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ALL NEW: Your Children
Don't Want It Programs

Mike Ivankovich
'Your Children Don't Want It'
Personal Property Coaching Series

15 Zoom & In-Person Programs

Ideal for:
Libraries; Private Groups;
Attorneys; Executors; Administrators; POA's;
Realtors, Senior Move Managers, Home Organizers,
Trainees and Those New to the Business;
Those Moving, Downsizing, or Dealing with an Estate


We hear it when we speak across the country…"My Children Don't Want It. What Can I Do". This Mike Ivankovich Personal Property Coaching Series is designed to help individuals more effectively deal with the Antiques, Collectibles, Household & Estate Contents, and other Personal Property.

  • Program Length: 1.0-1.5 hours

  • Honorariums vary by:
    • Weekday-Daytime Programs: ($150-$195)
    • Weekday-Evening Programs: ($250)
    • Weekend Programs: ($350)

  • Book any 4 programs for 15% off

  • More Programs Coming
"Your Children Don't Want It" Coaching Series
(Click each link for complete descriptions or scroll down to view full list)
1.
Dealing with Value: 50+ Ways to Determine Value (without Paying an Appraiser)
2.
How to Sell It: Mike's Buffet of 50+ Selling Options
3.
Dealing with Gold, Silver & Precious Metals (How the Scrap Game is REALLY Played)
4.
Precious Metals? Should You Scrap It, Sell Privately, or Auction It? We'll Explain
5.
Dealing with Coins & Currency
6.
Dealing with Sterling Silver, Silverplate & Pewter
7.
Dealing with Gold, Sterling, Estate & Costume Jewelry
8.
Dealing with Original Art and Fine Art Prints
9.
Dealing with Furniture
10.
Dealing with Books
11.
Dealing with Stamps
12.
Dealing with Vintage China, Porcelain, Cut Glass/Crystal, other Glassware
13.
Dealing with Figurines (Hummels, Lladros, Royal Doulton, Lenox, Bisque, more)
14.
Wallace Nutting Pictures, Books & Furniture
15.
Early 20th c. Hand-Colored Photography

"Your Children Don't Want It" Program Descriptions
1.

Dealing with Value: 50+ Ways to Determine Value (without Paying an Appraiser)

Realtors don't set a listing price for a home by picking a number out of the air. Rather they look for 'Comps', i.e., what comparable homes, in that neighborhood, have sold for, recently. Appraisers of Antiques, Collectibles and Household & Estate Contents estimate value by looking for 'Comps' as well. Where do you look for Comps? How should you interpret the various "Values" you find?. This program will help attendees to appraise their own items, without paying an appraiser, and will cover such topics as:

  • 25+ ways to determine value
  • Another 25+ ways you can value specific categories, such as Art & Prints, Coins & Stamps, Jewelry, Militaria, Firearms, Books, Vehicles, Decorative Accessories, much more
  • Suggested tools you can use
  • Free vs. Subscription valuation sites
  • Analyzing Asking Prices vs. Sold Prices
  • Understanding Deep vs. Shallow Markets
  • We'll include important Tips, Strategies, Vignettes…and much more

You'll need a thick pad of paper for this program because we'll be covering a lot.

2.

How to Sell It: Mike's Buffet of 50+ Selling Options

Your Children's Don't Want It. What Can You Do? Today's marketplace is rapidly-changing and in this program we'll share "Mike's Buffet of 50+ Selling Options" including:

  • 25+ general ways to sell your treasures (and the pros & cons of each)
  • 25+ additional ways to sell specific categories such as, Art & Prints, Coins & Stamps, Brown Furniture, Figurines, China & Glassware, Collectibles, Collections, more
  • We'll include some specific selling resources you can use
  • Mike will take you room-to-room in your home suggesting "How and Where" you can sell
  • We'll include important Tips, Strategies & Vignettes

Just as you'll never eat everything in a restaurant buffet, you'll never use all 50+ tricks in "Mike's Buffet of Selling Options". But we'll share it all and then you can pick and choose those options best suited to you.

3.

Dealing with Gold, Silver & Precious Metals (How the Scrap Game is REALLY Played)

How many "Pennyweights" or "Grams" are in one "Troy Ounce"? Few can answer this question and, since most dealers quote prices in terms of "Pennyweights" or "Grams", most sellers of gold and silver are at the mercy of dealers who take advantage of their lack of knowledge. And to add to the confusion, most dealers say that "They" pay more than anyone else when in fact they don't. This program will show you how to perform the same calculations the dealers perform. And you can do it on your own jewelry, coins & sterling silver … before you sell …so No One will ever take advantage of you again. We'll talk about:

  • Suggested tools you can use
  • Understanding the Avoirdupois vs. Troy Weight Systems
  • How to weigh precious metals and estimate value
  • How to sell Gold & Sterling for top dollar
  • Selling Silverplate, Pewter, Gold tone, Gold Fill, Gold Plate, Vermeil, more
  • We'll include important Tips, Strategies & Vignettes … and much more
  • (P.S.: There are 20 Pennyweights and 31.1 Grams in 1 Troy Ounce)
4.

Precious Metals? Should You Scrap It, Sell Privately, or Auction It? We'll Explain

If you are thinking about selling any coins, jewelry or precious metals, you're probably facing a great of confusion. Who can you trust? Where can you get the most money for your treasures? Should you "Scrap It" with a gold store? Should you "Sell Privately" to a collector or dealer? Or should you roll the dice and "Auction It"? This program will simplify the precious metals selling process for you. We'll take a look at each of the three options...Scrap...Private Sale...and Auction…and discuss the pros and cons of each approach, including:

  • Suggested tools you can use
  • Understanding the Avoirdupois vs. Troy Weight Systems
  • A step-by-step approach to evaluating how to proceed
  • The basics of scrapping precious metals
  • The basics of selling precious metals privately or to dealers
  • The basics of selling precious metals at auction
  • Which approach is best for you? We'll walk you through various scenarios
  • We'll include important Tips, Strategies and Vignettes…and much more
5.

Dealing with Coins & Currency

Most households and estates include a variety of Coins & Currency. Some have considerably more value than others, but how can you tell which is which? This program will help those who are dealing with coins & currency and will cover such areas as:

  • Identifying Gold, Silver, and Non-Precious Metal Coins
  • Sorting Coins & Currency into key categories
  • Suggested tools you can use
  • How to tell the difference between Face Value and Numismatic Coins
  • What is "Junk Silver" and how to avoid the $25,000 Junk Silver mistake
  • Understanding US Mint Sets, Proof Sets, Commemoratives, Bullion, Tokens, Reproductions & Fakes, more
  • Understanding US Currency including Silver Certificates, $2.00 Bills, Large Notes, Small Notes, Bank-Issued Currency, Fractional Currency, Confederate, more
  • What is 'Spot Price' and where can you find it?
  • What are the best ways to sell Coins & Currency?
  • What is 'Grading' and why is it so important to value?
  • We'll touch on Foreign Coins, but we'll be talking primarily US Coins
  • Useful Tools, Web Sites and Reference Books
  • We'll include important Tips, Strategies and Vignettes … and much more
6.

Dealing with Sterling Silver, Silverplate & Pewter

There are many people who don't know the difference between Sterling Silver, Silverplate, and Pewter. There is a major value difference between them and, if you can't tell the difference, be prepared to lose money when selling. What's the difference between an Avoirdupois Ounce and a Troy Ounce? Do you even know what a Troy Ounce is? If your answer is "No", you're not alone. And that's why you need this program if you plan on buying or selling Sterling Silver, Silverplate, or Pewter. We'll cover such topics as:

  • How to identify, weigh & value Sterling Silver like the pros
  • 20 ways to identify & value Silverplate
  • How to identify & value Pewter
  • Understanding the Avoirdupois vs. Troy Weight Systems
  • How to test precious metals for purity
  • What is "Spot Price" and where you can find it
  • Some of the best ways to sell Sterling, Silverplate & Pewter
  • Useful Tools, Web Sites and Reference Books
  • We'll include important Tips, Strategies and Vignettes … and much more
7.

Dealing with Gold, Sterling, Estate & Costume Jewelry

Jewelry is one of today's hottest categories. It is also one of the easiest areas you can lose big money if you don't know what you're doing. You certainly know what a "carrot" is (think Bugs Bunny). But do you know the difference between a "karat" and a "carat"? You better if you plan on selling your jewelry for Fair Market Value. In this program we'll cover such areas as:

  • Understanding Gold & Silver Fineness
  • 10 types of Gold Jewelry
  • 7 types of Silver Jewelry
  • Understanding Estate & Costume Jewelry
  • We'll also touch on Cameos, Pearls, Diamonds, Gemstones and more.
  • Recognizing important maker names
  • How to test precious metals for purity
  • What is "Spot Price" and where you can find it.
  • Some of the best ways to sell Jewelry
  • Useful Tools, Web Sites and Reference Books.
  • We'll include important Tips, Strategies and Vignettes … and much, much more
8.

Dealing with Original Art and Fine Art Prints

The Art Market is arguably the hottest of all Antiques & Collectibles categories. With single original paintings selling for $100,000,000+…and with Paul Allen's Art Collection selling for $1.600.000.000+ (that's 'billion') in 2022…Original Art can be extremely valuable. But not all Original Art has value. Some Fine Art Prints can sell for $50,000+, and others can sell for less than 50 cents. And "Print" is probably the most misunderstood word in the entire Antiques & Collectibles field. In this program we'll take you into the world of Art & Prints and show you how you can identify what you have…and how to value it.

  • We'll discuss how to tell an Original Artwork from a Print.
  • We'll discuss Oil-on-Canvas, Oil-on-Board, Watercolors, Pastels, Pen & Inks, more.
  • We'll discuss Etchings, Engravings, Lithographs, Offset Lithographs, Chromolithographs, Limited Edition Prints, Hand-Tinted Photos, Japanese Woodblock Prints, Screen Prints; Serigraphs, more
  • We'll discuss Numbered Prints, Limited Edition Prints, and Mass-Produced Prints
  • We'll discuss how to identify & value Art & Prints
  • We'll discuss some of the best ways to sell Original Art & Fine Art Prints
  • We'll introduce useful Tools, Web Sites and Reference Books
  • We'll include important Tips, Strategies and Vignettes … and much more
9.

Dealing with Furniture

The furniture mantra today is "Brown is Down" which means that the younger generation has little interest in grandma's antique oak, cherry, pine, walnut and other brown-wood furniture. But not all furniture is brown…and not all furniture is down'

  • We'll talk "Brown Furniture" and how best to deal with it
  • We'll talk Antique, Used, Country, Mid-Century Modern, Danish Modern, Ikea, and many other furniture forms..
  • We'll talk on the key style-makers such as Chippendale, Hepplewhite, Queen Anne, Sheraton, Duncan Phyfe, Victorian, Empire, more
  • We'll talk how to identify age
  • We'll talk repairing & refinishing furniture
  • We'll talk selling options
  • We'll talk donation options
  • We'll introduce important reference books & web sites
  • We'll include important Tips, Strategies and Vignettes … and much more
10.

Dealing with Books

Just because a book is old doesn't make it valuable. There are many factors that add value to books. Every house has books but dealing with them is a lot like mining for gold. You have to do a lot of work to find only a few nuggets. Such as a recent Virginia Wolfe book that was donated to a library book sale, but which ultimately sold for $4500 because it was author-signed. And what was popular 25-50 years ago (e.g., Zane Gray) isn't nearly as popular today as more contemporary topics (e.g., Harry Potter). Whether selling your own collection, books you've inherited, or are trying to help someone sell their books, this program will help attendees better understand Household & Estate Books and How to Sell Them in today's market, including:

  • How to sort books into Sell, Donate or Dump categories
  • 15 factors that can make a book valuable
  • How to Identify Investment Grade Books
  • How/Where to sell Mass-Market, Paperback, Hard-Cover, Vintage Sets, Franklin Library, etc.
  • We'll talk selling, donation & dumping/recycling options
  • We'll introduce important book reference books & book web sites
  • We'll include important Tips, Strategies and Vignettes … and much more
11.

Dealing with Stamps

Some people are selling their own Stamp collections, which they probably understand. And others are selling collections that they inherited, and have absolutely no concept of value. This program will help attendees to better understand US and Foreign Stamps, how & where to sell them in today's market, and will cover such topics as:

  • Brief history of postage stamps
  • How to sort, analyze, and evaluate a Stamp collection
  • Various types of Stamps including Definitives, Commemoratives, Blocks & Plate Blocks, Sheets, 1st Day Covers, Coils, Air Mails, Postage Due, more
  • We'll introduce you to the Scott's Catalog # System
  • We'll discuss five common types of Stamp collections you may encounter
  • We'll discuss what's Hot & Not in Stamps
  • We'll introduce Discount Postage?
  • What is "Grading" and why is it so important to value
  • And how…and where…to sell a Stamp collection
  • We'll discuss 'Retention' and why so many different stamps are issued each year
  • We'll discuss both US and Foreign Stamps
  • We'll introduce you to assorted useful Stamp web sites, reference books and tools
  • We'll include important Tips, Strategies and Vignettes…and much more
12.

Dealing with Vintage China, Porcelain, Cut Glass/Crystal, other Glassware

There is no question that, overall, the younger generation doesn't appreciate or value China, Porcelain and/or Glassware the way their parents and grand-parents did. That doesn't mean that is has no value. It just means that you need to understand it better. Which is what we'll do in this program. We'll discuss such topics as:

  • Understanding China, Porcelain, Dinnerware, Dishes & Glassware
  • We'll talk Cut Glass, Leaded Glass, Crystal
  • Clear Glass vs Colored Glass
  • Depression Glass, Carnival Glass, Milk Glass, more
  • How to use the Replacements.com web site
  • How to Identify Investment Grade China & Glass
  • How and where to Sell It
  • We'll talk donation options
  • We'll discuss what makes some valueless
  • We'll introduce important web sites, reference books & tools
  • We'll include important Tips, Strategies and Vignettes…and much more
13.

Dealing with Figurines (Hummels, Lladros, Royal Doulton, Lenox, Bisque, more)

Hummels always made an easy gift for Mom & Grandmom on special occasions. And so what if we overpaid; collectibles such as these only became more valuable over time. Right? Unfortunately, the younger generation today has very little interest in such things and values have softened considerably. Yet some of them are still bringing good value. In the program we'll cover such topics as:

  • Sevres and other high-demand names
  • Hummels; Lladros' Royal Doulton; Lenox, other big names
  • Japan & Occupied Japan, 1930's Bisque,
  • Precious Moments, Survivors
  • The importance of the Original Box & Paperwork
  • Understanding maker marks and mold numbers
  • How and where to Sell It
  • We'll talk donation options.
  • We'll introduce important figurine web sites, reference books & tools
  • We'll include important Tips, Strategies and Vignettes … and much more
14.

Wallace Nutting Pictures, Books & Furniture

Between 1900-1941 Wallace Nutting was an early 20th c. trend-setter who sold millions of his hand-colored photographs, authored 20 books, reproduced much of America's finest furniture styles, and was the focus of the Wallace Nutting Collectors Club which is still attracting collectors nationwide. There hasn't been a better time to buy Nutting in the past 30 years, and in this program we'll discuss:

  • Wallace Nutting…the Man
  • We'll discuss Nutting's early 20th c. photographs and the hand-colored photographic process
  • We'll discuss the impact of hand-colored photography prior to the advent of color-printing.
  • We'll discuss the 20+ books he authored
  • We'll discuss his reproduction furniture business
  • We'll discuss Wallace Nutting Memorabilia
  • We'll discuss how to identify age
  • We'll talk cleaning, repairing & conserving vintage hand-colored photos
  • We'll talk buying & selling options
  • We'll introduce important web sites, reference books & tool
  • We'll include important Tips, Strategies and Vignettes … and much more
15.

Early 20th c. Hand-Colored Photography

While Wallace Nutting was the national leader in selling Early 20th c. Hand-Colored Photography, he was by no means alone. There were hundreds of other photographers selling their hand-colored photos…regionally…in various parts of the country...including New England, Florida, Western US, Pacific Northwest, Southwestern US, Canadian Rockies, Nova Scotia, National Parks, Washington DC, and wherever there was a major tourism destination. There hasn't been a better time to buy Early 20th c. Hand-Colored Photography in the past 30 years, and in this program we'll discuss:

  • The hand-colored photographic process
  • Wallace Nutting's main competitors, including Charles Sawyer, Fred Thompson, & David Davidson
  • We'll talk H Marshall, WH Gardiner, Harris, Carlock, Garrison, Western US, many more
  • We'll talk how to identify age .
  • We'll talk cleaning, repairing & conserving vintage hand-colored photos
  • We'll talk buying & selling options.
  • We'll introduce important web sites, reference books & tools.
  • We'll include important Tips, Strategies and Vignettes … and much more


Michael Ivankovich, GPPA, MPPA
Doylestown, PA 18902
(215)-264-4304
eMail: info@MichaelIvankovich.com


www.VirtualAppraisals.net
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