Your Questions, Answered

Absolutely. Most people who write to us have no idea what they have. Maybe it’s a box from a grandfather’s attic or a collection from the family farm. You don’t need to know a thing. That’s our job. 

It’s simple, and there are no forms or sign-ups.

• Lay a ruler or tape measure next to the pieces, and if they’re in a glass case, open the lid so there’s no glare.
• Tell us which state the collection is in, and anything you know about how you came to have it.
• Send it all to appraisals@arrowheads.com.

Nothing. Your first look is free, and we never ask for a credit card. If you later need formal written paperwork for an estate, a court or an insurance policy, written appraisals start at $40. You’d only pay if you choose that after you’ve seen your free review. Details are here: https://arrowheads.com/arrowhead-appraisals

A real person reads your photos and writes back with what you have and what it may be worth. We aim to reply within 24 hours, and sometimes it takes up to 3 days.

If we’re interested in buying, we’ll tell you and talk it through. There’s no pressure at all. If you decide not to sell, say no and keep your collection. You’re also welcome to get a second opinion.

We buy single pieces and collections: arrowheads, spear points, bannerstones, birdstones, gorgets, pendants, axes, celts, discoidals, pipes and pottery. We look at everything from everyday field finds to museum-quality pieces.

For collections, shipping, insuring and handling cost us about the same whether the collection is big or small, so we only make an offer when it makes sense for both of us. That usually means collections worth around $700 or more. It says nothing about the quality of your pieces. If yours is smaller, we’ll still tell you what you have and the best way to sell it yourself.

Broken pieces are hard to sell unless they’re large and rare, so we usually can’t buy them. Some stones that look like faces or tools were actually shaped by water and weather, even though they can fool experienced collectors, and those aren’t something we can buy either. If that’s what you have, we’ll tell you kindly, and point you in a good direction.

That’s very common, and it’s okay. Whatever you know helps: who found the pieces, where and when. Family stories and old notes add value, but you don’t need to have any.

We work only with artifacts that were legally obtained. Most of what we see was found on family land or passed down through the family. By writing to us, you’re confirming that, to the best of your knowledge, your artifacts were obtained legally under federal and state laws, which vary from state to state. We can’t work with artifacts that were taken illegally. Not sure about the rules where you live? Start with our Federal and State Regulations guide: https://www.arrowheads.com/federal-and-state-regulations

I know the internet is full of deception, so here are your options:

• If we meet in person: we pay you when we meet, in cash or by check.
• If you mail it: we pay by PayPal or check.
• If you’d rather be paid first: we can send payment to your PayPal account up front, using PayPal’s Buyer/Seller Protection Program.
• If you’d like a neutral third party: we’re a verified business on Escrow.com and happy to use it.

Most deals are settled within a few days. References and credentials are available any time you ask.

Only after we’ve agreed on a deal. Then we’ll send you simple packing instructions, and we cover the cost of shipping insurance. If we meet in person and your collection is in frames or boxes, you don’t need to pack anything.

No. Your photos stay with us. We don’t share them or post them anywhere.

Yes. Your free first look is for everyone, whether or not you ever want to sell. Email your photos to appraisals@arrowheads.com.

If you’d also like to chat with fellow collectors, our free forum is a friendly place to ask “What did I find?” Register at https://forums.arrowheads.com/register, then click the link in the email you receive to confirm your address. If you don’t see it, check your spam folder.

We’ll give you our honest opinion from your photos. For formal third-party authentication, we can recommend independent authenticators. Just ask.