Fast Food Coffee Mugs by Fire King = Fast Money on eBay

What it is:
These are white glass mugs produced in the 1970s and 1980s by Fire King.

What to Look For:
You will primarily be looking for mugs made for McDonalds and Burger King. They will be marked on the bottom with the Fire King logo.

Selling Strategies:

Auction Title:
Always include the following in your auction title:
•Fire King
•Mug
•Name of the restaurant

Category:
Place your mugs in: Pottery & Glass > Glass > Glassware > 40s, 50s, 60s > Anchor Hocking > Fire King

Pricing:
Start your bidding under $10 ad watch the bids roll in!

SPECIAL NOTE:
You MUST be willing to ship to Japan in order to get top dollar. $10.00 will get it there by Air Mail. American Pop Culture is big in Japan, and collecting these mugs is just a tiny part of that craze. Even though the language barrier can cause a little confusion, the Japanese are good customers: polite and easy to work with.

Highlights:
A Burger King mug with the restaurant's address printed on it recently sold for $480.00!

Ease of Shipping:
Easy. Place a wad of paper inside the mug, wrap in bubble wrap, place in a sturdy box and pack with foam peanuts or newsprint.

Avoid:
Nothing really to avoid here, although there are some McDonald's mugs that are more common than others and will not generate as much money for you.

Target Selling Range (Profit Potential):
McDonald's mugs currently sell for $50 to $100 depending on design and condition of the paint.
Burger King mugs are selling for $75 to $150 individually.
Any of these mugs do especially well in small groups (2-4).

Go see for yourself. Click Here to see what these mugs have been selling for on eBay.

Dr. Strangespeller or: How I Learned to Stop Transposing and Love the Spell Check

I can't spell worth a damn.

I rely on spell check the way my granny relies on her Social Security check to keep her stocked in smokes and cheap beer. So, I have been as guilty as anyone of making boneheaded spelling errors in my titles and auction body.

Most typos and misspellings just make you look unprofessional or uneducated, but when you misspell keywords, especially in your title, you set yourself up for failure.

Here are some of my favorite eBay misspellings:

• Ernest Hemingway sells quite well, but his doppelganger, Mr. Hemmingway, is underappreciated.

• A bowl and a bowel are wholly different receptacles. I don't suggest substituting one for the other.
  

• People interested in genealogy will seldom find your geneology listings.

• A crocodile is a large reptile used to make beautiful leather goods and at least two Australians famous. A crocadile is a related lizard, usually found lost in the Shoe & Accessories category.

• Ralph Lauren is a famous American designer (who's real name is Ralph Lipchitz!) Ralph Laren appears to be a maker of clothing which does not sell very well on eBay.

As you can see, this spelling business is more science than art. The search function is unforgiving and creativity in the arrangement of letters is punished harshly.

That's all for now. I'm off to enjoy a big steaming bowel of oatmeal!

Alcoholics Anonymous Books - AA = $$ on eBay

What it is:

The Alcoholics Anonymous big book has been in print since 1939, and is now in its fourth edition. It is probably the most collected book on the planet. Surprised? Don't be. This book has helped millions of people reclaim their lives. Some just want a nice vintage copy for their bookshelf. Others try to collect a copy of each printing. Still others seek out specific printings for material that was later removed.

What to Look For:

Any printing of the first edition will make you money. Second edition copies make the grade up to the mid 1960s. There is also good demand for first printing copies of the third edition (1976). Copies in dust jackets command premium prices.

Selling Strategies:

Auction Title:

Just place the words "Alcoholics Anonymous", as well as the edition and printing.

Category:

Books > Nonfiction.
You could really put them anywhere and collectors will find them.

Pricing:

Start is low and let the fun begin! There is no need to practice defensive pricing here.

Highlights:

Some recent auction prices from eBay:

• $2000 for a first edition, 1st printing.
• $732 for a first edition, 10th printing in the jacket.
• $654 for a first edition, 3rd printing in poor condition.
• $547 for a first edition, 9th printing in the jacket.
• $483 for a first edition, 14th printing in the jacket.
  
• $460 for a first edition, 11th printing in the jacket.
• $460 for a first edition, 12th printing - NO jacket.
• $425 for a second edition, 1st printing in the jacket.
• $411 for a first edition, 14th printing - NO jacket.
• $180 for a second edition, 2nd printing - NO jacket.
• $88 for a third edition, 1st printing in the jacket.
• $76 for a second edition, 7th printing - NO jacket.
  

Ease of Shipping:

Pretty simple. Like and other valuable book, place it in a plastic bag to protect it from getting wet, then pack it in a good box with newsprint or foam peanuts.

Avoid:

Stay away from third edition copies, unless they are the first printing.

Target Selling Range (Profit Potential):

First edition copies will almost always sell for at least $300, with particularly nice or early copies going in the $500-$600 range. The second edition will range from about $75 to $300.

See For Yourself:

Go see for yourself on eBay. Click Here to see what AA books have been selling for.