Do you have an old puzzle that looks like it might be worth some money? Did you find some jigsaw puzzles at Grandma’s house that you would like to sell? Vintage jigsaw puzzles are collectible items. How can you tell if the vintage puzzle you have is worth some money? To put everything in simple monetary terms, an item is only worth as much as someone else would pay to possess it. But having said that, there are some factors that will help you judge whether the puzzle you have is likely to bring top dollar from a collector.
How complete is the puzzle? Are all the pieces present and accounted for? Are all of the pieces original? Sometimes people make replacement pieces by hand.
What condition are the pieces in? Pieces should be free from any water damage or dirt. The edges should not be worn too much. Cardboard pieces should not be bent or peeling.
What condition is the box in? Collectors like to have the complete package. So even if you have a complete set of pristine pieces in a Ziploc bag, it won’t fetch as much money as a puzzle in its original box.
Have you completely identified the puzzle? Collectors are looking for information about the subject of the puzzle as well as its artist. Every puzzle has a title. And you should know who manufactured the puzzle. With this kind of information, you can judge the next item on our list.
How rare is the puzzle? Were these puzzles mass-produced or hand-made? Can they be found everywhere or is the puzzle scarce? Obviously, puzzles that are scarce will be priced higher than puzzles that are commonly found.
How much demand is there? Sometimes even high-quality, scarce puzzles in the box simply aren’t in very much demand. Your best bet is to hang out at some of the puzzle forums and see that kinds of things people are talking about.
The next factor depends on you-your presentation of the puzzle. As you are crafting your sales pitch to collectors, how good are you at describing the puzzle or communicating its worth. Sometimes the price you get will depend on how well you can sell it.
Where are you selling it? The venue of the sale can make a difference in how much people expect to pay. You might be selling at an online auction, through a classified ad, or at a puzzle convention. Each sales venue will have an impact on the price you get.
These are the eight factors that help determine the price of your vintage jigsaw puzzle. For a good rule-of-thumb, you can search online auctions for similar puzzles and discover their selling price. Otherwise, ask on forums and visit conventions and shows. But remember, sometimes the greatest value in a puzzle is the joy of putting it together with family and friends.
