General Forum

As I've been in the buying mood lately and hate to pay the generous shipping fees that eBay sellers charge, I'm thinking of hitting a couple of local thrifts stores this weekend. We live less than a mile from a Goodwill and a Salvation Army store. Anyone ever shopped these for cards? I'm assuming they may be hit or miss?

I do a lot of thrifting and always look. Be prepared for a lot of 88-90 Topps, Fleer, Donruss, Score and UD. I have never found anything vintage.

My wife and I tour the thrift stores, second hand stores, and anitique stores in our area. I get plenty of cards that way. I've gotten everything from 19th century tobacco cards to modern junk. Of course, 90% of everything I find is the stuff that ravenfaith mentioned. The Salvation Army and Goodwill stores are tough in my area. I know that the employees get first pick at everything (my sister used to work there) and I don't think I've ever found cards at either of our local stores.

I find a lot more hidden gems in non-sport than I do with sports cards. A good place to look for vintage non-sport is in the post-card section. I have found a lot of victorian trade & advertising cards stuck in amongst the post-cards. I also go through the stacks of paper/advertising stuff that seems to always be stacked around thrift/antique stores. 

Our local Salvation Army always has some in their glass counter. I never ask to look because the ones showing are absurdly priced. Maybe I'll go in sometime and see if they will give me a deal on everything. 
we have a million antique shops in the Lancaster area and I've had luck at those. Got a sealed 2000 topps traded chrome set for $12. 

I always check them out but I have found more recently that the workers there don't often know what they have and price things way over what it is booked at.  Value Village is the worst here as they will put 100 junk era cards in a bag and stick a $4 or $5 price tag.  I wish I could sell my 1991 donruss cards at that price.  I have found deals though, one of the better ones was a 1982 M.A.S.H. set in a binder.  Goodwill store in Honolulu.  You just never know what you might find.

Here in New Zealand I have never found sports cards at a thrift store but have found cigarette cards at a local antique store.

Mainly non sport which does not interest me unfortunately but did find a few 1930s football (soccer) and cricket. I know nothing about cigarette cards and I get the feeling the store owner didn't either. I managed to pick them up for somewhere between 0.50c and $1 New Zealand each from memory which was less than half what was stated on them so he was certainly willing to negotiate. I did know they had been there for years though!

I have no idea if any of that is relevant to the US market, but, always worth a shot to look around - you never know what you might find.

I find plenty at flea markets. Some good deals.  Some not so good.  

I have seen similar pricing here in thrift stores...and what is even more interesting is that next time you go to same store that overpriced bag or binder is gone...someone liked it enough to buy....

mark

Yes Mark.  Same thing here.  But I can only think it is those "investors" who heard there was a great deal of money to be made on cards.

Agreed.  Most cards I find in thrift stores are 100 90's cards for like $5.  That said, several years ago I bought a bunch of NIB Starting Lineup for a great price at the local Goodwill.  I happened to be there on the day there was 50% off their sticker color, so that was cool.  I was happy that day.