AuctionWally has been an auctioneer and appraiser for 25 years. He runs an antiques appraisal blog where he writes about the value of antiques and how to sell them. You can find him at www.auctionwally.com.

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$5000 for an Empty Box... But, it's a Very Rare Beatles Hair Spray Box

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June 28, 9:00 AM

by Auction Wally, Auctions and Antiques Examiner

Is this worth $5000.00?

I received an information request in my What's it Worth column at for this empty box which held a case of Beatles hairspray back in the 1960s. Here is part of that email correspondence.

I thought when I first saw it, I might be able to wrangle $50-100 on ebay. Please check auction 26025168****. I couldn't stop the auction but had canceled bids up to +700 after I received a bona fide offer of $2000. This didn't seem to surprise any of the bidders, who expected the price to go beyond them quickly. I have 'paused' the completion of the transaction because several other folks I exchanged emails with indicated that this is a relatively 'one of a kind' item and that they have seen them go for as high as $5000. This all pretty much blew me away.

Sure enough, I checked the auction and the seller had stopped the auction which at the time was up over $700! Since then he has contacted me and asked me to help him market it for him. He is asking $5000 for it, you can field any questions to me at auctionwally@auctionwally.com

If you know of a collector that may be willing to pay that much for the box, there will be a finder's fee for anyone that brings a buyer to the table which results in a sale.

I'm sure I don't need to tell anyone reading this how collectible Beatles items are, but the reason this is so sought after is because it's so scarce and hardcore collectors always want the scarcest items in there area of collecting. We've all seen the Beatles tie clips, the Flip Your Wig game, Pins and many other things, but have you ever seen a can of Beatles hair spray? I'll bet most of us have not. Now multiply the scarcity factor many times due to the fact that there are even less of the cases that they came in, and most of those were thrown away and you have something very rare. Is it worth $5000.00? I guess we'll find out.

Please leave your comments and questions.
www.auctionwally.com

Topics: collectibles , the beatles

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5 things in your attic that may produce a windfall

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October 6, 2:04 PM

Are you in need of quick cash? Do you think you may have something in your attic that is worth considerably more than the price of a tank of gas, but just don't know what to look for? Here is a list antiques you could have lying around that may... Read More
Topics: antiques values , liquidation , sell your items

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Antiques price report on Groton MA live auction

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October 5, 11:32 AM

There was a lot of interest in the Groton MA antiques dairy farm auction and the video story I'd done on it, so here is a follow up report with some hammer prices. It's was great day, with the weather cooperating which made for a pretty good turnout.... Read More
Topics: antiques values , live auction report

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Auctionwally's video story of an antiques dairy farm auction .

3 comments

October 2, 5:00 PM

I'd like to thank the wonderful crew at Worthpoint for this video production. If you've not been to Worthpoint.com yet, it is a funnel into the world like no other. There you can find values, sell items, consult, broker large ticket items and much... Read More
Topics: antiques , auctions

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Auctionwally's list of the best places to sell your collectibles online

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October 1, 12:01 PM

Disclaimer: I sell or have sold on all the sites on this list, I have a financial interest in seeing each do well, but I also have a reputation to uphold which is ultimately more important than allegiance to any of these sites, in short, I call em... Read More
Topics: eBay , eBay alternative , worthpoint , bonanzle , best

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Auctionwally asks: How much do you think this stool is worth?

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September 30, 8:12 PM

How many times have you heard the tired old saying, "an antique is worth whatever someone is willing to pay for it"? What would you guess the value of the stool to the right is? Do you think that Sotheby's the world famous auction house would... Read More
Topics: antiques values

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700 billion dollars worth of advice from a Yankee auctioneer or my two cents

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September 28, 11:57 AM

We all know there's going to be a massive economic bailout package passed soon, but there are two questions I have. "Who will it bail out and what will it fix?" The majority of the American public is against what it sees as a 700 billion dollar... Read More
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Auctionwally's top ten tips for small business start-ups

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Whether your looking to take your brick and mortar business on line, or your already on the web, there are certain crucial things you must do to be successful. Here's my no-nonsense, top ten list.Get a blog. It's a must.Follow the bloggers in your... Read More
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Weird Wednesday with Wally sock monkey love!

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September 24, 11:59 AM

One of the things that fascinates me in the marketplace, is when someone has a passion for handcrafting a collectible item to such an extreme that they've are able to build their own unique brand around a single product.Suitable for Weird Wednesday... Read More
Topics: Weird Wednesday , sock monkeys , gifts , holiday

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eBay alternative Bonanzle is super simple, list in 60 seconds

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I have some very good news for those who've just about given up with trying to navigate eBay's sea of chaos. I've been investigating a site called Bonanzle.com, Silly name I know, silly site it is not. It is without doubt the cleanest and easiest... Read More
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$5000 for an Empty Box... But, it's a Very Rare Beatles Hair Spray Box

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