March 17, 2026

When Heirlooms Become Assets with Peter Costanzo

47 minutes

Could the most overlooked part of your estate plan be sitting right in your living room? Jewelry tucked away in a drawer, artwork on the wall, a shelf full of old books, family pieces everyone assumes are “just sentimental”. Some of these items may be worth far more than anyone realizes, while others may not hold the value your family expects.

In this episode, Stacy sits down with Peter Costanzo of Doyle Auctioneers and Appraisers to talk about how collections, heirlooms, and household treasures can create unexpected opportunities (and unexpected conflict) if no one plans ahead.

You’ll hear them discuss:

Why artwork, jewelry, books, and collectibles should absolutely be part of your estate planning conversations

How professional appraisals help families understand what items are actually worth before difficult decisions have to be made

Why heirlooms that look “equal” may have wildly different values, and how that can unintentionally create conflict between family members

The difference between fair market value and retail replacement value, and why that matters for both estate planning and insurance

How to protect yourself from being taken advantage of when selling valuable items, and when auctions may be the better option

The common mistakes families make when they wait until a move, downsizing, or home sale to deal with decades of belongings

Real stories from Peter’s career, including the discovery of a forgotten George Washington letter and Stephen Sondheim’s rhyming dictionaries that shocked collectors at auction

Resources

Peter Costanzo on Doyle | Email: [email protected] | Phone: 212-427-2730 | LinkedIn

Stacy Francis on LinkedIn | X(Twitter) | Email

FrancisFinancial.com

Reach out to receive a complimentary consultation! Contact Francis Financial at +212-374-9008 or visit Francis Financial today!

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By Stacy Francis

4.8

3939 ratings