Great Thrift Store Finds -- Boynton Coffee Mugs

Next up on our great thrift store finds is the ever popular Boynton Coffee Mugs. Designed by artist Sandra Boyton, these little guys are always good for a quick flip.

Who is Sandra Boynton?

Sandra Boynton is often known for her greeting cards creations. She started out in the 1970s when she was part of the alternative humorist movement, creating her signature drawings and droll humor style. 

This quickly led to a following of her works.

While her mugs are what make her such a great thrift store find, it's her personality that really makes her stuff collectible.

What's Makes Boynton Coffee Mugs Great Thrift Store Finds?

Designed by children's author and humorist Sandra Boynton, her coffee mugs are known for their quirky sensibilities.

A famous mug by her is the one featuring Penguins in an Orgy. I've never been lucky enough to stumble across this mug in my own treasure hunting, but the word is it's up there on the holy grail of finds.

But have no despair!

Despite the popularity, her mugs are still in demand on eBay and other selling platforms, as can be seen by my own solds searches on the site.

Part of the draw is the very collectible nature of the mugs. Just walking down an aisle at a thrift store, chances are one of them will catch your eye. 

They usually are designed with her distinctive drawing style and feature animals.

How To Spot A Boynton Coffee Mug

The easiest way to tell whether or not you've found a Boynton Coffee Mug is by looking for her signature.

Other than this, every mug is designed by Recycling Paper Products. The company is located in Japan and is known for their own creations.

Besides these two tell-tale signs, the way to know if you've found one is the actual artwork. 

Boynton's drawings have a child-like innocence to them that is very reminiscent of children's author Shel Silverstein. You can see traces of his work all over hers, and vice-versa.

She usually features animals in her work as well, often in subversive situations. While most are kid-friendly, she has been known to incorporate adult elements into her work as well.

The biggest tell-tale sign though is just listing the coffee mug and watching the sale fly.

What Are Boynton Coffee Mugs Worth

As of 2017, Boynton Coffee Mugs go from anywhere between $10-$30 on eBay.

While auctions are always a way to test the market, this an item that has a pretty extensive solds record day-in and day-out, which is why I prefer to just list her mugs for $30 with an automatic best offer acceptance of $15.

As with everything, though, use your own discretion.

The good news, however, is that Boynton mugs will sell and generally go quickly because of their popularity. This alone makes them worth the very minimal 50 cents investment.

As always, God bless and may your treasure hunting be glorious!

Newbie

Vintage Simon Game -- Great Thrift Store Finds

Hey folks.

Part of the fun of reselling on platforms such as eBay and Amazon if the thrill of the hunt. Besides trying to find the next home run, I want to start a series of videos and posts that describe some great Thrift Store finds. First up is this vintage Simon game from 1978.

History Behind Simon the Game

Invented by Ralph H. Baer and Howard J. Morrison, Simon is a game of memory skill. 

It was released by Milton Bradley (MB) in 1978, and was a popular electronic game that mimicked the children's game "Simon Says".

Part of the draw is that its buttons light up and play a tune when you press them. While this makes the game fun, it also is quite challenging the further along you get.

What Makes This a Great Thrift Store Find?

As you can see from the video above, vintage Simon games from 1978 have some pretty solid sold listings on eBay. While markets are forever changing, it's easy to see that this game is a collector's item.

Part of the draw is nostalgia. As many games get thrown out in the garbage can once kids grow up, these suckers become rarer and rarer.

While that means most baby boomers have outgrown their need for electronic games, there's definitely still a demand for these hard to get items.

That's what makes Simon so valuable. 

A Pop Culture Icon

As stated, the big draw of the electronic game was its use of lights and tones to create a stirring little game. Boosted by the post-psychedelic mindset of the 1960s, the game became a pop-culture phenomena during the 1970s and 80s.

I remember seeing this guy advertised during my own childhood during the 1990s. While I like to think of myself as a relatively young millennial in my 30s, this might seem like an outdated game for many youngsters.

But that won't deter collectors from getting their hands on the game. Which is why I consider this a great thrift store find.

Some Random Tidbits 

Part of the fun of the game is it's beeping noises. While most people don't have a knowledge of music theory, the sounds are actually built off an A-chord. This essentially means that whatever order they're played in, they create a harmonic melody.

Simon has been consistently updated and re-released since its first debut in 1978, making this game a staple of Milton Bradley's electronic game lineups.

Chances are you are your kid have either played or owned one of these little guys.

Conclusion

As you can see, vintage Simon games can prove rather valuable depending on how you choose to sell them. While markets are always going to be fickle, the bottom line is that the longer you hold on to these suckers, the more valuable they will become.

The best way to figure out how much you can sell the game for on eBay is looking at the sold listings and, as always, test the market out for yourself.

I personally like to use auctions for an item like this, especially around the Christmas season. While says can prove frustrating, there's always the prospect of a bidding war.

Better yet, an auction pretty much guarantees a quick flip rather than the "list it and forget it" model many eBayers have begun to adopt. If you're looking to move inventory quickly, this might be the best route to go.

As always, God bless and may your treasure hunting be glorious!

--Newbie