June 13 - Get It Appraised

You know that thing you must keep because “it’s worth something?” Schedule to get it appraised. If you’ve ever watched Antiques Roadshow, Pawn Stars, or American Pickers, you know the shock some people experience when the treasured family items prove to be reproductions or to have not held their value.

There were two antique vases in my grandfather’s house that my mother was always pointing out as my inheritance. When my grandfather died, my mother wanted to make certain that I got these vases and wrapped them carefully. They sat in boxes in my parents’ house until I was clearing their stuff.

I found the vases. Yes, they were antiques. No, they weren’t worth anything. (I was offered ten dollars for one.) They weren’t meaningful to me. I gave the vases to friends because they’d complement their décor.