A vintage item that has been recently making a comeback are typewriters. Typewriters were a drafting machine that could concoct printed words on paper in a matter of minutes. A few years shortly after the mid-70s, when personal computers where beginning to become popular, typewriters began to lose their practicality. The age of the computer and newfound printing technology began taking shape and soon altogether typewriters were out fashion. 

They’ve, however, reemerged into popularity in the past few years and many people own them purely for the aesthetic of collecting them. Some of them even collect them to use in place of a computer. If you find yourself with a typewriter or two and have no use for them then come down to A to Z Guns and Pawn to sell them. You might be surprised to find that you can make decent money off of these intricate machines.

Below are just some factors that go into determining the value of a typewriter. Familiarize yourself with them and see how much money you can possibly make off of yours.

Condition

First and foremost, you want to make sure the overall condition of your typewriter is in good standing. To determine the condition of it you must assess two of its features: appearance and function.

Appearance

Look at your typewriter and see if it’s rusty, chipped, dented, or if it has any other unappealing traits. If you find none, fantastic! Otherwise, try to get it restored. You can hire a professional service to have your typewriter appear spanking new. It’ll cost you a little money to get it looking fresh but the investment can be worthwhile.

Function

Next is the function, and you might have to do a little research on your specific typewriter to see what it’s capable of. Take a piece of paper and place it in the roll. Make sure there’s a ribbon in the typewriter and clack away. Do you see words appearing on the paper? How many of those buttons you’ve pushed actually produce a letter? Can your typewriter change the color of the ribbon? Does the ribbon-switching mechanism work?

We can go on and on about the different functions that your typewriter might have, but you get the point. There are features to your typewriter that need to be assessed and determined if they still work or not. If a few things or nothing works on your typewriter then you need to get it repaired if you want good money in return.

Age

How old is the typewriter? Age is a huge factor in determining the worth of your typewriter. All typewriters created before the adoption of at-home computers are considered vintage, but how “vintage” is yours? Typically the older they are, the more valuable they are. The most sought after typewriters are ones that have been around before WWII. Anything after some collectors won’t go for. But you can still sell them for a fairly good price.

Rarity

How rare is the typewriter? Your typewriter may have been made after WWII – which can lessen the value –  but how many of its model was made? The rarity of the typewriter is also usually increased by quirky features that were made with it. Some examples include a “noiseless” feature or the ability to change the font. Yours might have a rare feature that can’t be physically seen – which is why you should further toy with it and see what secrets it possesses.

Brand

There were hundreds of companies that produced typewriters back when they were deemed practical. Because of this, determining a value based on the brand of your typewriter can be a little tricky. More popular brands typically don’t sell for much money. But – and after you do your research – if you find yourself in possession of a rare brand item go to a local pawn shop and see if you can get some serious moolah off of it. If you live in the Broward County area, visit A to Z Guns and Pawn; we can strike a good deal with you.

Font

When you test out the functions of your typewriter take a closer look at the font style. Generic fonts don’t necessarily contribute a high value (such as something similar to Times New Roman). Examples of highly valuable fonts on a typewriter include italics or cursive lettering. A typewriter that has the option to switch fonts is highly sought after by collectors.

Is It Foreign?

European typewriters in America are generally more valuable and sought after. But that also depends on the model. Some foreign models were mass-produced and shipped to America which lessens their value. Some examples of rare foreign ones are Continental, Urania, and Imperial Good Companion Model 1. If you find a company name on your typewriter, look them up and see their history.

Portable vs Desktop

For now, the mass majority are only interested in portable typewriters. The reason being is because they are much easier to store away. Portable typewriters are often attached to a carrying case and can easily be detached and placed on a surface for use or display. If the owner doesn’t wish to do any of the latter two then it can be kept in storage. If you own a portable typewriter, consider selling it for profit. If you own a desktop one, don’t be disdained. While they aren’t popular now desktop typewriters might become popular in the future.

Have a Typewriter? Come sell it at A to Z Guns and Pawn

For over two decades A to Z Guns and Pawn have serviced Deerfield Beach and the rest of the Broward County area with the selling and buying of firearms and other various items. If you happen to have a typewriter and think it might be highly valuable, don’t hesitate to stop by our store. Call us at 954-941-1826 or visit our contact page.

You may find yourself possessing an antique handed down to you by a family member. It happens to all of us. It usually happens when a grandparent or a cousin pass away and in their will, they decided you would take their possessions. It’s a great gift to receive, even from a living relative but sometimes you don’t need it. It sits in your garage, collecting dust, unappreciated, or packed away in a storage facility where it’s forever forgotten. You decide that you want to sell it so you go on eBay and place it on auction. But then months pass and it’s not taken by anyone. You’re lucky if you do get a buyer, but then you’ll need to go through the hassle of packaging, shipping, and even waiting on a pending payment. Why go through all of that when you can sell or pawn your antique to a pawn shop instead?

It’s, unfortunately, a less common idea to take into consideration in today’s modern world. You can go on Facebook Marketplace or some other online service instead to get rid of your antiques. But even such convenient services can be a hassle sometimes.

Read down below to see the benefits of going to your local pawn shop instead.

Convenience

Some online services will offer help in selling your items to locals nearby. But sometimes you’ll have to wait for an offer for a really long time. In some cases when a sale does occur, you might have to deliver your antique to someplace too far from your home. Of course, you can list that you can’t deliver and you can just relax at home and wait. But even then that can take some time out of your schedule just because you’re waiting for someone else to pick up your item. 

If you’re a patient person and have time to spare then feel free to do all that. Otherwise, do your research and look up your nearest pawn shop.

Pawn shops provide convenience to customers who want to receive instant cash. Those who work in pawn shops will typically do everything in their power to buy your valuable antique. Once you show to them what you’re selling negotiations will follow and you might be lucky enough to receive the amount you desire.

Your local banks will hassle you in loaning money when you need it but a pawn shop will supply you with one almost immediately. If you pawn your valuable antique, you can receive a loan and within a certain amount of time, the pawn shop will hold onto your item. This is a good choice to make if you decide that you need money but aren’t exactly willing to sell your antique.

They’ll Take Just About Anything Vintage

Experts still discuss what makes a certain item a “vintage” item. It’s been argued that an item is vintage when it was designed in an era where its style is not popular in today’s trends. If you think your hand-me-down fits this description, then head on to your local pawn shop to sell or pawn it.

Popular items that pawn shops will take include:

Jewelry

Take a look at your jewelry handed down to you by your grandmother. Does it look big and ugly? It’d be something practically no one today would wear, right? Is it made out of gold? Even if it isn’t a vintage item, pawn shops are willing to purchase just about anything of gold material from you. Though, being a vintage item will likely increase its value.

Guns

There are many gun enthusiasts in today’s modern world and America has plenty of them. Your old Peacemaker or Winchester would most definitely be valued at a Pawn Shop, especially at A to Z Guns and Pawn in Deerfield Beach.

Movie Memorabilia

Pop culture has and always will be an immense and continuous genre in the world. If you ever happen to be at a local comic convention, for instance, you might see some movie and TV memorabilia on display at a booth. If you take a closer look, you might also see their expensive price value listed. If you happen to own a used prop, even one from a recently released movie, you could get some serious moolah off of it.

Vinyl Records

Vintage signed Beatles records today are roughly valued at $20,000. You probably don’t have a Beatles record album in your possession, but maybe you have Alice Cooper or Abba stacked neatly in your home. Maybe you have a stack of classic artists you can sell or pawn at a local shop. You might not get $20,000 but chances are you could get a pretty hefty load.

Historically Significant Items

Years ago, on the popular TV show “Pawn Stars”, a customer came in with Harry Houdini’s straitjacket. Rick Harrison made an offer of $25,000 to which  the customer unfortunately declined (since he wanted to hold onto a little piece of history). If you have something that possesses some historical value, take it to your local pawn shop for evaluation. Bring certificates of authenticity if you have any and your local shop owner will likely be willing to offer an incredible amount for it.

Come by A to Z Guns and Pawn in Deerfield Beach

If you happen to live in Deerfield Beach and are looking to sell some vintage items in your possession, stop by A to Z Guns and Pawn. For over two decades, A to Z Guns and Pawn has serviced the Broward county area with sales in guns, gold, and other items of interest. If you’re interested in selling or buying call us at 954-941-1826 or visit our contact page.