Whether or not you need an appraisal is really a matter of what you need the appraisal for. If you want to insure items of value that would not be covered under your homeowner’s policy, you may want to consider having those items appraised in the event of a loss. This may include furs, jewelry, art collections, and gun collections. Most people do not realize what is not covered in their homeowner’s insurance policy. Other reasons you may need an appraisal include damage or loss claims, estate planning, charitable donations, IRS functions and many others. If you are simply trying to find out if something you have has any value, you may not need a formal appraisal. The cost of the appraisal may outweigh the value of your item. We would recommend that you seek out an auction house in this case.
Please see the Appraisals for more information