HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT YOU HAVE A COLLECTIBLE?
I have had some interesting comments from my previous blog posts. Some people are finding out things about me that they didn't know and others are questioning, "How do I know if my 4-5 items I have are really collectible"? So I will just say--for the first part--keep coming back and you will continue to learn more about me. For instance, I finally got to see Chronicles of Narnia in the theatre. We were supposed to go see it when my daughter and her family (which includes my 17 year old granddaughter and 14 year old grandson) came to visit us in California from Wisconsin. From bitter cold and snow to sweatshirt warm and sun! My granddaughter got to have a surfing lesson and my grandson loved Universal Studios (as did all of us). What a collection of items for our memory banks. Got side tracked once again, but we were unable to see Chronicles of Narnia because of time but my husband and I just did. What a great movie. Sorry that it has left many of the theaters, but even on a BlockBuster rental it would be great. Made me want to read the book.
For the second part--I found an article that will give you some great ideas about how to think about judging whether you have a collectible or not.
What's a Collectible?
From Barbara Crews,Your Guide to Collectibles.Stay up to date!
The Experts Give Their Answers
The word collectible means something different to everyone who ponders the question. Ask a non-collector what a collectible is and they will probably mention little figurines that are specifically marketed as collectibles or, more likely, they will mention Beanie Babies! Sometimes the non-collector will mention stamps, coins or even rocks and sea shells. It's always a particular thing.
Ask a collector and you'll get an in-depth answer on the feelings that are evoked, perhaps the investment made or the quest to find their stuff. Although collectors always hope their collections will increase in value, that's not why they started their collection.
My thoughts have always been if it's sold as a collectible, it's not.
At a recently gathering of authors and experts on antiques and collectibles, I asked the question "What is your definition of a collectible?" Rarely did anyone have a quick or glib answer but, after a few moments of thought, would come through with their definition.
The answers:
A piece of a person's personal history that holds a special place in their heart.Dean Jutilla, eBay
Something you can't get enough of. You get one, you gotta have more.Brent Feigner, Playthings
A collectible is something made between 1963 - 1980.Harry Rinker, Rinker Enterprises
You own more than two of something that you have no use for.Denise, Doll Collecting on About
Something that brings you happiness.Susan Peterson, Peterson Consulting
Part of a group of something that I want to own.Peggy Kinstler, Informart
It's a focused and special way to connect with a part of life.Jordan Wright, Planet Collector
A collectible is anything that is non-essential that someone wants more than one of.Lawrence (eBay)
Useless stuff in lots of different colors.Jane Viator, Antiques Roadshow Insider
Anything that wasn't meant to be and is.John Bruno, Flamingo Promotions
Something that has an emotional connection to you personally.Linda Kruger, Collector's News
Collectibles are things you collect.Jim Tucker, Antiques & Collectibles National Association
Any object that has special meaning to a person. Beth Deisher, Coin World
An item that's valuable to you personally no matter what the actual value is.Cathy Clark, The Numismatist
Anything desirable that people are willing to pay money for (to add to a collection).Pam Wiggins, Antiques.About.com
Something I must have to add to other like objects.Barbara Crews
Stay collected!
Monday, February 27, 2006
Sunday, February 19, 2006
So You DO Want to have a Coin Collection!
I remembered in my memory collection the other day that I had a grandson who has some stamps and coins in a collection. So when I said that that was not what I wanted to do NOW, I also realized that there are others who do. I hope that my grandson, if he continues collecting either stamps or coins or both -- that he soes so because he wants to NOT because someone else wants him to. I also remembered that he has a great comic book collection of which he is very proud and keeps in protective covers in a special chest. I think that he may have the science of collections already in place. Good for him--- most of my early childhood collections ended up broken, very used and never in the original box.
I also talked with someone the other day who has a collection of coins that he has had for years and is not sure what he even has now. So I went in search of an article that dealt with a coin collection and something about tips for getting kids into collecting. I found one of each that I will share with you in this addition of the blog.
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Russell
http://coins.about.com/cs/productreviews/gr/aapr291102.htm
As I have been exploring the ideas of collecting and looking over my own assortment of pieces that others have added to something that I just "loved" at some time, I remembered my interest also in de-cluttering my house and my life. I have two brothers who have been selling on eBay for years. I have always said----"I am going to do that myself". But like so many other things that I have said that I was going to do "someday", I never have gotten around to it. But I still have the intent and I have books, magazines and programs for doing it and I am still fascinated with the eBay experience.
Some of you might have the same thoughts---"I bet I could sell Aunt Ethel's collection of Christmas ornaments or Grandpa's set of tools on eBay". So I have decided to start sending some information on this blog about using eBay for either starting, adding to or selling your collections. The concept of doing eBay instead of having a garage sale is so much more appealing to me. So today, the information that I am sharing with you is on coin collecting and starting kids on the same. Then start looking for some resources for geting started on eBay in the future.
Get Collected!
I remembered in my memory collection the other day that I had a grandson who has some stamps and coins in a collection. So when I said that that was not what I wanted to do NOW, I also realized that there are others who do. I hope that my grandson, if he continues collecting either stamps or coins or both -- that he soes so because he wants to NOT because someone else wants him to. I also remembered that he has a great comic book collection of which he is very proud and keeps in protective covers in a special chest. I think that he may have the science of collections already in place. Good for him--- most of my early childhood collections ended up broken, very used and never in the original box.
I also talked with someone the other day who has a collection of coins that he has had for years and is not sure what he even has now. So I went in search of an article that dealt with a coin collection and something about tips for getting kids into collecting. I found one of each that I will share with you in this addition of the blog.
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Russell
http://coins.about.com/cs/productreviews/gr/aapr291102.htm
As I have been exploring the ideas of collecting and looking over my own assortment of pieces that others have added to something that I just "loved" at some time, I remembered my interest also in de-cluttering my house and my life. I have two brothers who have been selling on eBay for years. I have always said----"I am going to do that myself". But like so many other things that I have said that I was going to do "someday", I never have gotten around to it. But I still have the intent and I have books, magazines and programs for doing it and I am still fascinated with the eBay experience.
Some of you might have the same thoughts---"I bet I could sell Aunt Ethel's collection of Christmas ornaments or Grandpa's set of tools on eBay". So I have decided to start sending some information on this blog about using eBay for either starting, adding to or selling your collections. The concept of doing eBay instead of having a garage sale is so much more appealing to me. So today, the information that I am sharing with you is on coin collecting and starting kids on the same. Then start looking for some resources for geting started on eBay in the future.
Get Collected!
Sunday, February 12, 2006
Do I Want to Have a Coin Collection or Stamp Collection AGAIN?
One of the nice benefits to me personally about doing this blog is remembering some of the forgotten pieces of my memory collection. I remember now that as a kid I had a stamp collection and my brothers had either a stamp collection or a coin collection or both. But I also remember that my Mother had both and thought that we should as well. I now believe that the reason we had those collections was because she wanted to have someone to share in the process of collecting and maintaining those collections. It is always more fun to share those experiences with other people who enjoy doing the same thing together. Which I believe is one of the reasons for the prevalence of "clubs" or associations of coin collectors or any kind of "collectors".
But the reason I don't still have that stamp collection is because that was what my Mother wanted me to have. I had no passion for it. As I said in my first blog post------if a collection is to remain with you, you need to have a passion for it and enjoy the collecting and maintaining of that collection.
I am fortunate in that one of my best friends from grade school and high school has just reasppeared into my life after fifty years. We just discovered that after all that time and several moves and different life happenings, we find ourselves living in the same community, very far from where we grew up and within three miles of each other. I have now found someone with whom I can haunt garage sales, estate sales and flea markets. In fact she, having had an antique shop for several years, has always wanted to attend the huge flea market held at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. So-------the second Sunday in March we are going together to Pasadena. Yeah, a road trip with a friend! My husband said that he would like to go with us; but I am sure that it is to see the Rose Bowl not the flea market. I'll let you know how it was after we have been there.
The bottom line for me is that I know that I do like to have "collections"; but they have to be my collections, not my Mother's. So explore your memory collections and see if you want to have your coin or stamp collections or whatever you once collected again or still. I know that coins or stamps are not for me.
One of the nice benefits to me personally about doing this blog is remembering some of the forgotten pieces of my memory collection. I remember now that as a kid I had a stamp collection and my brothers had either a stamp collection or a coin collection or both. But I also remember that my Mother had both and thought that we should as well. I now believe that the reason we had those collections was because she wanted to have someone to share in the process of collecting and maintaining those collections. It is always more fun to share those experiences with other people who enjoy doing the same thing together. Which I believe is one of the reasons for the prevalence of "clubs" or associations of coin collectors or any kind of "collectors".
But the reason I don't still have that stamp collection is because that was what my Mother wanted me to have. I had no passion for it. As I said in my first blog post------if a collection is to remain with you, you need to have a passion for it and enjoy the collecting and maintaining of that collection.
I am fortunate in that one of my best friends from grade school and high school has just reasppeared into my life after fifty years. We just discovered that after all that time and several moves and different life happenings, we find ourselves living in the same community, very far from where we grew up and within three miles of each other. I have now found someone with whom I can haunt garage sales, estate sales and flea markets. In fact she, having had an antique shop for several years, has always wanted to attend the huge flea market held at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. So-------the second Sunday in March we are going together to Pasadena. Yeah, a road trip with a friend! My husband said that he would like to go with us; but I am sure that it is to see the Rose Bowl not the flea market. I'll let you know how it was after we have been there.
The bottom line for me is that I know that I do like to have "collections"; but they have to be my collections, not my Mother's. So explore your memory collections and see if you want to have your coin or stamp collections or whatever you once collected again or still. I know that coins or stamps are not for me.
Tuesday, February 07, 2006
ARE YOUR COLLECTIONS GENUINE?
My Mother always had this notion that if anything was 50 or more years old, it was an antique. She therefore thought that anything that she owned that was over 50 years old was valuable. She never had ventured into the world of collectibles and antiques, so she never knew if the piece were valuable or genuine. She died without ever experiencing the wonder of the internet world and the expanse of resources available to anyone. But the resources for checking to see if your collection or your heirloom piece is genuine and valuable are numerous. One of the sites that I just recently visited was Auction Funk. Very interesting and very helpful. They have a blog that I would recommend you visit and see if it can be helpful to you. The address for the blog is: http://auctionfunk.blogspot.com . This site is a way you can discover unexpected treasures and shed light on the collectible value of seemingly common and everyday items. So, before you throw anything away, visit Auction Funk.
Although my Mother never knew much about COLLECTIONS, she knew a lot about COLLECTING. In fairness to her, she did have one great legitimate collection--a large
collection of salt and pepper shakers. She displayed them in a glass sided etagere and would enchant anyone who would listen with the stories about each pair.......where and when she got them, what the occasion was and from whom she got them. But the majority of "stuff" that she had in drawers, shelves, and on counters was the result of her collecting (read... saving) things that she could not throw away. I must have received that gene as well, as I also have "stuff" that I have carried with me from high school, college, first marriage and on and on and on. I even have some of my Mother's "stuff" that is now my "stuff". One of the things that she always saved were all of the cards she received, birthday cards, anniversary cards and Christmas cards. I just found a box that had many of hers and now many of mine.
With Valentines Day fast approaching, I think that I might recycle some of the cards I have from that holiday and share my "stuff" with others. An article that I found about vintage Valentines was written by a writer with About.com, which is also an excellent site for finding information about your interests. Go to www.about.com and click the link for Your Guide to Antiques and find the February 3, 2006 article titled Remembering Romance. Be sure to share valentines with all you love.
Keep saving, stashing and collecting. Keep looking through what you have already and make decisions about what you want to do with them. I will keep looking for websites, articles, and resources about collections and share some of the best with you. I will also be sharing some of my collections of ideas and thoughts. I would love to have you do the same. Let's start collecting posts from each other.
Missy Carol Ann
My Mother always had this notion that if anything was 50 or more years old, it was an antique. She therefore thought that anything that she owned that was over 50 years old was valuable. She never had ventured into the world of collectibles and antiques, so she never knew if the piece were valuable or genuine. She died without ever experiencing the wonder of the internet world and the expanse of resources available to anyone. But the resources for checking to see if your collection or your heirloom piece is genuine and valuable are numerous. One of the sites that I just recently visited was Auction Funk. Very interesting and very helpful. They have a blog that I would recommend you visit and see if it can be helpful to you. The address for the blog is: http://auctionfunk.blogspot.com . This site is a way you can discover unexpected treasures and shed light on the collectible value of seemingly common and everyday items. So, before you throw anything away, visit Auction Funk.
Although my Mother never knew much about COLLECTIONS, she knew a lot about COLLECTING. In fairness to her, she did have one great legitimate collection--a large
collection of salt and pepper shakers. She displayed them in a glass sided etagere and would enchant anyone who would listen with the stories about each pair.......where and when she got them, what the occasion was and from whom she got them. But the majority of "stuff" that she had in drawers, shelves, and on counters was the result of her collecting (read... saving) things that she could not throw away. I must have received that gene as well, as I also have "stuff" that I have carried with me from high school, college, first marriage and on and on and on. I even have some of my Mother's "stuff" that is now my "stuff". One of the things that she always saved were all of the cards she received, birthday cards, anniversary cards and Christmas cards. I just found a box that had many of hers and now many of mine.
With Valentines Day fast approaching, I think that I might recycle some of the cards I have from that holiday and share my "stuff" with others. An article that I found about vintage Valentines was written by a writer with About.com, which is also an excellent site for finding information about your interests. Go to www.about.com and click the link for Your Guide to Antiques and find the February 3, 2006 article titled Remembering Romance. Be sure to share valentines with all you love.
Keep saving, stashing and collecting. Keep looking through what you have already and make decisions about what you want to do with them. I will keep looking for websites, articles, and resources about collections and share some of the best with you. I will also be sharing some of my collections of ideas and thoughts. I would love to have you do the same. Let's start collecting posts from each other.
Missy Carol Ann
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