Treasure collectors trade in their valuables at Treasure Hunters Roadshow

One person’s collection may be another person’s treasures.

Clare resident Sue Bentley had an album of coins collecting dust in a trunk for 30 years. She was told it was worth between $100 and $150 Tuesday at the Treasure Hunters Roadshow at the Soaring Eagle Inn and Conference Center.

But she chose not to sell it — she was more curious than anything.

“It’s pretty much what we expected,” Bentley said.

THRS is an event that operates as a “middle man” for buyers and sellers. People will bring in their items to the show and, if the items have value or are a collectors’ item, an offer will be made to purchase the item to sell to a buyer. THRS is a traveling event that goes from city to city to find rare items.

Shepherd resident Kay Brookens, on the other hand, brought in about 20 pill bottles filled with an array of coins.

“I wanted to see how much my coins were,” Brookens said.

Brookens made $404.59 from only some of the coins she sold to the THRS.

A wide array of treasure

The show sees just about everything and is looking for items a person cannot find anywhere else, said show manager Michael Richter.

Mount Pleasant resident John Gage, 88, waits for a Treasure Hunters Roadshow buyer to define a value on two pieces he has owned since he was eight years old. One piece is an 1885 coin bank with a grenadier; the other is a cast iron door stop. "My grandpa gave them to me," Gage said, laughing. "And he was around at the time of the Civil War." (Jake May/Staff Photographer)

Items sought include gold, old coins, vintage guitars, antique †in toys mainly from the 1930s and 1940s and military items typically from World War II, Nazi pieces and Japanese pieces, he said.

“(Gold) is the easiest thing to cash in on,” Richter said.

THRS looks for items as close to perfect as possible, Richter said.

“We are never sure what is going to walk in the room,” Richter said. “We have people we can work with for authenticity.”

If an item ends up not being authentic, THRS takes a hit, Richter said.

“I have to pay for it out of pocket,” he said.

Richer said workers have to keep their game and know when to detect when someone is lying.

Jeanette Frost, THRS greeter, said she sees many unique items come through the door.

“Items made of hair. Everyone seems to think it’s worth something,” Frost said.