This week we had several Estate Jewelry lots come in and one included a Counterfeit Return to Tiffany Oval tag bracelet. Any of you who buy or purchase estate items should always be on the look out for such pieces, and remove them from the market.

This particular bracelet was rather well constructed and made of sterling quality silver, however it was no where near the quality of Tiffany jewelry. Each individual link had been soldered, the Oval Tiffany Tag and the Clasp were marked as 925, and the clasp was the correct style. Total length on the bracelet was correct for this style bracelet however the weight was off somewhat and the engraving was not quite perfect.

Upon closer inspection I actually found several of the solder joints had began to come loose and the links were not 100% symmetrical. This piece has since been melted by our local jeweler to make sure it doesn't make it back into the market place. If any of you come across non authentic pieces please make sure that they cannot enter the market again.

On Saturday morning I decided to ride to Columbia South Carolina to visit the Barnyard and US 1 flea markets for a little treasure hunt. As usual the places were packed with a wide variety of vendors selling their wares for a variety of prices. According to the vendors business has been very good over the past several weeks and the market spaces are booked through the Holiday Season.

Among the coin dealers I spoke with I observed several certified shield nickels that had been whizzed with only one noting the alterations on the holder (ANACS slab). There were actually very few certified Morgan dollars among the dealers with most of the certified coinage being Modern Coinage. All in all I would say there was a good variety for the new collector but not much for advanced collectors with no Key Dates in any series.

The US 1 Flea market had the largest variety of sellers. Parking was not a problem with large lots on either side of the market. The concession lines were extremely long, and the bathrooms should have been condemned. My advice would be to walk quickly and use the facilities somewhere else.

We arrived at the Barnyard around noon and a several vendors had already closed down for the day. Parking was very easy with nice paved lots available on several sides of the market. The concession stands were busy but the lines moved extremely quick and service was excellent. The Bathrooms were very clean and well stocked with suppies. The Management at the Barnyard always seems to keep things well under control.

After several hours of walking I had not purchased treasures, but I did gain 1 supplier and several customers. If you are ever in Columbia South Carolina you should stop by both markets and enjoy the exercise.