The 5 Best Places To Sell Arrowheads Legally & Safely • Outdoors Mecca

Hidden for thousands of years beneath the land, arrowheads wait patiently for the eyes—and hands of an eager artifact hunter.

If you have found an arrowhead before, then you know there are few thrills quite like it!

And If you are an arrowhead hunter or collector, you may consider putting some of your unwanted relics up for sale.

Selling your unwanted stone points is relatively easy with numerous potential buyers, but what are some of the pros and cons of each?

How do you know if you’re selling your arrowheads legally? And what are some tips to ensure you get the most out of the sale?

In this article, ill cover the 5 best places to sell arrowheads legally and safely. And, I’ll give you some tips so you can ensure you receive the top dollar for your finds.

Note: Always consult with the local, state and federal laws in your area regarding the purchase and sale of arrowheads and other primitive artifacts. This article is not legal advice.

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Who Buys Arrowheads?

You can sell stone arrowheads to museums, private collectors, pawnshops, arrowhead specific online stores, and you could put them up for auction. All five of these avenues have pros and cons. The quintessential factor is to make sure you’re selling the arrowheads legally, safely, and at the best price.

The 5 Best Places To Sell Arrowheads Legally & Safely

To some people, they are simply just rocks…but to others, arrowheads can be worth a lot of money.

Let’s take a closer look at 5 places that buy arrowheads, and the pros and cons of each.

Museums

Museums are the ideal endpoint for arrowheads. You might be familiar with the quote “it belongs in a museum” by a certain “archeologist.” The good news is Mr. Jones was not entirely off the mark. Museums are potential buyers for your unwanted arrowheads and collections.

Pros Of Selling To A Museum

Increasing knowledge and understanding. These stone artifacts provide a wealth of insight into early humans living in North America, where they traded, how they hunted, and how their technology evolved.
Education. When sold to a museum, arrowheads are displayed and contribute to educating visitors.
Selling to a museum means that your arrowheads are used and don’t end up stored away from the world.
Museums are widespread and vary in what they display, so there is a prospect of finding one interested in buying your points.
Museums often raise money to acquire the rarest arrowheads and artifacts.

The Cons Of Selling To A Museum

You might not get paid. Unfortunately, most museums are on tight budgets, and they may not be able to pay you much (or at all) for the points.
Not all museums buy arrowheads. Many people find arrowheads, and many museums have extensive collections of arrowheads. Therefore, they may not want your arrowheads unless they are particularly exceptional.

Private Collectors

Private collectors are also great potential buyers of unwanted arrowheads. Scattered throughout the US, private collectors readily add arrowheads to their collections, provided they are what they are looking for.

Pros Of Selling To A Private Collector

Private collectors have money. They have money and are willing to part with said money for exceptional pieces.
Private collectors are less bureaucratic than museums. Private collectors don’t worry as much about the auditors, answering only their budgetary compass.
Private collectors might actively hunt you to purchase your arrowheads. Depending on how much they want your piece/collection.
Reputed collectors are less likely to be scammers.

Cons Of Selling To A Private Collector

Private collectors usually have extensive collections. Unless your arrowheads are exceptional or are part of a particular collection or have certain desirable traits, collectors probably won’t have too much interest in purchasing from you.
There are many scammers, and some might pose as private collectors.
Some collectors may try to push their luck and purchase the arrowheads for less than they are worth.

Pawn Shops

Many of us have a bit of a disdain for pawnshops; however, they are another avenue when wanting to sell your arrowheads.

Locating pawn shops is easy. Use Google to locate your nearest pawn shop, and ask them if they purchase arrowheads.

The Pros Of Selling To A Pawn Shop

Many pawn shops are widely distributed across the US, so finding one shouldn’t be difficult.
Many pawn shops are open to taking arrowheads, both rare and common.
If you don’t “need the money,” a pawn shop is a relatively reliable place to sell your arrowheads.
Most are (mostly) reputable, and getting scammed is less likely.

The Cons Of Selling To A Pawn Shop

Pawnshops usually undervalue items. Unfortunately, you will not get the best price on your artifacts.
You’re not in control of who purchases the arrowheads.

Specific Online Platforms

These online platforms (websites and the associated companies) are geared toward selling, buying, appraising, and providing information on arrowheads.

Arrowheads.com is an example of a trustworthy online marketplace on which to sell your unwanted arrowheads. Their website provides useful information on the process, appraisals, and other useful information to potential sellers and buyers.

The Pros Of Selling At Specific Online Arrowhead Platforms

These sites offer appraisals of your collections, which are usually accurate.
They are geared toward selling arrowheads, so the process is simplified.
When using a reputable company, it is safe.
They usually take all types of arrowheads.
Websites of this nature connect you to a greater community of arrowhead collectors.

The Cons Of Selling Specific Online Arrowhead Platforms

When selling smaller collections/single arrowheads, you’ll need to cover the shipping costs.
You’re not in control of where the arrowheads end up.
You’ll need to take care when selling online only to use reputable sites as there are many scammers.

Auctions

If you decide not to go any of the other routes, there is another option to try and get the most amount on your arrowheads. Auctioning off your arrowheads pits buyers against one another to get the maximum amount for your arrowheads.

Some auction “houses” include:

Pros Of Auctioning Off Your Arrowheads

Potential buyers “duke it out.” When auctioning, there is a good chance that you can get more for an item than it’s originally valued at.
There is relatively little chance of getting scammed when working through a reputable auction house.

Cons Of Auctioning Off Your Arrowheads

Depending on the interest, you might not get as much as you’d hope. Sometimes the auction makes it slightly over the minimum and no further.
The “luck of the day” plays a significant role. If there are many arrowhead collections on sale, you stand a chance not to make much/lose out entirely, especially if other lots contain unique pieces.

What Is The Best Place To Sell Arrowheads?

The best place to sell arrowheads is through a specialized arrowhead company like Arrowheads.com, or directly to a professional collector.

They are equipped, connected, and interested enough to make the process simple and convenient for you, the seller. They offer appraisal services and locate potential buyers, so you don’t need to worry about it.

Is It Legal To Sell Arrowheads?

Selling your arrowheads is completely legal, provided you lawfully obtained the points. The key to selling arrowheads legally is to find arrowheads legally. Providing records, documentation and provenance of your finds will ensure your legal and fetch you the best price.

Each state has various federal and state laws regarding removing artifacts. Many areas prohibit you from collecting arrowheads from federal or Indian lands.

The critical factor is that you research your state’s laws regarding arrowhead collecting and adhere to said rules during the process. Once legally obtained, you’re generally allowed to sell the points.

However, some states have restrictions on the sales of prehistoric artifacts. It is your responsibility to know the laws, rules and regulations.

Tips To Sell Legally And Safely

Some considerations when attempting to sell your stone tips include:

Arm yourself with knowledge. Make sure to read up on your state and federal laws before collecting and selling arrowheads.

There are so many factors involved in assigning value to artifacts, so it’s a good idea to do your research if you believe you have something of value. I recommend The Official Overstreet Indian Arrowheads Identification and Price Guide.

If you know how much your arrowheads are worth, you’ll know what a good selling price is.
Be careful when selling online that the website is trusted. Unfortunately, scammers abound everywhere. Use only trustworthy sites.

You need to record the important information. Where (GPS points if possible), when, how, how many, and photos are important details you should record when collecting arrows.

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