.. keep the items in the 'community' of chippers rather than keychain makers!

All too often I have seen collections of soda-pop bottles, clay pots, and other such items at flee markets and garage sales, and thought some one spent a lot of time gathering all these and the people looking at them have no idea what thy were worth to the original collector. I bought a banknote at a flee market for 75¢ that was valued at $625.00 to collectors or could have been cashed in at the bank for $350. Some one must have aquired it from an estate and had no idea or care what it was worth. Luckily, it fell back into the hands of someone who appreciated its true value. Many such items don't. That note COULD have ended up in some kids hand who thought it was cool until it was discarded or lost.

A service you describe would protect the loss of 'our treasures' from the whims of non-collectors, as well as a valuable service to the decesed owner.