How To Turn IRON Into GOLD

One of the great things about selling on eBay is how you can quickly build a consistent income stream and I’m pretty sure that you read this blog because of all the specific information that teaches you how to find items you can resale for profits of 300% - 1000% and more!!

I’d like to share a wonderful eBay sales stream that puts CASH in your pocket over and over again from rusty old cast iron!!

I’m talking about selling antique & vintage cast iron cookware items. Vintage Cookware???

Yep, vintage cast iron cookware…it’s a HOT seller now, always has been, and always will be and If you know what to look for and are willing to spend a little time and some minor occasional elbow grease, cast iron cookware items could be a nice monthly income stream.

Did you know that a Griswold #13 cast iron skillet recently sold on eBay for over $900, another Griswold #9 Skillet recently sold for more than $150, not to mention all the HUNDREDS of other more common items that sold between $50-$100!!

Do a quick completed auction search on eBay for Cast Iron Cookware and you’ll see that the enameled cast iron LA CRUSET from France is the overall heavyweight, we’ll discuss that market another time…today were only going to focus on the top American made items; GRISWOLD from Erie PA, is the undisputed champion with some items selling for $1500 - $2000+; WAGNER from Sidney OH is a not so close 2nd; with Lodge & other unmarked examples coming in a very distant 3rd

Now Griswold & Wagner made lots of different types of cast iron items but I only focus on the cast iron cookware…that’s where all the high dollar sales are made

As with any item we add to our “look for list” we always do our research first, if the research shows an item has…

Strong collector demand

Favorable price points

Easily found inventory

…then it gets on our list, and cast iron cookware made it and gets a big…“Two Thumbs Up”

Here are some tips and flash that should signal a buying opportunity…

There are also Griswold items simply marked “ERIE” on the reverse or bottom with a number, these are early examples and sought after as well.

Every year I try and add 3 new items to our “look for list” and cast iron is one of the three I added for this year’s season that started in May and already I have about twenty-five (25) pieces that I’ve found while out scouting and I sometimes forget to ask folks if they have any when I visit their sale

I can’t tell you what to pay for them when you find them because each person knows their pocket, but remember this, “you make your profit when you buy an item” so if it fells like it cost too much, than most likely it is!! I personally don’t pay more than $5 bucks, most are between $1-$3 each.

I really go after the very rusty and grimy pans, covered with burned on grease as I can get them on the cheap and with a little of my time I have a $40, $50 or $100 item!!

Remember to ask at the sales you visit if they have any of WHATEVER you have on your “look for list”…you just NEVER know!! I was recently given a rusty old Griswold #6 Self Basting Lid for FREE, because I asked a woman if she had any old cast iron pans…it should sell for $40-$50!!

The highest prices are for very rare pieces and cookware items that are “cleaned, seasoned and free from rust & pitting” so you may need to do some cleaning and rehabilitating before your found treasure shines like “online gold”, but the returns are gonna be worth a little extra effort.

So the next time you see a rusty old cast iron skillet, look again it might really be hidden gold!!

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