Finding hidden value
What would you do if you found out that the old briefcase in the attic had belonged to Napoleon? And that he’d left some old scribblings in one of the sections? When I watch the Antique Roadshow, I’m left to ponder just such things. I mean, I don’t even have an attic, but what if? Enough to put me into a period of deep contemplation.
Perhaps that’s why people stop in to those old barns with a banner on the side. Antiques come in all shapes and sizes, and Napoleon had to have left a lot of stuff around. He was rich. And they say you can’t take it with you. Maybe someone else of fame has stuff just down the road from here. The only problem with using TV as my buyer’s guide is that they only show famous junk, and it drives the prices up for the rest of us. I can’t afford to pay more than $5 to get an old briefcase, especially one where the key has been missing for a century or more. Just the thought of having to cut it open to see what is inside causes, you guessed it, another period of deep contemplation. How will I get through the day?
At least the stuff we buy at Walmart has no chance of being worth more than we paid. That’s the game (retail). I’m sure that there are employees that inspect every briefcase before it goes on display; looking for the documents that were missed by WikiLeaks.
