How to Tell Vintage York Weights

Find a yard or garage sale in your area. A yard sale is the best place to find cheap vintage York weights. To find yard or garage sales in your local area, check your local Internet listings or drive around your neighbourhood until you see a garage or yard sale in progress. Use the local map or GPS to navigate your way to a suburban area where there is likely to be a large number of yard sales under way, especially on weekends.

Speak to the seller. Find out the history of the weights. Ask where the weights were purchased and why they are selling them. If they say something like, "I inherited them from my uncle who bought them in the 1940s," then you are probably on to a winner. If the seller says, "I bought them on eBay 2 months ago," they may be selling them because the weights are fake.

Check the merchandise. Have a good look at the weights. Do they look old or have they been reconditioned? If the York weights look new or nearly new it is unlikely that they are true vintage. However if they appear to have been at the bottom of someone's garage for 40 years, they probably have.

Look for distinctive markings. Vintage York weight plates were made in 50 and 25 pound plates. They have "York" at the top of the weight and "Barbell" written at the bottom in small letters. The center hole should fit a 1-inch standard bar. At 90 degrees to the writing at the top and bottom of the plate, the weight will be displayed: "'50" or "25" on the left hand side and "LB" on the right-hand side of the plate.

Check the antiques catalogue. A good catalogue will have pictures and features to look for when making a purchase, including specific years or weights that are more collectible than others.

Buy the weights. If you are satisfied and believe the York weights to be genuine vintage products, finalize the deal with the seller. Be sure to bargain to get a good price. Most sellers will require you to pay in cash.