I meant to post sooner, but I’ve been busy getting this website ready for possible expansion. If you’ve visited in the last week, I apologize. It’s not been pretty, but I was being picky and had to code some options that I’ve been really wanting. 🙂
Tuesday night I had some eBay auctions end for Hallmark ornaments that I picked up at Estate Sale by June a couple weeks ago. They were the #5 and #8 in the Mary’s Angels series. I paid $1 each for them and did pretty well, with Camillia(#8) ending for $4.25 and Lily (#5) ending for $45.88.
This isn’t the first time I’ve done well with Hallmark ornaments. One of the first Hallmark ornaments I sold years ago was #1 in the Rocking Horse series that I found at a garage sale for .50 cents. It sold for over $200! Since then I always check sales especially for Hallmark ornaments.
You’ll also see me at Hallmark stores bright and early the day after Christmas so I can catch the holiday sales. From going to these after-Christmas sales I’ve picked up 2 ornaments that I could sell today for around $200 each on eBay: #1 of the Beauty of Birds (Cardinal) series and the #2 in the Carousel(Giraffe) series. The hoarder in me won’t let me sell them — I just say I’m saving them for a rainy day. 🙂
I do not suggest buying every Hallmark ornament you see. I do suggest doing some research so that you don’t end up with a bunch of so-so ornaments. For each ornament that has great re-sale opportunity, there’s probably 20 that aren’t worth very much. My standards are that they always have to look new and come with their box with price tag still attached. Believe it or not, most collectors will snub their nose at an ornament with its Hallmark box without its price tag!
I became very acquainted with Hallmark items when I started working at Becky’s Hallmark in Searcy, Arkansas during college. I worked there for 4.5 years and learned that there’s money in collectibles! Funny thing is that I really didn’t want to work there when I applied and now I work there every chance I get! Even though I have a “real” job now, I jumped at the chance to work there during Christmas for 8 days and absolutely loved it.
Totally off topic, but if you ever get a chance to visit Becky’s Hallmark in Searcy, do it! Becky’s outshines all the Hallmarks in the central Arkansas area in my opinion. Becky and Paul only run that one Hallmark, so they are able to put all their time and effort into it. During the holidays, Becky puts up around 20 different themed Christmas trees and makes the store absolutely gorgeous. They also have a wonderful bridal registry where each bride is allocated her own table to display her selections. My dream is to one day own a Hallmark Shop, and if I do, I’ll definitely do everything I can to run it like these two!