A nice pawn shop find...
- Thread starter 1971
- Start date
Several weeks later I returned to the "scene of the crime" and talked with the pawn broker who sold the cue to me. He told me they had just sold a Willie Hoppe through e-Bay for $450. I'm curious as how this Schon slipped through and at such a low price...
Don't be. Get out there and find something nice for yourself. This find is only one of many "scores" I've made over the years of "hustling" the pawn shops. You can do it too, but it's a lot tougher now. :thumbup:
Last edited:
I've seen some great finds from garage/estate sales and they're probably the best source since pawn shops have been offering their cues on e-Bay. I disregard pawn shop "asking" prices. If the cue is obviously overpriced I set my price and stick to it. If the person I'm dealing with is difficult, I'll let the cue go without much haggle only to try another day and hopefully with a different sales person....
Last edited:
If most of the cues you find are Meucci, Viking, and McDermotts, that's usually a good sign. When I find an abundance of those brands of cues, I keep going back hoping for something better. The real secret (to anything) is to keep trying and never give up.
Perhaps, but not necessarily so. Pawn brokers are required to take personal information for pawned items and held for a specified time, at least here in California they do. However, it does make one wonder who and why the cue was pawned to begin with though.
Thank you, Adam. This acquisition comes at a time when things have been fairly rough for me. But things could always be worse, right? I'm thankful for the friends I have and what little I have.
You find this at garage sales all the time. Women selling things like fishing equipment, knives, tools that belonged to their dead husbands. They have no idea what their husband may have paid for the stuff and I am sure the husband never told them.
Tools are one of the best, they often go cheap. Although you have to be like the first one there to get them. A lot of guys like me have tools on their list of what they go looking for. I have bought toolbox's full you could not lift, everything for like $10.00.
I have gone to countless garage/estate sales and never had the luck of finding a good cue. Lots of pool tables, but very few cues and nothing good. Ohh, well, the search will go on.
you should post your find here:
http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=390867
you def made quite a nice score. :thumbup:
best,
brian kc
http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=390867
you def made quite a nice score. :thumbup:
best,
brian kc
I have gone to countless garage/estate sales and never had the luck of finding a good cue. Lots of pool tables, but very few cues and nothing good. Ohh, well, the search will go on.
I have not found many cues worth buying at garage sales. Most are the kind with Budweiser on them. The thing is with garage sales, you have to be first to get the good cheap stuff. There are garage sale fanatics out there that start when the sun comes up. By 10 am you are already too late, they have beat you to it..
Last edited:
Yes, definitely have to get there early, problem is cannot twin myself and be in more than one place, so it's a huge luck factor. One spring/summer I went nuts on garage sales. I did my research but this is not a good place for old things. Although, I have found some nice art, etc.
All this talk is making me want to go look for a cue.
You really do have to be lucky. You also can't prejudge the sale. I often stop at sales that people will just slow for and go on. You know the kind with a couple of kids sitting there and mostly toys and clothes. You have to stop because you just never know.Yes, definitely have to get there early, problem is cannot twin myself and be in more than one place, so it's a huge luck factor. One spring/summer I went nuts on garage sales. I did my research but this is not a good place for old things. Although, I have found some nice art, etc.
All this talk is making me want to go look for a cue.
A few months ago I bought this at a garage sale. (See attachment)
I saw a shoulder holster hanging on a fence at a sale. I was looking at it and the lady came up and asked if I was interested. I said no it was left handed but I would not mind what was in it.
She then says quietly I have the gun if you would like to see it and she goes in the house comes out with the box. What a beauty it is like new. I make her a fair offer and she ups it a few dollars and we make a deal.
You just never know and this was a sale I could have easily just drove by.
I just happen to think, maybe it would be a good idea to just ask if they have any pool cues they would like to sell. I know people who buy guitars and fishing equipment always ask. People don't always bring out everything they own or are not sure they want to sell it so they leave it in the house. I think I will start asking, can't hurt.
Attachments
Last edited:
My favorite gun buy at a yard sale was done by a friend one time I was with him.
In the paper it listed "old gun", when we got there we couldn't find it, and he asked what about that old gun in the ad (we thought it was already sold), he said its here on the porch and walks in and brings it out.
How much? $100 and not a penny less.
I have never seen my tight, cheap friend move so fast to his wallet and pay for anything in my life.
He had bought a Parker double barrel shotgun (side by side, not over and under) for $100.
I was so stunned I couldn't say a word.
LOL
Ken
In the paper it listed "old gun", when we got there we couldn't find it, and he asked what about that old gun in the ad (we thought it was already sold), he said its here on the porch and walks in and brings it out.
How much? $100 and not a penny less.
I have never seen my tight, cheap friend move so fast to his wallet and pay for anything in my life.
He had bought a Parker double barrel shotgun (side by side, not over and under) for $100.
I was so stunned I couldn't say a word.
LOL
Ken
Agreed.
That cue was clearly stolen from someone very unlucky.
Because there's no way anyone who knows it's value would sell it for......what....30 bucks? If it was 60 out the door.
So, I would say someone is looking for it.
Obviously who knows? But we've ALL seen pool players sell off whatever so they could get a " quick fix " to whatever was wrong at the time. Not to mention now a days pawn shop owners will not risk their license on a relatively small dollar amount as that with the advent of computers not to mention most areas have a dedicated " pawn shop unit".
Thanks Brian and I hope everyone reading this thread gets lucky too. My best find was a no veneer, six point Southwest with only one shaft and ivory ferrule. The pawn shop asking price was $199 but as usual I bargained and had it out the door for $100 even. It had a bit of the Southwest roll to it and Laurie dissuaded me from sending it in to have it straightened. I sold it at one of the Reno Sands tournaments years ago for $1,100. It's probably worth a bit more now...