some stuff before I got to see it as I took too long to get back to him). He has my info and we talk once or twice a month (since he lives in my neighborhood and is on my route to and from my house).

Also, my boss has gone to a few storage auctions. He's keeping an eye out for me for anything good he gets.

I figure I'll go to an auction or 2 someday and try and become the "toy expert" for some of the buyers and see what happens.

[CornDog_The_Ninja]

My brother in law convinced me to go to one once.

Probably 100 people there and they were only auctioning 2 units. Both went for a several hundred each and nothing of value was in either one, unless piss-stained mattresses is your thing.

I do like watching Storage Wars though, and not only because that chick Brandi has a nice rack.

http://i.imgur.com/scuhM.jpg

[Hicks_Royel]

http://i.imgur.com/scuhM.jpg
Yeah, this is the primary reason I watch the show anymore. Though one day I hope to load down a storage unit in their neck of the woods with empty high end car parts boxes, maybe leave a repro bumper sticking out from under a tarp... let the rent go south and wait for that very special episode of Storage Wars to air.

[dgnr82]

I haven't gone to any auctions, but I have a friend that does. He has won a few that had vintage toys, but nothing huge. I have a deal set up where when he finds any Joes or SW stuff, I get first crack at it. He has also s[read the word to other guys that go, thats I'm interested. Thats the best way to do it I think.

[helrod]

If there is anything good the storage place has already snatched it and put it on e-bay.

Storage auctions are a rip off I would never do it.
Everyone has the idea that old things equal gold mainly due to all the t.v. shows..
people forget they are just t.v. shows and there are hours of editing to make it look like you can get rich, most likely you would just get broke .
If this is the kind of thing you go for ,
go to 7-11 and buy a bunch of lottery tickets you would have the same chances with all these (ahem)"reality" shows coupled with the highest unemployment in history people are looking to get rich quick and are going to these auction s in record numbers.

[helrod]

all reality shows are rigged. even pawn stars. people just show off there prized pieces of their collections all the time. if you know something is worth 3 grand, then why go to a pawn shop?

bait car is fake,
the towing shows are faked.
even that america has talent is rigged

hahaha so true! Pawn stars is the worst there is no pawn shop in the world that would pay that kind of money.

[cobracobra]

On storage wars they came across a bunch of vintage toys including Mego figures that were MOC. Ended up being one of the biggest scores they ever made.

That was a awesome score. The problem with Storage Wars that it is supposed to be educational and your interest deals heavily on what they find. But the dealers themselves couldn't care less of a shit as long as it can get them money in a short amount of time.

[cobracobra]

My brother in law convinced me to go to one once.

Probably 100 people there and they were only auctioning 2 units. Both went for a several hundred each and nothing of value was in either one, unless piss-stained mattresses is your thing.

I do like watching Storage Wars though, and not only because that chick Brandi has a nice rack.

http://i.imgur.com/scuhM.jpg

And yes.

[CornDog_The_Ninja]

http://i.imgur.com/scuhM.jpg

Cleavage makes threads 84% more awesome. It's a proven fact.

Oh yeah... http://gifsoup.com/webroot/animatedgifs/154438_o.gif

[hahoo3]

Yeah, this is the primary reason I watch the show anymore. Though one day I hope to load down a storage unit in their neck of the woods with empty high end car parts boxes, maybe leave a repro bumper sticking out from under a tarp... let the rent go south and wait for that very special episode of Storage Wars to air.

They do this in my area. Have empty boxes marked 'collectibles' and stuff like that, because the person that rented the locker gets most of the money from the sale. So they prop it up to get high price and make money! That's why I don't bother with them. It was all over the news here and most of the stuff is going to be junk.

[Lody]

bait car is fake,
the towing shows are faked.
even that america has talent is rigged

While I like Bait Car, the stupid ass towing company shoes are not only stupid as phuck but fake as shit!

[Lody]

Cleavage makes threads 84% more awesome. It's a proven fact.

Oh yeah... http://gifsoup.com/webroot/animatedgifs/154438_o.gif

Love me some of that Brandi!

[SonOfMindbender]

I've gone to some of these auctions before they we're overexposed in New England. Lots and Lots of Porn is what I can remember most people finding the most of. It was mainly for the antiquing persuasion but with the birth of eBay...you know the rest.

[Hicks_Royel]

They do this in my area. Have empty boxes marked 'collectibles' and stuff like that, because the person that rented the locker gets most of the money from the sale. So they prop it up to get high price and make money! That's why I don't bother with them. It was all over the news here and most of the stuff is going to be junk.
Hah... that's funny and stupid at the same time.

Man, now I really want to set something like this up. Watching that Dave and the other guy that yells like John Force go at it over a bunch of boxes would be awesome.

[SNAKE_EYES1975]

I went to a few a few years back.

"storage wars" yea...Its all TV-fied. The stuff I seen was heaps of trash. I came to the conclusion if there WAS anything of decent value it aint gunna be there.

I know your thinking about finding a mISB Defiant a Flagg in one..but it aint gunna happen

[Hicks_Royel]

Admittedly, you could find a near complete set of 25th and ROC Joes in mine. Boxes of MU and SW figs... Two Misb AT-AT from the recent release. Several MISB TFs, all of my iGear Seekers and a couple of IM2 Hot Toys figures. But I keep mine paid up.

[SnakeEater]

I am a actually a licensed auctioneer....3rd generation to be exact. My grandfather started out family business over 70 years ago and it's still running strong today. Anyways I have never had any luck finding joes or transformers at said storage auctions but I have come across some cool stuff over the years doing the said auctions with my folks. One of the best toy related finds I had was actually last years in Mid February....we did a large auction for a guy here in town that moved away. Anyways I was able to privately buy all the toys he had in storage. I was lucky enough to get it all! Anyways He had 2 sons and a daughter all that grew up in the 80's. And lucky for me his kids had a tough time sharing so he bought 2 of everything for his boys. Thats means nearly all the stuff I got there was doubles. I got 2 night ravens, 2 sky strikers, 2 hiss tanks, tons of figures probably around 100 or so w/lots of weapons including about half the night force figures that were released in the 80's yep they were complete to boot! I also picked up an Incomplete USS flagg from the guy and tons of other stuff like MASK figures and vehicles, Transformers, Vintage Star Wars, Lego's, Tons of Fisher Price and Playskool toys, Hot Wheels, etc etc. I was also lucky enough to buy all the toys that the Guy had from when he was a child growing up in the 50's & 60's. I bought a vintage Metal Cap Gun from him which I sold for well over $100. Also I picked up a vintage Marx Fort Apache (in the box) cowboys and indians play set which is extremely rare and hard to find and it was complete to boot! Had all the metal parts and figures horses etc. I also picked up an old Metal Farm set w/plastic figures and animals also made by Marx toy company from the late 50's I believe. Anyways all in all it was an amazing find! I dropped $500 on everything and made back all my $ on the cap gun and Marx toys alone and the rest of the stuff I sold was all profit. I ended up netting a profit of around $1000 on the deal and I still have some of the vehicles and figures left from the collection and they are now in my personal collection.

Another great find was an awesome batch of 60's batman and superman comics that my dad found in a Trash Bag back in the mid to later part of the 90's. My dad was cleaning out the basement of a house we had an auction for and he was just supposed to take everything in the basement to the dump and junk it all.....Well, my dad found tons of silver dollars buried in the bottom of flower pots, a gold diamond wedding band as well as other jewelry, and of course that giant Garbage sack full of Old 60's DC Batman and Superman comics. Anyways the people we had the auction for ended up leaving town and left my dad stuck w/the bill for the dump fee and the cleaning fee as they were supposed to pay him after it was all done with but like I said before they left town and just thought they would screw my dad over....well....he sure didn't get screwed over lol as he found probably several thousand dollars worth of silver dollars and jewelry not to mention the comics he brought home for me! Anyways....I held onto the comics for several years and ended up selling them on ebay in the early 2000's well before any of the Marvel and DC super Hero Movies had hit the box office and skyrocketed the prices of said books but I still turned out a huge profit on them as they were free and all. I believe I sold them all for well over $500 on ebay probably closer to the $600 price range. Anyways quite the haul if you ask me! Anyways I have found tons and tons of other cool stuff on the auctions over the years but those 2 finds stand out the most as they were, in my opinion, 2 of the best scores I have personally had doing the auctions with my folks.

[allen dane]

I was a manager for a storage company. Only the owner and a licensed auctioneer knew what was in the units to be auctioned. I now work as a buyer for a known vintage toy store, I get about 5 storage pickers bringing me stuff a week. Those auction guys are looking for guns and just want to flip toys. Not many people want to redress megos or goo gone hot wheel sizzlers and store this stuff to get 50 bucks back. so they bring it to me.
here is a run down based on memory of what comes in most often
1. sw power of the force and ep 1> I maybe the only toy collector I know who didn't buy these back in the 1990's
2. newer (2000ish) hot wheels in package
3. toy biz marvel figures
4. atari 2600... every house has at least two hidden somewhere I think
5. beanie babies.... stupid beanie babies.
6. even more power of the force
7. fast food give aways.
8. disney store figures of movies no one remembers (mulan, hunchback)

we have gotten good/great things from some storage units.