Everyone thinks there are no real bargains left any more, but I can attest first hand if you keep a sharp eye out and are keen negotiator you can score an arrowhead priced at Two-Thousand Dollars for as little as Ten Dollars.  I didn't mis-write.  I said an arrowhead PRICED AT TWO-THOUSAND DOLLARS for as little as ten dollars!

Early in March of 2009 I attended the Collinsville, ILL artifact show.  Sales were brisk and there was a lot of money flowing through the building.  According to the media of the time we were in a major recession, but you couldn't prove it by the way the money was being spent at that particular show.  As in most shows, artifact prices were high and there seemed to be few bargains; however one truly remarkable stroke of luck passed my way about an hour before the end of the show.

I don't know who the seller was, but he was boy of about 6 or 7 years of age as he still had all his "baby" teeth.  He was dark haired and a very polite young man who approached me with a small plastic bag of artifacts.  He asked me if I would interested in buying anything he had to sell.  Of course, I said, expecting a bag full of rocks or broken up points, at which time he produced his treasures.  Inside the bag there were a fairly decent "Thumb Scraper" of about 3 inches in length and it was very well made.  There was a broken up point that might have been Hopewell at one time before being agriculturally modified to the point of near oblivion.  Then there was the TREASURE I managed to acquire.

The boy said, "There is a really nice thumb scarper in that bag I would like to keep."  So, he did know to some degree what he possessed. "But, the one with the letter 'G' written on it, is my best point, however,  I would be willing to sell it."

He was right. The point did have a letter 'G' written in pencil on it and it was the best point - and the only other point other than the broken up one he didn't even attempt to sell.

"Well, son," said I, "What do you want for that arrowhead?"

He looked at me without so much as a blink and without hesitation said, "I want TWO-THOUSAND-DOLLARS for it."

Now, that took me by surprise. I said, "Baby, that sounds like a right good price, but I'm afraid I don't have Two-thousand-dollars to spend on an arrowhead right now."

"Well, in that case, " said the boy without so much as pause and equally serious, "I'll take TEN DOLLARS for it!"

I couldn't help from being tickled by the fast counter-offer and produced the Ten Dollar bill.  How could you resist?  Not only did this boy know his market group, he was keen enough to attempt to maximize his profit margin by charging a price as high as he thought the market might bare, but when it realized this profit margin was too great, he was prepared to adjust his selling strategy to match current economic conditions, and drop the price dramatically in order to complete the sale.

Not only did he engage in economics 101, but he made a 10,000% profit on this one arrowhead as I know for a fact someone had just given him this bag of artifacts not more than three minutes before, but he was able to retain 2/3rds of the gift and still walk away with cash in his pocket.  For my part, I got a substantial reduction in price and an immediate One-thousand-nine-hundred-and-ninety dollar savings!  With a such a dramatic drop in price it unquestionably had to be the BUY OF A LIFETIME!

So, you see, if you do keep your eyes open and are willing to negotiate you can find artifacts with high values at a great price.