Estate sales are a great place to buy a variety of items, from furniture to antiques and much more.

If you have any interest in antique jewelry, you may love what you find at a local estate sale. You may not always find something worth buying, but you never know when that special piece will pop up in front of your eyes.

Buying antique jewelry at an estate sale is a bit different than purchasing at a store, for example. For this reason, these four tips will come in handy:

1. Check for some type of mark. As a general rule of thumb, if a piece of jewelry was made before the 1950’s it is likely to have some type of mark, such as an initial or company symbol.

This mark will help you better understand the history of the piece, including its age, material, and value.

2. Wear and tear is not a bad thing. When it comes to antique jewelry, especially that being sold at an estate sale, signs of wear are common. From tarnish to small imperfections, this is something you should expect.

If a piece looks brand new but the seller is telling you it is an antique, be sure to find out why. Has it been restored? Is it a fake?

3. The price says a lot about the piece. Everybody wants to get a killer deal, but if the price is too good to be true it probably is. High quality antique jewelry is not going to be sold for a few bucks. For this reason, if a piece is priced extremely low there is a good chance it is a fake.

4. Do your research upfront. Since most estate sales offer purchases “as is,” it is up to the buyer to do their assessment before forking over any cash.

If you have any questions about estate sales, no matter what is on your mind, feel free to contact us for professional guidance.