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Treasure hunters might want those old coins, antique pearls

Roadshow event is coming to Middletown

By Eric Robinette, Staff Writer 2:05 AM Sunday, October 18, 2009

If you’ve ever wondered how much those old coins in the attic are worth, or how much your grandfather’s antique chair might fetch, you’ll have a chance to find out via the Treasure Hunters Roadshow.

The event, which is similar to the popular PBS program “Antiques Roadshow,” will appear Tuesday, Oct. 20, through Saturday at the Manchester Inn.

Unlike “Antiques Roadshow,” however, “We actually purchase the items. It’s free for the community to come in,” said Matt Enright, the vice president of media relations for the Treasure Hunters Roadshow.

The Roadshow is making its way to Middletown at least partly because Enright was a resident about a decade ago.

“I lived here for four years, and I always knew a lot of people who had a lot of cool stuff around the house,” he said.

When visitors go to the Treasure Hunters Roadshow, each will get a number. After a 15- to 45-minute wait, he or she will consult with an expert who will tell them the value of the items and possibly buy them for a collector.

Treasure hunters are looking for coins and paper currency issued before 1965 and toys, dolls, jewelry and musical instruments made before 1965.

“We’ve seen a lot of gold and silver with the way the economy is. Gold may go for $1,000 an ounce,” Enright said.

At one show, he said, someone sold a 1956 Gibson Les Paul guitar for $100,000 who previously had been offered $65,000 for it, Enright said. A gold coin dating back to 1890 sold for $46,000.

What is unusual and rare to most people is the stuff we see every day,” Enright said.

Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2836 or erobinette@coxohio.com.