My next door neighbors (the ones who live in the John Lennon slept here farmhouse) are moving out at the end of the month. I’m saddened to the point of grieved about this. They are exceptionally great neighbors, and I’m not hopeful that someone as cool will take their place.
Because they want to purge their stuff before they go, we are having a moving sale on Friday and Saturday. Even though I’m staying put for another year, I think it’s a good idea to jettison some of the stuff that I never want to move to a new home. Last night, I went to pricing some of my personal treasures, and I got stuck on a few items, unsure of their value in a free market.
So you, blog reader, are the next contestant on “The Price is ????”!!!! What in the world would you pay for the following…
Shower stool. Good for the elderly who have trouble standing in showers or the 30-somethings who have broken their ankles. I paid $35 for it at the pharmacy and got a few week’s worth of use out of it before I was able to stand on my own two feet. So the question is: is it worth less because my bare ass has been on it, or is it worth more because my bare ass has been on it?
Okay, so this is a 2005 calendar. That does not help anyone. I’ll give you that. But it’s super glossy and huge, and the pictures are quite beautiful. Would anyone pay for 12 black and white photos, suitable for framing? (if you get the frame your damn self?)
Mookie Wilson bobblehead doll. I will never have a more favorite baseball player than the Mets’ own 1st baseman, #1, Mookie Wilson. Even though the glory days of ‘86 are long over, he had a brief stint as the 1st base coach for the Brooklyn Cyclones. And to celebrate, the Cyclones held bobblehead giveaway day. I can’t remember who I dragged to the game with me (probably Birmingham) but I made sure to get to that game an hour before the start so I could be one of the first 2,500 fans to get the doll. But you know what? It’s been sitting in that styrofoam case ever since. Time to go, Mooks. Thanks for the memories. But at what price?
UPDATE: He’s currently $10.50 on Ebay
This nail art thing was fun for a while, but it weighs more than most 3rd graders, and I don’t want to move it again. I gave it a little Michelle Obama fist-bump to make it look more friendly. At what cost, freedom?
Wilson Phillips. On Tape. Yeah, so here’s the thing. I’m 30. That means I came of age in the late 80’s and early 90’s, right before CD’s became the preferred conveyor of music and right after records got abandoned. Most of my bad album purchases were actually bad CD Cassette purchases, and you better believe that I was willing to hit “stop” and “rewind” and “play” over and over just to hear “Hold On” one more time and remember the night that Ryan MacGregor slow danced with me at summer camp.
But is that worth anything to anyone? Not pictured: “Genisis’s “No Son of MIne” on cassette single, EMF’s “Unbelievable” on cassette single, and a whole lot of mix tapes that took a whole lot of hours away from my high school and college education.
Speaking of tapes. Seriously, why do I have this? When I was old enough for this kind of stuff, they were still putting things out on record. Oh wait. Look closer. It’s autographed. By Shari Lewis!
Forget it. There’s just some stuff you can’t sell.
20 responses so far ↓
RA // June 12, 2008 at 1:43 pm
I have that Ansel Adams calendar, but from 2003! So, I got you beat! Kind of, I guess. I used panels from it to semi-decorate my office, by which I mean cover unsightly masking tape strips from the previous occupant.
So what I’m saying is — I’d buy the calendar for maybe $1-2. If you throw in the mail sculpture thing, I’ll make it a whole $4. That’s the kind of thing I’d give to my math-teacher husband for his classroom.
Laurel // June 12, 2008 at 1:55 pm
All I have to say is:
“HOLD ON FOR ONE MORE DAY!”
I agree with RA, no more than a buck or two for the calendar.
Are you sure Mookie won’t fetch a nice price on eBay?
Vanessa // June 12, 2008 at 1:58 pm
I’m not good at this, but I would guess maybe $2-3 for the calendar and $4 for the nail sculpture. The shower stool? Maybe donate it to a nursing home? Maybe put it on Craigslist under medical supplies for laughs and blog about it?
bing // June 12, 2008 at 2:09 pm
Oh Wilson-Phillips, where did you go?
I definitely try Mookie on e-bay. People collect weird things…
Allie // June 12, 2008 at 3:16 pm
I think if you sign it, the shower stool is worth MORE for having ass contact. Just pretend you’re really famous. Wear big sunglasses to the sale even if it’s cloudy. Get your neighbor to ask for your autograph. Maybe other people will think you are famous too.
Man, I remember the video for No Son of Mine. Gut wrenching stuff.
lizgwiz // June 12, 2008 at 3:20 pm
Well, a few weeks ago I would have LOVED that shower stool, butt prints or not, but now…$5? I’m afraid that’s the sort of thing nobody buys until they NEED it, and then they’re in too much pain to go bargain shopping.
I’m older than you, and I also loved “Hold On”–though I did not own it, in any form.
It would be even cooler if the Shari Lewis tape was autographed by LAMB CHOP. He could hold a pen in his mouth, right?
nancypearlwannabe // June 12, 2008 at 3:48 pm
Cassette single? Don’t you mean CASSINGLE? I also owned Wilson Philip’s cassette, in addition to my KNOTB, Tevin Campbell, Salt N Pepa, and Queen. I was a strange girl.
I would say $20 for the whole lot, $10 extra for you to sign the stool using your bare ass. I bet lots of people would pay just to see that.
cadiz12 // June 12, 2008 at 4:28 pm
when we were trying to price stuff for my parents’ garage sale (that went so well they didn’t even have it), how little people were willing to fork over was downright depressing. basically it was recommended that nothing be more than $5.
Ann // June 13, 2008 at 2:33 am
We had one of those shower seats from when Peter broke his leg. I think it ended up on the curb when we moved (after spending 3 years sitting in the garage.) Or maybe it went to Goodwill. I agree with lizgwig - you’re probably better off donating it to a charity. (I wouldn’t donate it to a nursing home - they either have built-ins or have enough money to buy their own.)
stealthnerd // June 13, 2008 at 10:47 am
Oh. My. God.
Mookie Wilson?
My favorite since I was three. I barely knew what baseball was at that age but I knew I loved me some Mookie.
I am officially jealous of whoever gets that.
Lara // June 13, 2008 at 1:30 pm
Oooh - NPW’s suggestion of “$10 for the whole lot” just gave me a brilliant idea: sell it as a “surprise grab bag!” er, “box”. I would really love to see the look on the purchaser’s face as he or she saw this eclectic mix of goodies. Awesome.
Also, I totally had that Wilson Phillips tape.
apollocreed // June 13, 2008 at 1:31 pm
I would pay top dollar for the Nail Art Thing. I love them.
They feel so weird!
SisterAlyson // June 13, 2008 at 1:53 pm
you cannot sell the nail art thing!
Kristabella // June 13, 2008 at 2:09 pm
People will buy all sorts of wacky shit. I learned that when we had a yard sale a few years ago. Slap a $5 price tag on everything and make people barter with you.
Except for Mookie. He’s worth more than $5.
I had the cassette single of “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” by Deep Blue Something when I was a freshman in college. That was 1995.
Adorable Girlfriend // June 13, 2008 at 4:20 pm
I say, start high and be willing to lower down to a good price about 2 PM on Saturday.
It’s amazing what people will buy!
alyndabear // June 14, 2008 at 6:14 am
This is the song that doesn’t end … it just goes on and on my friend …
Manager Mom // June 15, 2008 at 7:20 am
the last garage sale I had I told people to pay me whatever they thought something was worth. I ranged from making $6.00 on a used CD to 50 cents for a giant framed Cubs poster. I’m not really that much of a haggler…
alexa // June 15, 2008 at 8:18 pm
lamb chop!!!!!!!!! ha! alyndabear stole my comment : )
Stefanie // June 15, 2008 at 9:35 pm
I went home to help my mom and sisters go through my grandma’s stuff for a garage sale, and we had a near-identical shower stool to price there, too. Unfortunately, I don’t know what figure we stuck on it, so I can’t help you there.
I also have Wilson Phillips on tape. What of it?
The Modern Gal // June 20, 2008 at 4:20 pm
I no longer feel bad about my taste in music.
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