Think you might have some treasures hidden in the closet?

Garage sale, second hand consignment shop, pawn shop, online classifieds--there are lots of ways to unload your extra stuff and make a few dollars in the process. If you're like me you watched Antique Roadshow tonight (Monday)and thought about making it rich like the surprised people on TV.



If you can't go to the PBS Antiques Roadshow, you can still get the thrill of anticipation at an event next month in Bemidji. Round up your treasures for the Beltrami County Historical Society's "Antique, Art & Craft Fair." The fundraiser will be March 27 and 28 from 10 am to 4 pm at the Bemidji Armory. Antique and art vendors are invited to set up their wares for the two-day event.

On Saturday, March 28, John and Kathy Eggers' Antique Roadshow will be featured from 1-4 pm on March 28. They will appraise your prized possessions for $5 per item.

But if you want to sell your Grandmother's antique quilt or your childhood baseball card collection, now might be the wrong time to do it. According to an article in the business section of last Thursday's (2/19/09) Star Tribune,

Sellers desperate to convert collectibles and antiques into cash are getting a nasty surprise: Prices are way down.

The reason is simple: potential sellers outnumber buyers. Even online auction giant eBay reported that its fourth quarter earnings slid 31 percent. There were plenty of buyers and sellers--86.3 million, but total money transactions fell 12 percent.

How are Bemidji's many pawn shops doing? I haven't polled them, but I expect their business mirrors the rest of the nation: a glut of merchandise and falling prices. Maybe the Historical Society's Antique, Art & Craft Fair would be a good idea after all.