Price Guides; Help or Hindrance?
Posted on 30. Jul, 2009 by Shannon Graham in Artifact Finds, Flint Artifacts
‘How much is it worth?’ is a question occasionally heard in arrowhead discussions. More times than not, it’s a question asked by folks unfamiliar with Indian artifacts who have recently made their first find.
As with most things that have intrinsic value, and in this case a limited supply and growing demand, there is a monetary value.
How is an artifact’s value determined? A lot of factors play into the equation such as rarity, condition, craftsmanship, material, symmetry, age, and pedigree (documentation). A common answer to the ‘how much is it worth?’ question is ‘whatever someone is willing to pay and whatever the seller is willing to accept’. When these two values meet, that could be considered fair market value on that particular piece.
The popularity of artifact price guides has grown tremendously over the past twenty years. Given that no two artifacts are alike, these guides often provide a price range for a particular artifact and show several examples of each type. This allows the reader to formulate an estimated valuation based on a broader range of specimens. 
These price guides are good for estimating relative worth and in the absence of easily sourced professional typology guides, aid collectors in identifying what they have found.
But are these artifact guides good for the hobby? While they do provide estimates of monetary value, are these prices accurate? With no formal process or objective criteria to calculate price, how are these values determined? Are they simply provided by the individual owner of the artifact based on their own knowledge and opinion?
Do price guides set unrealistic expectations? Most collectors who have gained experience in this field are familiar with the basics of establishing the approximate value of an arrowhead. But what about someone who is not a collector and has inherited a collection, or has amassed a collection over the years from picking them up on their property? It may be difficult for someone unfamiliar with artifacts to distinguish a triangular trade blank from a Clovis based on the description from a price guide. This misleads the owner to believe a collection of field grade points may be worth tens of thousands of dollars.
The advent of price guides could also be credited to some degree with the increased number of dealers in the hobby today. Just as with Pokemon cards and Beanie Babies opportunistic folks see the rising prices and want to try their hand at dabbling in arrowheads for dollars.
And the anti-collecting community is heard more often stating that many collectors are in it solely for the money while tapping on the prices guides as the source of inspiration. In an effort to curb collecting, archeologists are actively reaching out to landowners claiming that collectors are getting rich from the artifacts found on their ranches and referencing these published prices.
Artifact price guides; a help or hindrance for the collecting community? What do you think?
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6 Responses to “Price Guides; Help or Hindrance?”
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bushman
09. Oct, 2010
For the uninformed they are a hindrance.They dont know how to grade or id ,so to them a $50. humbolt looks like a$1000.clovis.I would like to see books like overstreet do more on identification besides one or two lines,and less on the price.
Paula
17. Jan, 2011
I’m learning more everyday about grading and such. I do understand the thin, fragile point is the winner on the scale but to find a fatty cash blade for me is like a little stroll down “AWESOME” Lane. I may sound like a flake but I have to tell you to me it is so neat to find something and believe that the last person touching it was an indian. I am a part of a monster size collection of artifacts and I hope I never have to sell a one of them.
Brooke
11. Feb, 2011
I have 3 indian artifacts from the juniata river and id like to know how much it’s worth. I have an axe and 2 other ones that were used to grind up food.
Anonymous
07. May, 2011
bushman are you informed? Overstreet has done a great job on grading point values as well as type points through out north america. If you read the book they give a good detail of points which are ground, stemed. serrated, even the type of flaking involved. Materials from which the point types are made in certain parts of the north americas. They also have great articles about sites and the type of points which are from a general group. And no a humbolt is not a clovis. yes they have certain traits but any one who reads and studys could figure that out. maybe you should read a little bit more. The book gives a lot of educational information i give it a 10. by the way i have advertisement in it, because it has helped out millions of collectors, dealers, as well as people who now nothing of what they have found. and they even had a article to educate people about the laws regarding collecting.
angelo
25. May, 2011
hi my father left me a hellenistic wheel made oil lamp from third century bce.27 found in 1933 on a island in the mediterranean sea of sicilie called filicudi and was wandering could you help me find out a value on it or point me in the right direction.
Sam Dodd
03. Aug, 2011
i have a indian necklace from the 1800s and it also has a letter with it stating the history of the necklace i really wont to sell it ive tried every website possible please help