Collectibles Past & Present

Many times when the topic of Collectibles comes up people immediately thing your are talking about antiques. While antiques are a type of collectible there are plenty of other items both modern and vintage that make up the vast majority of things that can be classified as collectible.

Antiques by my definition are things that are 200 years or older. Anything that doesnt have that type of age is in my option considered either a vintage or modern collectible.  Many times when people refer to antiques it is assumed they are talking about furniture or glassware.  However books, parchments, maps, prints, paintings, coins, jewelry are often time far more valuable than antique furniture or glassware.  It is my intent to discuss many types of collectible antiques and cover the specifics of each that make them highly desirable by collectors.

Vintage Collectibles fall in the age of 10-199 years old and like antiques can be just about anything that a person desires to own.  Often a personal relationships from the past, life experiences and childhood memories dictate what becomes collectible in each individuals mind.  The value of vintage collectibles vary widely depending upon the individuals personal attachment to the item in question.  Some collectibles like coins and jewelry among others gain their value from the precious metals and gems that they are made from.  An items history such as previous owners, its significance with a historical event or how famous its creator is can also have a huge factor.  A print produced by Atkinson Fox, a vase signed by the painter or silver stamped by a well known silver smith for example will fetch far more money on the collectible and antique market than one that doesnt have such distinguishing features.

Modern things that become collectibles are often determined by a fads, trends, scarcity, or other popular culture events. Just because something is highly collected today doesn’t mean that it will remain so as time passes.  At one time there was a huge demand for those McDonald’s erasers that came in happy meals, but they are rarely thought of as highly collectible any longer.  Talking Elmo a toy that was quite hard to find the first year it was produced maintained a high price tag for quite sometime do solely to its scarcity and overwhelming demand by the consumers. While the Elmo dolls may hold a spot in the hearts of toy collectors for years to come there may come a time when they are considered worthless.  Today’s collectables seem to be driven by consumers with almost a cult like desire to acquire the item in question.  Without this big demand by consumers to own them, most modern items just remain another piece of personal property with a value based on its usefulness to the individual.