Chances are good that you have, at some time, been in a restaurant or bar that’s decorated with an array of old fishing equipment or boat steering wheels, ship anchors, and various other nautical parts. If you wondered how or where they found it, there are two possible answers: They either found it themselves, or they bought it from dealers who specialize in this niche of collectibles, which, in turn, lets you know there’s a market for this stuff.
Giant Copper Haskell Minnow. (Lang’s Auction)
It’s easy to assume there’s no real value in these items, which are often seen at yard sales or collecting dust in attics, but that’s not quite correct. A few examples of valuable vintage fishing lures include a lure called a copper Giant Haskell Minnow dating back to 1852, which sold for $101,200 at auction in 2003. A minnow-type lure made between 1900 and 1904, found in a tackle box, sold for $42,500 at auction in 2006….