Born and raised in New Jersey, Traci Lombardo has a rich background as a collector, dealer and expert in antiques and Americana. From a very young age, Traci accompanied her family to auctions and estate sales. Later, as a college student, Traci spent $35 for a rare portfolio of 65 French prints -- that she went on to flip for $10,000.

Traci has held positions in the most prestigious galleries, museums and auction houses in New York City, including Christie’s and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She has also worked as an appraiser and manager for Letsellit!, an estate sale company in New Jersey.

Currently, Traci is an adjunct professor of art history and art appreciation at Essex County College in New Jersey. She has a master's degree in art history and museum studies from City College of New York, and a B.A. with a certificate in historic preservation from Rutgers University.

STATS

Number of years in the auction game: 26
“My whole life. [It’s a] family business!”

Highest value auction haul in dollars: $12,000
“This includes my biggest.”

Biggest auction spend in dollars: $1,800

Biggest sale in dollars: $9,750

Biggest profit turned in dollars: $9,715
“My biggest score was a rare French portfolio of 65 prints that I bought for $35. I've sold some in bulk and some single, but the total value of the portfolio is $9,750. About $150 each.”

Number of auction wins: Too many to count!
“If I had to guess, approximately 5 wins per auction multiplied by approximately 50 auctions.”