Anyone know anything about antiques/ retro stuff?

[iswmle]

I was back home for my brother's wedding and we were taking inventory of some of the things in our childhood home which my brother and his new wife had moved into. My mother has two of those wooden console tvs from the early 1980s that are in mint condition with remotes intact and everything. One of them is at my mom's new home (I still use it in my bedroom when I visit) and the other one is at my brother's.

He was talking about putting it on Craigslist for someone to just take for free. I said, nah, don't do that, just set a price in your head and go from there. We both agreed that if he got $50 out of it he would be lucky.

Well, yesterday I was at work and mentioned the tv to a couple of coworkers. They both said that I was crazy, and the tv is worth a lot more than that now. They said there is a market for them because they are considered antiques, and my brother should be able to get at least a $100 out of it.

Is there any truth to this? It seems weird to me that something from the 1980s would be considered an antique. Can he really get some money out of that clunky old tv?

[mountanddo]

I thought it had to be at least 100 years old to be considered an antique. That being said, just because it may not be classified as an antique doesn't mean it isn't worth money. I'd do a little searching on ebay and craig's list before I would just let them go for free. Anything can be worth money if someone is willing to pay for it. Good luck!

[AngelinaCat]

A true antique has to be 100 years old at least. However, many things become 'collectible' and can fetch some pretty good prices in the right market....

A console TV, such as you describe, will either appeal to someone, or it won't. My BIL does a fantastic job at buying and re-selling old tube radios at a profit. This console TV may also be a tube TV. Do a Google Search on those and see what might be out there.

Too many times I see things at the landfill that the people discarding them have no idea what they just threw away.....

Good luck in this endeavour!

[AngelinaCatHub]

JUST a TV is no prize as Mrs. and I have picked up multiple picture tube TV's in perfect working order on garbage day. People buy LCD screens and just junk working models. In fact we are using a combo vcr DVD 30in tv now from side of road. Now your 80s TV is classed as collectable. Anything 30 years old is. 50 better, and on. Even things less older than 100 can be "considered" antique such as Victrola and the likes. WWII are collectable.

There are collectors for everything. Depending on if the cabinet is real wood or not and the condition, working order. I would not just give it away. You would disappoint a serious collector. What you have would be classed as a near contemporary collectible. Still worth more than 100 to a serious collector. 'Hub

[shark66]

Research the particular manufacturer and model, cruise eBay...

TVs are not my cup of tea, but I most certainly would *not* give it away.

Good luck to us all.