Phil Mushnick, the television columnist for the New York Post, has long advocated a simple way to test the price points put forth by the expert appraisers on PBS' Antiques Road Show. When the expert tells you that the painting you hauled out of your attic is worth $10,000-$15,000 in "an auction environment," the lucky owner should simply reply, "Wow, that's great. I'll sell it to you right now for $8,000." Think the appraiser would do it? I don't think so.
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