Are you a sports memorabilia collector?  If so, you might be surprised at how much the value can climb by the time you choose to sell.  On the other hand, your special collection could decrease in value.

Avoid Disappointment.

We have all heard stories about enterprising kids who get involved in sports card collecting.  With the promise that the sports cards are worth a great deal of money and will be worth a fortune in the future, these youngsters buy boxes of cards that are supposed to be a really great deal.  Most of these are fakes and worthless … and a waste of a young person’s long saved allowance.  When you buy a ‘group’ of sports collectible items, beware of this type of scam.  The appraisal value will be 0!

For the serious sports collector, an appraisal is essential.    People just breaking into the collectibles business are often sorely disappointed because they did not get their items appraised for value before selling. They discover after the fact that they sold their memorabilia for just a fraction of their worth.

Where to Have Sports Memorabilia Appraised.

Some reputable sports memorabilia appraisers include:

• AllAuthentic Sports Memorabilia — This organization is staffed with professionals who can provide references and offer instant appraisals.
• Vintage Sports Memorabilia Appraisals — Vintage Sports has a sports artifacts library for thousands of vintage sports items.  The company prefers to work by email. Requests for information should be limited to two items that are older than 1980.
• Krause Standard Catalog of Sports Memorabilia Price Guide.
• Robert Connely holds clinics about appraisals.  He’s a member of the American Society of Appraisers and was honored by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.
• Founded in 1992, American Legends provides paid appraisals.
• Sports Memorabilia Appraisal Expert Witness provides a tollfree phone number and volunteers background information to help give reference to its value as an appraisal business.

Appraisals Will Help Establish Insurance Values.

Not only are appraisals of your sports memorabilia important to determine resale value, but if you have valuable collectibles, you will want to have your valuable insured.  Insurance companies will be more willing to recognize the claimed value if you have had an appraisal done.  Make sure you have documented proof.

Is the Price Right?  What Are the Standards?

Courts, banks, insurance companies, auctions houses and even the IRS recognize the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice.  Don’t just depend on a local sports shop or the first available appraiser you come across if you are thinking about selling your sports memorabilia.

In the case of very valuable sports collectibles and memorabilia, it is worth the additional cost to pay for more than one appraisal.  Before selling, realize that prices will change.  If you had an appraisal done several years ago but decided to hang onto your sports memorabilia, you should get the updated value before selling.

Some Tips About Sports Memorabilia and Collectibles.

• Collectibles that have to do with retired players will hold their value better. This is because once retired, the player’s status is not going to change.
• Sweat stains do not necessarily make a jersey authentic.  Anyone can wear a jersey long enough to sweat in it and try to pass it off as the real thing.
• Watch for smudged autographs, dog-eared pages in books, worn edges on cards.
• There is a system with trading cards called grading.  A graded card has a more reasonable guarantee of authenticity.  Graded cards are sealed to discourage card switching, a low tactic of some sellers.  The appraiser will recognize graded cards and their value.

Want to know more?  Discover some more tips about antiquing and collectibles at the Blurbosphere.

Although John Wayne collectibles have always been sought after, they have become increasingly more in demand since the celebration on his 100th birthday in 2007.  Born Marion Robert Morrison, John Wayne epitomized rugged masculinity and has become an enduring American hero. He is famous for his distinctive voice, walk and 6’ 4” height. They don’t make Western heroes like John Wayne anymore!

There is no shortage of great collectibles for fans of John Wayne memorabilia. The Bradford Exchange has a unique selection including John Wayne tribute knife replicas. Each issue of these quality limited edition John Wayne memorabilia features a unique portrait of The Duke on a hard-fired porcelain blade. The handles have been beautifully decorated with a raised bronzed picture of The Duke and include his signature to add to their appeal.

Another popular item to include in your John Wayne memorabilia collection might be a stained glass tiffany lamp featuring magnificent Western scenes reminiscent of John Wayne at his best for years to come.

Throughout John Wayne’s career in movies, which spanned an impressive 50 years, he was recognized as the ideal Western hero.

Whether he was storming the beaches at Iwo Jima or defending the Alamo, John Wayne represented the qualities of a true American hero. Fine porcelain collector plates are also available as a tribute to John Wayne’s illustrious career.

The Timeless Hero collectible stained-glass wall clock is another item you might want to acquire for your own John Wayne memorabilia collection or as a fantastic gift for a John Wayne fan. This lovely clock displays striking portraits of the screen legend in illuminated stained glass. Demand for these unique John Wayne memorabilia continues to grow.

Many people love train collections. Now you can purchase heirloom-quality electric train sets that are decorated with some of the dramatic scenes from some of The Duke’s most popular films.

Whether you prefer figurines, wall art, replica knives/rifles, or collector plates, you are sure to find plenty of John Wayne collectibles to suit every taste and budget.

To learn more about these popular collectibles, visit The Collectibles Store.

The collecting of Civil War covers actually began during the war, and one design actually promotes the collecting of the covers! It is said that some publishers continued printing and selling covers after the war ended, but rumors of modern production of these designs are, mostly unfounded.  Patriotic covers from the War Between the States were published by a variety of manufacturers mostly in the North. 

The Civil War was serious business to American citizens, even if they chose to express their sentiments in a humorous way via the mail.  Patriotic covers were enormously popular in 19th Century America.Wars create a need for smartly worded, visually compelling political expression such as patriotic covers.There has to be at least 200 cachet publishers and printers who produced the popular patriotic designs.

Since collecting was a popular pastime, it was only natural that citizens began to collect Civil War patriotic covers.  Special albums were created and sold during the war that made it easy for collectors to mount the envelopes. Today these albums can command as much as $1,000 at auction.

Political activists worked with designers to stir support and sentiment.  To do so, they used patriotic symbols including the American Eagle, the American flag, stars, and the Liberty Bell.  Depictions of soldiers were common as were symbols of ‘Lady Liberty.’  

Designs were predominately printed in red and blue (also to inspire patriotism!) but exist in a wide range of colors, The most highly prized hand-colored designs were produced primarily by the Charles Magnus Company, the F.K. Kimmel Company, and Berlin &  Jones.Very little colored envelope stock was used most covers will be found on white. 

Twenty-five years ago, the lowest-priced unused Civil War patriotic covers could be purchased for a quarter or less.  The affordability of this fascinating branch of collecting makes it extremely accessible to novice collectors and appealing to Civil War enthusiasts.    Even covers that have been posted are offered in the $10-$20 range if their quality is relatively poor or their subject is common.  Rarer designs, however, elicit bids of many thousands of dollars. 

What’s on the design A-List when it comes to Civil War patriotic covers?  President Abraham Lincoln is one of the most expensive, while the Rose of Washington by Charles Magnus is undoubtedly one of the most popular.

You are able to enjoy a great many hobbies when you are young and full of energy. Energetic sports such as weightlifting or football are enjoyable when you are young. However, with the advancing years, participation in these sports is increasingly more difficult. For many people, this is a depressing sign of their oncoming old age.

Then again, everyone has to go through this and you should not be upset that you can no longer play with the young ‘uns. What you should do instead is change your interests to match your physical capabilities and personality. You should begin to acquire memorabilia that bring to mind your favorite sports.

If you are looking for a fantastic site that will help you find the collectibles you seek, take a look at: Sports Collectibles.

You may have heard about someone spending millions of dollars on a baseball card or a piece of memorabilia, and this might have turned you away from the idea of gathering collectibles. However, this should not be an issue for you. Million dollar deals like those are extremely rare, and only carried out by those who have plenty of money to waste. It’s a fact that the collectibles hobby is open to everyone. Lots of money and free time are not necessary. All it requires is the desire to acquire some items that will remind you of your favourite sports. As your collection gets bigger, you’ll get more and more enjoyment from adding new pieces.

The most popular type of sports collectible is, of course, the card. For decades, football and baseball cards plus every other type of card you can think of, has been reproduced and distributed. If you look around enough, you might even find a big old box from your childhood, or a relative’s childhood.

This is a really good way for you get into sports card collecting, and the best part is that it doesn’t cost anything. However, cards aren’t the only sports memorabilia that are considered highly collectible. Other items that are also considered to be collectibles are balls, pictures, helmets, or jerseys. If you have a ball you caught at a baseball game, it is a collectible.

If you decide that collectibles are a good hobby for you, get out there and buy some items. First, buy a cleaning kit that will allow you to keep items in pristine condition. Then you need to get accessories that will let you showcase your collectibles. This could be a binder for your baseball cards, or some sort of display case to keep everything behind glass.

No matter which collectibles you purchase, they need to be kept away from possible hazards. Your collectibles are likely to be valuable down the road if you make the effort to preserve them properly.

Collectibles aren’t limited to a certain sport or a certain era. Some collectors prefer to collect vintage baseball cards, while others like to collect more modern memorabilia such as NASCAR races or NFL games. Sports collectibles such as diecast model race cars or helmet replicas can be found for your favorite sports personalities. Or, if you are just a fan of the sport in general, you can purchase more generic collectibles that don’t support anyone in specific.

If you wish to be involved in sports without the risk of injuries, then the sports collectibles hobby may be the perfect hobby for you. To get started, all you need to do is pick a sport or a player that interests you, and start finding items. After you start to get a knack for it, you will find it difficult to stop!.

I hope you enjoyed this article. For more information on sports collectibles, I recommend that you check out: Sports Collectibles.

Exclusive to the Ashton-Drake Galleries, Heavenly Handfuls miniature baby dolls have to be the cutest dolls around! With the realistic detail normally found in full-size dolls, the 6″ M&M’s dolls are a favorite with collectors.These little marvels come with a brightly colored sweater and a unique cap. Your heart will be melted by these adorable dolls!

The highest quality vinyl is used to create the lovely hand-crafted Heavenly Handfuls collections. In addition, their soft bodies are poseable which makes them more fun. Holding one of these precious baby dolls in the palm of your hand is sure to produce a warm feeling in your heart! Each one is truly a masterpiece.

The Heavenly Handfuls Sweet As You Please Baby Doll Collection is as realistic a doll collection as you’ll find, right down to the creases in the bottom of their little feet. The dolls have their own crocheted booties to keep them warm and the lovely costumes are perfectly made to scale.

The Heavenly Handfuls Collection also includes the collectible Miniature Kitten Doll Collection. Mohair is applied by hand to each of the highly detailed and beautifully crafted poseable kittens. These sweethearts have precious baby costumes with their name clearly displayed on the front.

If you love monkeys, you’re sure to love the Heavenly Handfuls L’il Monkey Hugs Collectible which comfortably sits in the palm of your hand. These extremely lifelike and fully poseable baby monkeys are each dressed in a beautiful outfit. The perfect gift for a monkey lover, these delightful dolls are also covered with mohair which has been applied by hand.

The Dancing For The Cure Breast Cancer Support Baby Doll is another lovely doll in the Heavenly Handfuls collection. Dressed in a lovely custom-designed outfit, these very lifelike 5″ ballerina dolls also proudly wear the pink ribbon.

For a touch of magic, you should take a look at the Heavenly Handfuls Wizard of Oz Vinyl Baby Doll Collection. At only 4 1/2″ tall, each doll is finely hand-crafted and hand-painted. Their superbly crocheted costumes and fabric “blankies” are specially decorated with characters such as Toto on Dorothy’s blanket.

If you love these dolls as much as I do, you’ll want to take a look at: Heavenly Handfuls.

“Collectible” is a very broad term which may be applied to a great many items. However, collectible dolls are collected more frequently than any other type of collectible. Because of this, dolls are often what people associate with the word “collectibles”.

It is important that you learn as much as you can about collectible dolls if you want to collect them. One thing you should learn is how to protect your investment by caring properly for your collectible dolls. This will allow you to keep your doll in perfect condition, and possibly sell it for a profit at a later date.

If you are looking for a great selection of vinyl collectible dolls, check out: Vinyl Collectible Dolls.

When you purchase your doll, do not tear the packaging when you remove your doll. You should do your best to keep the packaging in excellent condition. To ensure that your doll has a long shelf life, it will be necessary for you to remove the doll from its package so you can prepare the doll for storage.

The first step is to remove any tape from the bows in the doll’s hair. The resale price for collectible dolls will be seriously impacted if glue from the tape gets on the fabric. Anything that might rust should be removed from the packaging. Any rusty bits of metal in the packaging can destroy your doll.

The steps you choose to take will depend on how long you wish to keep your doll. You should buy special acid free tissue paper for wrapping collectible dolls, which is available at hobby stores. Than you should remove the doll’s clothing and wrap tissue paper around the doll before putting the clothes back on. By doing this, the integrity of the fabric will be maintained for an extended period of time. Dyes from the fabric may be transferred to the doll’s skin if you don’t use tissue paper to wrap the doll. A doll with an oddly pigmented skin is not a good thing!

Just as a reminder, for a great site that has a wonderful selection of vinyl collectible dolls, take a look at: Collectible Dolls

The eyes of the doll are the next area to be treated. Treating your doll’s eyes with a diluted solution of isopropyl alcohol (half water, half alcohol) will ensure that they move freely. Lay the doll horizonatally and place a small amount of the solution in each eye. After wiping the eye area with a clean rag made of cotton, you should let it dry thoroughly. This treatment will ensure that your doll’s eyes are completely clean and dust free. Dolls with eyes that are glued shut are certainly less than desirable!

Your collectible doll can be put on a shelf and forgotten when the necessary steps have been taken to preserve it for an extended shelf life. Collectible dolls will not increase significantly in value so they should not be considered an investment. Dolls should be bought for a personal affinity and love of dolls, rather than a desire to make money. People who love collectible dolls can hope that they will increase in value with time. It is for this reason that you must perform the necessary steps to protect your doll.

I hope you enjoyed this article. You may also be interested in the Heavenly Handfuls collectible dolls here: Heavenly Handfuls.