How to Buy or Sell — Plastic

There have been natural plastics used since the days of the ancient Egyptians and Chinese. Amber, horns, shellac, and some other things can be called plastic because one definition is “a substance that can be heated and molded into a permanent shape.” Plastic collectors want examples of the man-made plastics. Gutta Percha was invented in […]

How to Buy or Sell — Firearms, Knives and Military Memorabilia

Collectors of military memorabilia search for everything from toy soldiers to working guns. Many of these souvenirs are dangerous, and any gun, hand grenade, or other military object that might hold explosives should be checked by local police or other experts. If you have children in a home with military memorabilia, be sure the guns […]

How to Buy or Sell — Political Memorabilia

Every fourth year, when a presidential race is filling the minds and newspapers of Americans, the price of political ephemera rises. The political buttons, banners, and oddities are suddenly discovered by a new group of collectors. Of course, there are many serious collectors who seek political items every year. The hobby has a national club, […]

How to Buy or Sell — Books and Bookplates

Selling books presents different problems from selling other types of collectibles. Age is one of the factors that determines price, but it is not as important as people believe. Some books written during the past 25 years are worth more than books that are 200 years old. The value of a book is determined by […]

How to Buy or Sell — Magazines

You may not be able to sell a book by its cover, but that is probably the best way to sell an old magazine. It is often the cover illustration that brings the money for old but not rare magazines. A picture of Marilyn Monroe on a Life magazine or a Norman Rockwell illustration on […]

How to Buy or Sell — Movie Memorabilia

Movie memorabilia is a large field, ranging from movie films, sound-track albums, comic materials, toys, and dolls representing characters in movies, to ceramics commemorating movie characters and related events. It also includes movie posters, lobby cards, press kits, movie stills, costumes, awards, and memorabilia from the stars, such as Joan Crawford’s false eyelashes or Judy […]

How to Buy or Sell — Paintings

Original art can be the most valuable and the most complicated antique to sell. You must be able to tell if it is an oil painting, a print, an original Remington sketch, an etching, or just a photographic copy. Find a friend who can tell you which pieces look authentic. It might be a local […]

How to Buy or Sell — Paper Collectibles and Ephemera

Paper collectibles were almost ignored until the 1970s, when the word “ephemera” came into common use. If you have a bookplate that belonged to Charles Dickens, a 1910 gum wrapper, a bill of sale for a slave, or an 1890 menu, it is called ephemera. They were throwaway bits of history. We seem more aware […]

How to Buy or Sell — Photographs and Photographic Equipment

CAMERAS Any old camera has a value. So do stereo viewers and cards, screens, darkroom equipment, most professional photographs, sports photos, and amateur photos taken before 1918 that show everyday life or historic events. There are even artists who look for unusual amateur snapshots that are “artistic”. They are framed and sold at flea markets. […]

How to Buy or Sell — Postcards

The first postal card with a printed stamp was issued in Austria in 1869. The idea proved to be so profitable for the government that it was quickly copied by many other countries. The United States used its first government postcard in May 1873. (A card dated May 12 or 13, 1873, would be a […]