So you were digging around in the attic and you found a bunch of assorted items that look really old. You think to yourself, “Nick, or whatever my name is, is this stuff worth anything?” But since you’re clearing out garbage, you can’t just wait around for the Antique Roadshow to roll into your town. Instead, use these methods to help you find out if that vase is a priceless treasure or pathetic trinket.

1. Ask a dealer for a free appraisal. Some antique and collectible dealers will give you a ballpark figure for your items upon request. But be careful of shady dealers who may be low-balling the value in order to get the item off of you cheap.
2. Join a collectors’ club. There’s probably a group of folks in your town who collect stuff like the junk you found, so become a member of their group and you’ll have free appraisal services from people who buy that sort of stuff regularly.
3. Consult a price guide. There are volumes of books out there that list millions of valuable antiques and collectibles and how much they could be worth to the right person. You may not find your exact item in one, but you should be able to find something similar to give you a figure in the right neighborhood.

More tips for putting a dollar figure on your collectibles in the next hour.