Value of Indian Arrowheads: A Guide (Plus 3 Things That Determine Value) (2023)

So... what are arrowheads worth anyway?

Since I posted these two guides,How to find arrowheads in the forestyNative American Arrowheads: The Ultimate Guide to Information, I have received many comments and questions about the value of arrowheads that many of you have encountered.

I understand that not knowing the monetary value of the arrowhead you are holding can be frustrating. I've been asking myself the same question for a long time.

With a little research, I found several ways to get a better idea of ​​the value of your arrowheads and other Native American artifacts you may own. I wanted to create this post to help you answer this common question...

A must have for any serious arrowhead collector.

If you really want to know how much your arrowheads or other Native American artifacts are worth, then there's only one place you need to take a look. And this is inOfficial Overstreet Indian Arrowhead Price and Identification Guide.

The Overstreet Guide is the bible of arrowhead collecting. It is an encyclopedic guide to Indian arrowheads found in the continental United States and Alaska.

The Overstreet Guide will not only help you determine the value of your arrowhead collection, it will also help you learn in detail the history of the arrowheads in your possession.

Instructions are packaged with photos and drawings to help you easily identify your arrowhead. Once you identify what type of arrowhead it is, it helps you determine its quality and what you would or would pay someone else for the arrowhead.

The Overstreet Guide contains over 12,000 spot images from 10 different geographic regions. You'll gain an understanding of arrowhead types, crafting, classification, materials, and statistics.

It is a massive, incomparable and most respected reference on the market.Bookon arrowheads and arrowhead values.

How much are my arrowheads worth?

To discover the value of your arrowheads and other Native American artifacts, there are a few things you can do to get started. There are concrete, tangible things to take into account and non-specific, intangible things to take into account.

3 things that help determine arrow values

1. How much is the arrowhead/sentimentality worth to you?

There's no denying that finding an arrowhead or many arrowheads is incredibly exciting. But just because it's super exciting for you doesn't necessarily mean it's as exciting for a potential buyer or collector.

The prospective buyer of your arrowhead collection will not have the same emotional attachment to the collection as you do. In fact, artifact buyers intentionally remove humor and emotion from the equation when looking at a potential artifact. So keep this in mind if you decide to sell your arrowhead collection.

2. Supply and Demand

The sheer number of Indian arrowheads made and lost over thousands and thousands of years is astronomical. And with such a huge supply of arrowheads available, there's a good chance that the arrowheads you have just aren't worth as much as you might think.

For example, think of the vast number of people who once lived on the North American continent. in my articleNative American Arrowheads: The Ultimate Guide to Information, I write this in relation to the number of arrowheads still waiting to be found.

“There's no way to know exactly how many arrowheads are out there, waiting to be found. But consider this;Recent scientific evidence has shownHumans inhabited North America 130,000 years ago. Good yesaverage life expectancy of prehistoric indiansit was for example 40-45 years, imagine how many arrowheads and spearheads a person would have made in his lifetime. Mainly because they knew they started making projectile tips when they were kids.

Also remember that everyday life was highly dependent on these stone tools. Combined with gathering various cultivated foods, animals were also hunted for food, which would require a large number of arrowheads. If they didn't hunt and gather, they didn't eat.

Now take that person and the number of arrowheads he would have made and used in his lifetime and multiply that by the millions of people inhabiting the continent at that time. Then multiply that by the many generations that lived and immigrated to North America during those 130,000 years. The number of arrowheads on the ground must now be in the millions."

3. Scarcity. numerous but rare

Well, on the other hand, while there may be millions of arrowheads still lying on the ground waiting to be found, when was the last time one happened to you? This fact alone can help increase the value of an arrowhead.

Indian traders of arrowheads and artifacts are well aware of this and are willing to pay higher prices for certain types of arrowheads just so they don't have to go looking for them. This is especially true if the arrowheads are in excellent condition, with no breaks, cracks or chips.

What else determines an arrowheads value?

Now let's take a look at some of the unsentimental, non-random, tangible things sought after by dealers and collectors who determine the value of an arrowhead and other Native American artifacts.

Authenticity is top priority

If you are seriously considering buying or selling Indian arrowheads and artifacts, authenticity verification is extremely important.

Unfortunately, there are many, many arrowhead replicas or fakes on the market today that people try to pass off as the real thing.

There's nothing worse than buying an arrowhead that you thought was worth a certain amount of money, only to find out after you buy it that it's a fake and not worth the dust that collects on it.

How do you know if an arrowhead is real?

There are a few things you can do to ensure that the arrowhead you are selling or buying is 100% genuine and worth the price it is placed on.

Gather all the basic information

First, try to collect as much information about the arrowhead as possible. Whenever I'm looking for arrowheads, I make a point of bringing my camera. I will photograph him lying on the ground without touching him and I will also film him as I dig him up.

I also keep written records of the discovery. It's not that I'm necessarily interested in selling my collection. But I know that one day the time may come. And the more documentation you have for each item, the more they're worth.

Ask for videos or photos of the find.

You can be sure that an arrowhead does not contain any checks, information, images or videos. And if you do, that information can be proven false very easily.

Look for modern or edited brands

Next, you want to examine the Indian arrowhead as closely as possible. If you buy online, please request additional images from the seller or distributor if you are not satisfied with the images posted. Take your time to examine the artifact up close. Make sure there are no "edited" marks as a reproduction would.

8 properties that determine the value of arrows

Information for this list of features that affect arrowhead values ​​is taken from this articleEbay.

Illness

What condition is the item in? Are there any visible cuts or chips? If that's the case, each arrowhead break contributes to reducing the total value.

The image

How well does this arrowhead fit into its category type? If it is a classic in its category, it will have greater value and class.

symmetry

Arrowheads with design fidelity and balance have higher value and quality.

Talla

Larger arrowheads tend to rank higher, resulting in a higher total point score.

thinness

Diluents tend to be in greater demand, resulting in greater demand and therefore greater value. However, this also depends a lot on the specific type of arrowhead.

desquamation

Precise percussion and secondary edge work with minimal hinge breakage and superior stacking range. Fine sizing techniques such as sidewalls or oblique crosscuts also increase the value of an arrowhead.

material e cor

Many states only see local grays and browns, but high color points can improve color quality, which can increase value. agates, flints, corals,jasper, Horse Creek Chert, Buffalo River Chert, Carter Cave Chert, etc. They are high quality materials with fantastic colors that add value to an arrowhead collection over time.

origin

It can sometimes be difficult to obtain records. But please provide all the documentation you can find about where it was found, previous collections it was in, etc. adds value to the Indian Arrowhead collection.

final thoughts

The arrowheads you have in your collection may or may not be worth money. But what's even more important is what they're worth to you. What is the value of having in your hands something created by another human being long forgotten by this world?

This person was an individual who had a family and lived on the same ground you walk on now. That person's existence depended on the arrowhead you are now holding.

As you continue your hobby of collecting arrowheads, I think one of the things you will benefit most from is having access to the ultimate authority on arrowhead identification. and that isOfficial Indian Overstreet Arrows Identification and Pricing Guide

So what is the value of this arrowhead? You tell me! Leave a comment and let me know what you think about the value of arrowheads. Do you collect to sell? Are you a dealer or buyer of Native American arrowheads and artifacts? If so, share some of your tips with the rest of us.

And as always, share this article on Facebook with your friends and family!

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