Where Do You Buy Vintage Charms?

November 24, 2010 | By fitzcharming | 2 Replies More

I get this question from customers from time to time and the answer is "from various sources". I live in central Florida and the antiquing prospects here aren't as robust as in the midwest or northeast United States. It's just not easy to find nice charms at the antique fairs in my area. And when I do, it seems they are quite expensive.

So I've developed other sources. For myself I buy mostly online. I've got such an extensive collection now that I'm pretty picky about what is still missing from my collection. I shop on sites like Ruby Plaza and eBay to start and then check smaller sites. Sometimes when I find a coveted charm it's already attached to a bracelet and I end up buying the whole thing, dis-assembling it and selling the pieces I don't need in my eBay store.

When I'm sourcing inventory to sell directly I generally buy from a coin dealer friend who has access to a lot of silver and gold salvage jewelry. I'm able to purchase the goods for a small markup over the salvage price and it's a good deal for me. Other times when I'm shopping online, I will come across a bracelet that has a charm or two that I know are semi-rare and I know I'll be able to make a good profit so I'll purchase it and sell it for the separate pieces.

So that's my story in a nutshell. I've been doing this long enough to have developed an eye for high quality vintage charms and know what will sell quickly. And it's something I love to do.